The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-18
"CROWDING REFORM"
Commissioners Foulke Reviews Criti-
cfsms Made by This Paper.


cisms Made by This Paper.
To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
The Journal is always so fair in its treat
ment Of the competitive system that 1t
seems TO me / ought to correct some mis-
apprehensions which are shown in its edi-
torial of Nov. IL, entitled 'Crowding Re
FORM" In speaking of two demands of
its overzealous friends" you say:
"One of them, requiring cooks TO undergo
a civil-service don, makes it inn
possible to conduct a series of government
experiments TO test the purity OF foods.
The chemist of the Agriculture De-
partment, who has the food experiments In
charge, says he could go out and find a
cook III two hours who would answer his
purpose, but the rules require that the COOK
shall pass a civil-service examination, and
he finds that none of the eligibles possess
the knowledge that he particularly desires:
There are good cooks in most of the old
countries. but this is probably the first
time that culinary artists have been re-
quired to pass a ciyil-seryice examination"
In point of fact, no educational tests are
given at all. but applicants are graded as
to the lements of experience. character.
age, etc., and vouchers from former en-
ployers and others knowing the applicants
qualifications are required. From a regis
tered list graded in this manner the com
SSA - ~ W SoPPis PchoChS
with very little delay. Although such lists
may not always furnish the best persons.
yet they will, upon an average, furnish
much better persons than will be procured
without them; for before these positions
were classified persons who knew nothing
about the occupations they were expected
to follow were foisted upon the depart
ments by those who had influence and
many incompetents were appointed and
sinecures established. These abuses are
now prevented by the rules.
In this particular case the certihcation
was made according to the request of the
department.. and no complaint has been re-
ceIved, from any source. If there be any
difficulty We can remove Ii very quickly IL
the chemist of the Agricultural Depart
ment will bring the matter to our notice
through the proper channels. During sew
eral years cooks and bakers have been ap-
pointed through the registration system in
Indian schools to the entire satisfaction of
the Indian Office.
The second ''untimely demand of the
overzealous friends of reform" mentioned
in your article is what you term the COM
missions suggestion OF a compulsory pen
sion law for government employees" On
the contrary, the commission is opposed to
a pension system. In our report we say:
There are many well-grounded objec-
tons to a permanent civil pension system.
Such a system has been adopted in Eng
land and in other European countries. but
considerable abuses have followed Il, and
the expense is very great. II is probable
ludt III SUCH a SYSTEM were ADOPTED III
would be followed by a lobby seeking in
crease of pensions, and that IL would be-
come more and more onerous to the gov
eminent"
You say in your article that '.the COM
mission recommends that all government
employees from the date of their employ
ment be assessed a certain sum annually
to be held in trust by the government as
an insurance fund for the benefit of aged
and disabled employees" On the contrary.
the recommendations in our report were
made for the purpose of avoiding as far
as possible the holding of any fund in trust
by the government or the Intervention of
any government agency where IL could
properly be avoided.
The evils of superannuation have been
repeatedly called to the attention of Con-
gress. Although there is legally no OBJ
stacle whatever to the discharge of any
employe who has become s~uperannuated or
inefficient. the difficulty comes from the
fact that appointing officers have not the
heart TO dismiss old and faithful servants
tated, and many of them are thus retained
In the service at the expense of the govern
ment and TO the Decentralization of the
service itself. It is not economy to keep
these men In the service. but Ii has not
hitherto been found practicable TO dismiss
them without providing some allowance for
their support In old age. To remedy this.
no less than twelve bills have been Intro
duced in Congress at different times. most
OF them providing for an assessment upon
the salaries of employees TO pay for retire
ment annuities. the government 10 receive
this assessment and pay the annuity; but
the assessments provided for In these bills
have been wholly insufficient. and If such
bills should pass we would have the same
experience that they had I'm England
where the system OF providing a super-
annuation fund by deductions from salaries.
was twice tried and failed. and was an last
succeeded by a civil pension list. This
would be very Objectionable. and the com
mission, therefore. thought IL wise to rec
ommend that in place of such superannua-
ton fund 10 be controlled by the govern
ment, all those who enter the public serv-
ice hereafter ought TO be required m mo
tect the government against the conse-
quences of their becoming superannuated
by taking out an annuity insurance nav
able at a certain age or upon disability
occurring prior thereto. Such a system
would encourage the appointment of such
clerks and employees as are physically well
qualified for their work and least likely
TO become disabled or superannuated. and
by this means the government would he re-
lieved from taking charge OF the annuitles
and from the opportunities and lobbying
which are likely. 10 follow any system con-
Quoted directly by government agency. II
was suggested. however. that the gov
eminent might probably intervene TO Sc
cure the payment of premiums by dedrc-
tons from salaries. and TO require from the
insurance companies the deposit of suits HE
securities. IL ought TO be recognized that
while s"uperannuated or disabled persons
remain in the public service. the govern
ment Is actually paying. in another form
something which is even more expensiye
than a approximation allowance. and that
IL Is the part of wisdom TO provide some
means by which this burden may be re-
moved. with the least possible outlay TO
the government.
WILLIAM DUDLEY FoULKE.
Washington, ID. c., Nov. Il