New-York tribune., 1905-02-12

teachers is not to provide pensions for them,
but to pay them better salaries.
For the hours and the work he does. the
civil servant is exceptionally well paid. He goes
to work at 8 and quits at T. with an hour off
for luncheon. That leaves him six hours. In
outside life he would have tc work eight hours
or longer. His wages are above the average
paid in private employ. 1t is SO in almost all
the municipal departments. For instance, when
the management OF the Brooklyn Bridge passed
from the city to a private corporation the hours
of the employees We're increased and the salary
decreased Now. if this is the case, why should
not the municipal employe be expected to save
up against old age or a rainy Gay the same
as anybody else? They can if they want To,
even though public office may offer few more
temptations TO spend ones earnings. At any
rate, why should the city, after paying these
men good wages and giving them short hours
and comparatively easy work, be expected to
support them also in their old age?
"Those who favor such a pension system as
is proposed in the bill now before the legislar-
ure say that it viii not tax the city and that il
is practically self-supporung- 1t may appear
So but ii is not. 1t provides that If the pen
sons drain the retirement fund completely
the city shall advance ! per cent of the eX-
else fund, or about $4,000 to meet the adGi-
tional claims. This is the limit at present, but
If such a system should be established the
limit could gradually be raised by future leEis-
latve amendments. According TO actuarieS who
have studied the pension system recommended
thus far for the employees of this city the pro-
who hope to enjoy half pay after twenty or
twenty-five years OF service is ludlcrously small,
and the city would be compelled eventually to
make up the difference.
LAS a matter of fact, if the Civil Service en-
ployes who advocate pension system really
wanted it to protect their old age and expected
that their own contributions could pay the pen
sions, they could go ahead without any legisla-
tion. They could take out annuity policies in
any of the big insurance companies, whose in
vestments pay more than do those of the city.
They might do this individually or collectively
the latter way being the one recommended by
committee of the National Civil Service Reform
League after q thorough study of this subject.
According to this method an insurance company
on seeing IL possible to insure a large number OF
men who are good risks might arrange TO take
them at especially liberal rates 1 am not pre-
pared to say that such plan might not have
radical weaknesses but it appears 10 far
practicable than any of the pension
schemes proposed thus far by the employees OF
this city.
IF the question of a pension system were
thoroughly studied II would be found that the
older men in the service want IT most. They
the agitators for IT. For them, of course. IL
would be of special beneht. They will be able
to subscribe TO its fund a short time and then
retire. TO have their half salaries paid by
younger men or by the city. The younger men.
on the other hand. may pay in part of their
earnings year after year and then at last fail OF
benefting by the system"