The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-11-30

~ w.
Seems like IL you keep your ears
open you can hear most anything. The
cry has gone up now that Pension Com
missioner Warner intends to dispense
with all the older clerks in the Pension
Office. The Commissioner says this is
the very worst kind Of an "ain't So"
81 do not intend to discharge men
who have devoted their entire lives
practically to the service of the Gov
eminent and who have fought in bat
tie for their Nations Flag and honor.
have concluded that there is some
place in the office that every man can
men who are unable to keep up with
the duties at present assigned them"
Mr.. Warner stated emphatically that
1T was not his policy to Summari1y re-
duce the high-salaried men, old in
years. and promote the younger ones
to their places. If a clerk could not
do the work of the grade in which he
was. but could do that of the next low
er grade, that would be the place he
would get.
There are now on the rolls of the
Pension Office six persons who are
more than "a years of age, IL who are
more than so, one who is Sc and one
w fiO Is o. 1ucSc dStu CicIhS
ly have been agitated owing to the ru-
morS current.
Here is some interesting informa-
ton about Civil Service examinations:
According to the annual report of
the Chief Examiner of the Civil Ser
vice Commission, 14S.730 persons were
examined during the year. This Is the
largest number ever examined in one
year for places in the Government SER
vice
The number for the preceding fiscal
year was 133,069, SO that the number
examined for the fiscal year shows a
net gain of 1861. Mr.. Higgins ac-
counts for this increase by the fact that
certain examinations were held that
were not held during the preceding
year, for example, for the places in the
service of the Isthmian Canal, printers
assistant, immigrant Inspector, tagger,
and bookkeeper in the reclamation SER
vice.
OF the number examined, 1903
passed their examinations successfully,
and the remaining 39,427 failed. The
report shows that $50 different kinds
of examinations were held during the
year. The highest-salaried position for
which examinations were held was
that of Chief of the Division of Chem
Hospital Service, at $4,000.
The report states that though a con-
siderable number of eligibles qualify at
each examination. there is neverthe-
less great difficulty in securing the best
class of employees.
Not less than so cases of downright
fraud turned up during the year in var
ious examinations, while it was also
necessary for the Commission to cancel
a total of 1871 applications for other
reasons; namely, that the applicants
were bad characters; had been dis
charged for disgraceful conduct; had
made false statements, ETC. In the so
fraud cases, 126 competitors were at
fccted, and their conduct was of such a
character that it became necessary for
the Commission to bar them from flu
ture examinations.
There is to be no clash of fishermen
on the Newfoundland waters this year,
as it is said that the controversy which
came up recently mas been amicab bly,
settled between Secretary Root and
I'm bassador Durand.
Secretary Root in his memorandum
tentiOn to the main points of differ
ence between the two Governments
the attempt of Newfoundland to draw
q distinction between United States IL
censed and registered vessels, the re-
cent three-mile limit law, and to pre-
vent American fishermen from getting
bait I'm Newfoundland waters.
This Government has taken a firm
stand on these points.
There is brandnew set OF stories
out now about the designations from
the Cabinet. Secretary Shaw will re-
main In the Treasury, Secretary Hitch
cock will remain in the Department Of
the Interior, and Acknowledgement
Moody will remain in the Department
of Justice-at least until after the
President gets Congress off his hands.
next Summer. Acknowledgement
end Of the Congressional term, March
4, 1907. 1t is said that the President
has been very much annoyed by the
report that he and Secretary Shaw
were scrapping-well, now. maybe
that Is not exactly the word to use, but
at any rate that the President and the
Secretary OF the Treasury disagree
radically on financial matters" and
that for this reason Secretary Shaw,
who is really in the Cabinet for
fun more than for anything else, was
determined to retire. In view of that
impression the following is interesting,
as 1t was given out at the White House
Dy secretary LOeD.
president Rooseyelt's attention was
attracted to some recent publications
that Secretary Shaw had presented to
him his resignation to take effect next
February, or perhaps earlier and to-
day he had a conference with the Sec
rotary about the matter. After their
interview 1t was announced that, at the
urgent request of the President Secre-
tary Shaw had consented to continue
as Secretary Of the Treasury until the
close OF the approaching session of
Congress and perhaps some time after
ward.
ut IS probable that, If Congress
should adjourn prior to the LIST of next
July, Secretary Shaw will remain in
the Cabinet until the end of the pres
ent fiscal year, at least, and he may
conclude to remain even longer. He
will remain until the close of the SEES
sion of Congress. in any event, even
If that should be beyond the end of the
fiscal year. Secretary Shaw's decision
to continue as a member of the Cabi-
net detracts materially from the i'm
portance Of some stories published re-
Gently that the President and his Sec
rotary of the Treasury differed radi-
cally on financial matters. The Presi-
dent cltertains high regard for MIR.
Shaw, both personally and officially
AS for Secretary Hitchcock, the
President is SO well pleased with the