Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-07-17
Mnrr roH OWL pEEsfoKa

MDVE FOH CIVIL FENhiDNHs
Periodically there l. movement
started for the creation BY congress Of
civil pension system and II f. noted
thnt the agitation for This IL again be.
coming active. doubtless inspired by the
fact that there IL o new congress which
may b. more susceptible 70 the argu.
ments for civil service pensions than
have been preceding congresses A re-
cent report states that Influential clerks
IN the various departments are being
approached by organizers and n meeting
Of oil the department clerks has been
called for thls week 10 consider the mat
ter. Those IN charge Of the enterprise,
the report says, have gone 80 for ~ 70
draft n bin setting forth their desires
In great detail. They do not expect
their measure 20 receive congressional
sanction, but they purpose TO go 10 the
lawmakers with definite proposals and
n IL needless to say will be prepared
10 support these with all the arguments
thnt can be brought 20 bear.
The proposition Of n civil pension pol
icy has never been favorably regarded
IN this country and there Is no renson
n think that The present movement will
receive my countenance from the Fifty.
ninth congress. II II quite natural That
II should have hearty support NJ the
national capital, where the army OF gov
ernment employees exerts a great lnfiu-
ence, but 70 the country at large the
proposition never hns been and probably
never will be acceptable n is true, as
urged, that there IRE many persons in
the service Of the departments who have
spent the best pnrt Of lifetime in this
work md have become practically
worthless for any other employment
Not few Of them are 30 old rs TO be
10 longer capable Of efficiently perform
ing the duties they now have. They are
kept in the service because II IL felt that
20 turn them out would be 10 subject
them 10 hardships md that they are en-
titled 20 consideration by reason Of the
long and faithful services they have
given. No objection 10 magnanlmlty Of
this kind will be made, even though Il
be n fact that the business Of the gov
eminent 20 some extent suffers from II,
but II such persons have fniled TO pre-.
pare for old nge and the ending OF their
days OF usefulness the very general sen
timent Ia that the government should
not be called upon TO take care Of them
whom their retirement from the public
service becomes necessary.
The government Of the United States
In at lcnst as liberal ns any other gov.
ornmcnt toward the grent majority Of
lts employees. Come other governments
are more generous ne 60 certain high
officials, but M n whole the salaries paid
by the United States 10 those who work
for II will Ike found TO be somewhat
In excess OF what is paid by any other
country. IT, therefore those employed
In the public service do not have the
thrift and prudence 20 make prepnrn-
tons for the future, for the time when
disability overtnkes thens they cannot
reasonably expect that the government
will assume responsibility FOR their care.
A civil pension policy, however mod
crate the basia. would Md tens OF
millions to the nnnusl. expenses OF the
sovegnnient and OF course would grow
from year to year The Taxpayers OF
the country may safely be counted upon
70 vigorously oppose such n proposition.