The Washington times., 1905-08-01
PLAN
SHOULD BE LIMITED
Government Empoye Says the Clerks in the Various Ex
eeutive Departments Should Only Be Considered-Gen-
.eral Law He Considers Impracticable

To the Editor Of The Washington Times;
It may require a hundred years OF agi-
tation and education TO bring the coun-
try up 10 uniform system Of dropping
disabled employees of the Government
from active service upon reduced pay
the principle of permanent tenure must
be more generally accepted and more
securely fixed in the public mind than
It now Is. before the subject can even
be calmly discussed The very mention
of a plan for retiring the aged and in
firm awakens a storm Of opposition that
shuts off all inquiry and all intelligent
discussion
For the present I think the question
should be considered as purely local. and
limited to the clerical force of the execu-
tive departments in this city. 1 was
a silent spectator of the somewhat
tumultnous proceedings at the late meet
ing IN Grand Army Hall, and. while 1t
afforded me much satisfaction TO see
the attempt 10 destroy the distinction be-
tween the classified service" and the
general working force of the Govern
ment. so thoroughly discredited, yet
entirely sympathiZed with the anti-civii
service faction in the proposal TO re-
strict the operation of a retiring law
to the executive departments in Wash
ington.
The apparently authoritative announce
ment from the spokesman for the navy
yard, that the organized labor Of the
country would never permit the enact
ment Of d retiring law that did not IN
clude mechanics and laborers as well as
clerks, no DOUBT hastened the stampede
of the factionists = the civil service
side Everybody caught on 10 the tre-
mendous significance OF the word 'en-
ploye,' as distin 0uished from clerk, >"
and hastened To- repudIate proposition
which they know the country would noL
for an instant tolerate.
The press reporters were sc greatly in
terested in the personalities of the debate
and in the combatiYe spirit Of the meet
ing, that they apparently lost sight OF
the real significance Of the sudden dis
appearance of all. opposition TO the old
Retiring Association. When the square
issue between "employe" ard clerk, "
was presented. there was general rush
10 get under the. protection of the
done in the future fer the ''employe" of
the Government as a general class, for
the present | think that the aged and
infirm department clerks, in this city
are The only persons to be contemplated
in the enactment Of a local retiring law
The first step TO be taken should be
a readjustment of the several grades
of the classified service. and Of the pay
attached TO each grade to meet the
conditions resulting from the remark
able growth of the National Capital
during the past forty years, and the an
exampled development and prosperity OF
the whole country. The cost OF living
has advanced more than - per cent
since the pay of the various grades of
clerks was fixed, and rates which were
regarded as reasonable fifty or sixty
years ago are utterly inadequate now.
Municipal expenditures nave been
doubled, tripled, and quadrupled COM
pelling corresponding increase in tax
alton and assessed values. a 81 200
clerk must pay down one-third OF his
entire income in advance. for the rent
OF a house il he wishes TO live IN d res
pectable neighborhood, within easy
reach Of his work.
/ trust that it is not the policy of the
Government TO compel its clerical em-