Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1907-07-25

Retirement of Government Clerks.
The whole country is interested in
the welfare of the thousands OF
Iclerks in the departments at Wash
ington, since the detailed operations
lof the government are all In their
hands, and on their efficiency de-
pends the integrity of those opera
Itions.
For several years there has been a
persistent discussion of the status
of the elder clerks of the government
service, to the end of discovering, "
possible, an equitable and practicable
plan for providing for the retirement
on part pay of those who have reach
ed the age of impaired usefulness.
1t has been a common saying that
something should be done for these
clerks" and at the same time there
has been a feeling that something
should be done for the sake OF the
government, which suffers to some
extent through being compelled. for
humanitarian and patriotic motives,
to retain hundreds OF elderly clerks
in service after they have passed the
point or normal efficiency.
Many experts believe that II is pos
sible to meet both ends and to pro-
vide for the retirement of the civil
employes without injustice to them,
and without injuring the government
service or weakening the merit sys-
TEN. The greatest question involved
IL whether the clerks should them
selves support the retirement fund
by their own contributions, or should
be the beneficiarles, in whole or IN
part, of the governments bounty.
The Keep Commissions" plan,
lately published, is based upon the
proposition OF an ultimately self
supporting pension fund. derived
from the contributions of the clerks
themselves. Aside from the provid-
ing of government money to put the
scheme into operation at the start.
It is none other than a compulsory
insurance device. carefully worked
out on arithmetical lines, and devised
to relieve the clerks of an excessive
burden of maintenance.
II may prove, after thorough con-
sideration, that the composite plan
advanced by the commission is best
suited to the needs of the service and
the clerks. II meets at least one
serious objection to the plan Of ex-
clusively taxing the clerks them
selves, in that II provides for the i'm
mediate operation OF the pension sys-
tenn through the use OF public funds
After few years the system would
be self-supporting. Being compul-
sorry IL would affect all classes and
grades of employees. those who have
entered the government service mere
ly for temporary epds, as we'll as
those who have adopted IL as a |
career. To avoid the injustice assess
ing the former for the benefit OF the |
latter. provision is made for the re-
funding of the accumulated savings |
to any employe who leaves the SER
vice before reaching the age OF
formal retirement. Thus the young |
man who enters the service for the ]
purpose of maintaining himself for
a few years while studying to enter
a profession or trade would do so,
under this system, with the fu'l
knowledge that he must save S.57
per cent of his salary annually, In
monthly installments. as a condition
Of his employment. with the assur-
anee that upon leaving he will he
ceive the full amount thus saved with
interest at per cent, compounded.
There are many interesting and
important features of this matter to
be considered. The formal proposal
Of the plan by the commission would
appear 10 indicate that the admins
tration is preparing 20 bring the mat
ter squarely 10 the attention OF con-
gress at the next session, In order to
solve the supernanuation problem. /
and also TO settle a question which
has been hanging in the air for many
years From the discussion Of the
question. both In aud out Of con- L