The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-04-25
MONDAY, APRIL Is, 1904.
RETIRING THE sUPERANNUATED.


We are so seldom able to find any
thing to commend in the policies, either
pernieious or evasive, controlling the
Republican party at this time that We
are doubly pleased to be able to in
dorse the action of a majority of the
committee on civil service reform.
Doubtless its recommendations will
never get to the status of law, because
everything must yield to the demand
for hurried adjournment. Neverthe-
less it is something to have it formu-
late a correct general principle, to
which we hope that future congresses,
whatever may be their party control,
will be faithful.
The committee recommended a re-
port declaring that on and after a near
future date every employe in the classi-
fed service Of the United States who
had reached the age Of seventy years
should be retired, and that after the
same date the retirement rule should
apply to every person in such service
when he should arrive at the age of
seventy. At the same time all the vari-
Gus bills introduced and looking to-
ward some scheme for pensioning civil
service employees were sent back with
a recommendation that they lie on the
table.
This is common sense, good business
and devotion to the public service.
The departments at Washington in par
ticular are simply clogged with an ac-
emulation of superannuated clerks.
These employees have been in receipt
of their income from the government
for anywhere from ten to fifty years
each. They hang on because their SUI
periOr officers have not the heart to
discharge them; or because. through
all the political fluctuations, they have
managed to retain something of a pull
They are now totally incapable Of
earning their salaries or Of transact
ing public business, and are simply a
dependent charge upon the federal
treasury.
This should not be permitted to con-
tinue. Judges on the bench and Off
GERS in the army are retired after they
have reached a certain age limit. In
individual cases this works hardship.
and men still in full vigor are obliged
to leave positions where they are serv-
ing their country well. But the rule.
on the whole, is wise and Just. If such
men are cut off from federal employ at
ages ranging from sixty-two years I'D
wards, certainly the public offices ought
not to be crowded with helpless clerks
who have passed the seventy year
mark. Regardless Of other conditions.
that liberal age limit at least should
be observed, and every official head
should be cut off remorselessly after it
has passed.
This rule implies. Of course, no title
to any consideration in the shape of
pension support. The slightest con-
cession to the demand for pensionins
employees in the civil service should
be smashed at the beginning. These
people are crazy to get the positions.
and descend to more devious devices
TO succeed than they ever would in
private life. They get salaries rang
Ing very much above what they could
command in any other occupation.
Their hours are short and their labors
\are light. What earthly claim a man
who has enjoyed position universally
regarded as a favor to be struggled
for should have on his employer for
an old age pension no sane and lust
man can discover.
Let public employees understand THAI
they are under the same obligation as
the average man, dependent upon his
own resources and tar less, able to save