The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1905-12-20
Government Has Too Many Aged
Men On Its Pay Rolls.
Many Departments Would BE Bene-
fitted by Introduction OF Young
er Material.
NATTER rs BEFORE CONGRESS-.

Washington. Dec. 20.-Represen-
tative Tawney's resolution, calling
upon the President 10 furnish TO the
house all information bearing upon
the number OF government employees
In the service who are 20 years of
age or over, the information to be
given by departments and bureaus,
is innocent appearing. and no expla-
nation was made of the reason under
lying II. Its full purpose. however.
is known and 1t Is far-reaching. The
resolution was passed without dis
cussion.
II appears that Mr.. Tawney has
been making study of government
al expenditures since he has become
chairman OF the great money com
mittee and has decided that It would
be wise TO reduce the payrolls in
some OF the government depart
ments. He has been assured by the
heads of the respective departments
that this Is impossible as. II they are
deprived of the present number of
employees. the government business
will suffer. AT the same time the
heads of departments and bureaus
assured him that II II was not for
the useless material they have as
signed to them and kept in their Of
fees. through the working OF the civil
service laws. they could get along
with less than the present force. One
OF the strong complaints which Mr..
Tawney has had is To the effect that
there are so many old men in the
government service, who remain In
their places through the fact that
pity or regard for past services pre-
vents them from discharging the old
er men and giving their places to
younger and more competent clerks.
Mr.. Tawney has come TO the conclu-
sion that there has grown up an in
voluntary and automatic civil pen
sion lis in the government depart
ments in consequence of the system
VI IVY nus oiu hths
Nj nu..cv knew OF no better au-
thority TO turn to than the Presl'
dent. He believes that information
coming from Mr. Roosevelt will be
well received by the country, be-
cause the President is looked upon
as such a champion of the system,
which has made possible and impera-
tive the retention of these old men
in their places.
The information may be the basis
for agitation In favor of a real civil
pension bill. II II Is. IL will not find
support from Mr.. Tawney. He has
an entirely different use to put 1t to.
II he finds that the number of old
men is sufficiently large that 1t will
be a distinct advantage to the gov
eminent to dispense with their SER
vices. he will place In the set OF APP
propriations for the present session
n provision that no part of the appro-
priations shall be used to pay any
employees over 20 years OF age.
Mr.. Tawney realizes fully that this
will raise howl by the old employees
and their friends. In spite of this,
he believes II can not be successfully |
attacked on any other than senti- !
mental grounds. That being true
he thinks he has a duty in taking on
ly the practical view of the sltua-
ton offered. He believes. with
majority OF the two houses, that IL
after many years in the government
service at rate of pay far in ex-
cess of that paid to most other folks
in the ordinary walks of life man
reaches the age of 20 years and has
not secured a competence for him
self, II is not the duty of the govern
ment to care for him, nor has he any
one to blame but himself in any but
extreme and unusual cases.