The Washington times., 1904-03-06
T Favor % the o19s 9s Chiefs ee9n OPINIONS BY EXPERTS

PVASNHhei OA tne DlStr1ct empiOyeS or
the classified service. The youngest age
at which any person. now in the service
entered Is ten years The oldest person
in the service is eighty-nine years of
age. The youngest is fifteen. The small
est salary is sl5s.50 and the largest 81. 900
per annum. The longest service OF any
person was sixty-six years and his age
eighty-seven, when he was discharged
from the Treasury Department. The
number Of employees receiving S1565O to
$500 per annum is 1.s79. and the amounts
OF salaries is $S15, ,2Os.09 The mass of cor
rospondence that has been necessary is
greater in volume than you can imagine.
The chairman of the Committee on
Civil Service in the United States SEN
ate and the House of Representatives.
the members of the Civil Service Com
mission. Civil Service Reform League,
and many members of Congress have
evincod a lively interest IN our labors,
and have given us much encourag cement
and are anxiously awaiting the results
of the actuary's calculations"
In investigating this question, and OBJ
tanning representative opinions on the
srbJect, naturally a call was made on
Gen John c. Black, the new president
of tho Civil Service Commission Gem
eral Black admitted that he had a we'll
formulated opinion on the subject, but
declined to talk at the present. for the
reason that he is TO appear in a few
days before the Committee on Civil Ser
vice and Reform of the House, to give
them his views, and he did not think
1t becoming 10 give a public expression
to his opinion before hts talk to the
committee. After I have been before
the committee. If you still desire it, I
will be only too glad to give my convtc-
tions TO the readers of The Times" said
General Black
State Department, who was outspoken
In his advocacy Of the proposition to
provide pension fund for superannu-
ated Government employees. advanced
this argument in support OF his stand:
II can best illustrate the necessity for
and justice OF such a movement by cit
ing the case of an old friend Of mine.
who for ye,.rs had been a faithful and
valuable clerk in the Pension ONCE.
Just after passing his sixtieth birthday
ne was removed. He had worked stead
fly. it is true, but his salary had been
barely adequate for the needs of his
large family. Besides his wife had long
been an invalid. requiring constant med
icaI attention Very well. He started
out bravely to seek employment in this.
his home city, confident that his years
Of training would make him valuable in
a clerical capacity in some business
house.
''At most places he met only with re-
Saffs. One look at his gray hairs and
stooaing figure was all sufficient where
enerIyy and briskness WAS the watch
word. In the few Instances where his
story was listened 20. he was Informed
kindly but conclusiveiy that while his
technical knowledge would doubtless be
valuable jusI where he had acquired II,
the merchants OF the present day were
looking for young blood, and for men
who could give TO the business. as my
friend had done to the Government. the
best ana most vigorous years Of their
lives. The result was that he discharg-
ed clerk, unable 20 obtain any work for
which he was qualified. was compelled
to go to distant State, and for some
time he has been barely kept from the
poorhouse by the charity Of relatives.
THE same thing might happen to me
OF TO any other aged employe Of any OF
the Government departments. who sud
denly found himself adrift. You there
fore understand why I am an earnest
advocate OF the pension system"
The contrast between the policies of
the Government toward military and ci-
william employees was brought out by n
civil service clerk in the War Depart
ment "I have long been honestly con-
vinced." said he ''of the fairness of
putting civilian employees on something
like an equal footing with the army and
the navy in the matter Of retiring with
pensions after a certain term OF service.
1 consider in my own case, that while
I have performed no act of thrilling
heroism on land or sea. SIS have those
fortunate enough 10 belong to the mill
tary arm Of the Government. 1 have Civ
en- Just as faithful services for more
than a score OF years in the capacity OF
a civilian employe. Under the circum-
stances I firmly consider that these ser
vices have been as esse1tiaI even to the
successful issue OF mil ts.ry operations,
as Is the work Of the soldier on the
Yet. despite the equality OF
the services rendered. you find the PEN
sioning OF the disabled and retired SOL
der the heaviest drain on the national
finances, while absolutely no provision
is made for rue. When my work is no
longer useful because Of advancing
years. / must live on what / have been
able to save from my salary under no
matter what vicissitudes. or become de-
pendent on friends and relatives. If 1t Is
right and proper to retire soldiers and
sailors on pensions, the same arguments,
It seems TO me. must convince anyone
that a similar provision should be made
for us
What is wanted in the Government
service is young blood. virile bodies. and
vigorous brains; is it not SOP said a
Navy Department clerk. You will GER
tainly attract a better class of young