The Washington times., 1904-04-16
RETIRING CIVIL
SERVICE CLERKS
House Committee Holds a
Secret Session.
PLAN TO RELIEVE THE AGED
Principle Involved Finds Opposition
and NO Bill May Be
Reported.

employees on pensions is receiving the
most careful consideration by Congress
and the Administration.
= he House Committee on Reform Ia
thc Civil Service, which during the SEES
sion conducted an investigation into
conditions and proposed remedies, held
am important meeting yesterday, at
which it considered at Length the con
ditiOus of the service brought out by
ia, investigation. and the possible
remedy.
Members Are Reticent.
While the members Of the committee
are reticcnt as to the results OF their
session. il is known that 1t was the
general, if not unanimous. opinion that
some plan should be devised to relieve
the conditions Of the service. due to the
presence in all the departments Of the
sUDcrauuuated clerks.
Many bills providing for such retire
meut have been introduced and sent 10
the committee, but IL Is certain that
none Of them VIII be favorabiy re-
VIII be CryStallized I'm a relief measure.
committee Dill which VIII EN- DOdy
it's views as 10 the best and safest
means 10 provide for pension retire
ment--
May Be Presented.
The question at present is the advisa-
bility Of presenting this bill at this
session Of Congress. II is not likely it
would have any chance Of passing this
session. but there are members Of the
committee who think 1t would be good
policy 20 present the measure. as a
means Of feeling the pulse Of the House
on hhe general, proposition.
There are those who say that the
House IS too unfriendly 10 civil service
as a whole TO favor any plan TO bet
ter the conditions Of the employees Of
the classified service Others even
those who cOncede this feeling. say chat
public sentiment al developed in the
ueWspa perS. and the weight Of the Opin-
ions Of the heads or the various depart
mentS. who are almost without eXcep-
ton in favor Of some such plan. Will
eventually force the passage Of the
measure.
Stormy Time Ahead.
a question Of plans has entered more
largely into the work of the committee
than has the consideration Of the under
lying principle. II is conceded that the
plan, favored by many. of an out-and-
out pension, such as prevails in the
military departments. will not pass the
House. and that the measure must be
framed along the lines proposed by the
association Of clerks themselves. that
OF a pension supported by assessments
on the salaries of the employees. or else
by aInuities taken from the salaries.
Representative Frederick II. GIlett
of Massachusetts, chairman of the
House Committee, was this morning In
conference with the President for some
time.
Act Is Significant.
The attitude Of the President is in
ferred from his action in extending a
specific permission 10 the Clerks AssO-
citation 10 proceed with their work OF
data, and presenting their
side of the question TO the committee.
This has significance, in view of the
fact that there IS a standing executive
order forbidding Government employees
from seeking to forward legislation to
their own benefit
The great body OF employees are much
encouraged at the work Of the com
mittee. and hope that by the end Of the
next session. at the latest their plans
may result successfully. The House
Committee viii dold another meeting on
Tuesday, at which their future action
viii be determined.