The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-03-20

y ONE two or three years since.
when the question Of retirement
- Of the superannuated employees of
the Government began TO attract
the attention Of our national legislators,
the executive officers OF the depart.
ments, civil service reformers. publicists.
one OF the important officers Of an exec
utive department. and a member OF the
Civil Pension Committee, who had long
/ favored the scheme for the retirement
Of civil service employees. prepared GER
tain data relative 10 the employees in q
single bureau OF the Treasury Depart
ment. The Treasury Department doubt
less has a greater percentage OF cid en-
plOyes than any other department Of
bureau. unless it be the Pension Office.
! In his findings this officer placed par
/ ticular stress upon the fact that law
( having In view the retirement Of super
animated employees would be in the in
terest OF the service, and that by it the
old, incapacitated. and inactive ones
could be retired and their vacancies sup
piled by younger. stronger. and more
active clerks. and that by an assessment
upon the entire force the amount neces-
sary for a liberal pension TO those re
tired coud be raised without expense to
the Government.
In the bureau referred to there are
about $50 clerks whose salaries range
from $3.50 to 5000 per annam. the annual
payroll amounting to about $500, 600; OF
the $50 clerks there are AZ who have
served 80 years and upward and of these
has had 30 years service; 5. 3s years:
g. 81 years; IS. SO years; 4. IS years; 3,
81 years; l. SO years; 8. 80 years; 2, 81
years. and 2 80 years, their ages ranging
from so 10 70 years. 13 between 90 and 20,
20 between 60 and 65. between Go and
20. and 20 and over.
The salaries of these clerks range from
$1,000 to 5000 per annum; 2 at 81, 900 3
at ,200. at S1.4O0, Is at 81 500, Is at
s.. SEQ. and at $1,000.
The ages OF the clerks comprising
these classes are: Glass Z Isl 600. K9
and 76 class 1, SO. 81, 66. Il. and "A; class
2, So; 50. 60. 81. 81. G6. and g.; class 3.
So %. 50 o. 60 CD. 81, 62 CO. 63. Go, IS 90.
%, and 49, class 4, Sc. 81. So. 60 (2). 81. g.,
65, 81 %, 65. S.. 81. and 20; class s. 80. 90,
and g.
one Of the features of opposition m
any system OF retirement is that ad
vanced by the younger element in the
service who failed to perceive any ac-
cruing benefit 10 them In the payment
OF a salary tax until they should reach
the age Of sixty years or upward.
To this younger element, outside Of a /
purely humanitarian view, and from a |
purely financial and personally bene-
ncial standpoint II was shown that If !
the forty-seven clerks who have seen
thirty years service and upward were
retired 1t would result in the promo
ton OF every clerk in the Office one
grade and some Of them two grades
leaving at the bottom forty-seven orig
Inal vacancies TO I'LL by new blood"
appointments. and that, also for the
first ten years the retrements would be
very frequent and the promotions pr,
pOrtionately rapid.
The question was asked Of the Young
clerks whether they were not willing To
pay a salary tax OF from TO ner
cent per annum If by so doing they
,ould receive a promotion which in
creased their salary $500 per annum.
The opinion was expressed that the
measure would be beneficial
o the service itself. 10 those remaining Il
n the service, TO those who are re- ;
ired and not detrimental TO any in
crest.