Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-02-08
The Pension Agencies.

pension agencies throughout the
country and do all the business from
the department at Washington is not
a new one. Several times it has been
proposed, and each time, after care
fully considering the various argu-
ments for and against Congress has
wisely decided to keep It's hands off.
Probably it will do the same this time,
although Secretary Garfield thinks
that il the IS agencies were abolished
and all the immense pension business
handled from a single office in WASH
ineton the government would make a
saving Of about 100000 annually.
This is not a large sum In view of the
$3.50, 900, 900 for pensions each year. but
of course it is worth saving if the
possible saving is not offset by other
elements in the case.
As a matter of fact, even if 5000, 900
could be saved yearly, which is by no
means certain, there is so much to be
said against the adjustment of the
agencies that this money consideration
is quickly lost sight OF, The present
system has worked well, and the
change would without question cause
much annoyance and discomfort to the
more than 4 million persons who have
direct relations with the pension de-
partment. In opposing with vigor
Secretary Garfield's proposition the
Philadelphia Inquirer uses arguments
which apply not only to the agency in
Philadelphia, but also to that in Au-
gusta and to the others on the list.
Says the Inquirer:
Better let well enough alone rather
than run the whole pension system
into evils which We know not Of
Besides. what does a sum of $3.50, 900
to in the grand total that
makes up the annual pension apprQ-
priatiOn? 1t is L mere drop in the
bucket, and the chances are that if the
change were made the estimated saw
ing would not materialize. There are
eighteen pension agents only in all of
the United States. There salaries foot
up $4,000. That much might be
saved at one end, but clerk hire in
Washington in the Pension Bureau
averages over $500 more per man, and
we doubt very much if in the final
round up a single penny could be
saved The chances are all in favor of
4 greater cost than under the present
system.
But that matter of cost is nothing
II is the red tape accompanied by the
delays that counts. There is always
Il continual food Of questions to be
answered, and we can imagine just
about what would happen if the Pen
sion Bureau. in addition to it's present
work, should be saddled with the addi-
tional duties of disbursing $140,000,0O0
and undertaking to wrestle
with the vast additional correspond
ance that would be involved.
Take, for example, the case of Penn
syIvania. The pension agency at
includes about 100000
in it's scope. At present
there is not the slightest delay in dis
the amounts due. The clos
ing of the agency here would arouse
Indignation in each one of this great
army of 10000.
But the paying of pensions is by no
means all that the agency has to do.
Not day goes by without a large
and not a day passes
81 al ip0 Il
ence. No man is forced to wait for n
reply to his letter Compare that
record with what happens under
similar conditions when the red tape
bureaus of Washington are COM
with.
Again. Philadelphia being center
where thousands of people congregate,
much of the information desired by
can be obtained verbally.
Men seek the pension Office here when
they are in Philadelphia and get i'm
mediate satisfaction. whereas if the
agency were abolished they would be
forced to trust to the mails for UNI
advice or information
which would come trailing along
Washington.
We know whereof we speak when
we say that if other pension centcrs
feel as do the Pennsylvania pension
ers on this subject the consolidation
would be not only universally deplored
but unanimously condemned and
resented. Not single person in
dorses the proposed disorganiZation.
In the ordinary course of events. if
We escape devastating wars in the
future. this whole pension question
will settle itself, for there will not be
enough pensions to warrant the MAIN
tenance of all of the eighteen agencies,
but that time has not yet come. and
Congress will do well to let things
alone.