Evening star., 1909-02-25

Representative Gillett's. civil service re-
tirement bill. the House committee on
civil service reform has given much i'm
petus to the movement providing pen
sions for superannuated employees In this
city of the classified service. 1t pro-
vides that on reaching the age Of retire
ment an emplOye shall receive an annuity
equal to w per cent Of the entire COM
tpensafion received by him during his en-
tire seivioe. Each eniploye would be re-
quired 20 set aside during his service a
sum sufficient with compound interest,
to create the annuity at the age of re-
tirement.
The ages fixed for retirement are as
follows:'
For railwaykpostal clerks. sixty; letter
carriers. sixty-fve: and the remaining
branches of the service. seventy. The
bill also provides for the retention Of en-
ployes whose services are considered of
advantage for two or four years after
reaching the age of retirement No en-
pioye. however, could be retained in
service beyond the age of seventy, COM
i mencing with July 1, 1915
Reinstatement of Soldiers.
The bill providing means of rein
statement Of negro soldiers discharged
by the President on account of the
Brownsville riot reached the House yes
terday. A way was cut for it's early con-
sideration by resolution offered by Rep
resentative Keifer of Ohio. which was re-
ferred to the committee on rules This
resolution makes 1t in order to pass the
bill as soon as the committee on rules re-
ports Its approval.
Gifts to Retiring Members.
A writing set was presented to Vice
President-elect Sherman yesterday as a
testimonial of regard by his colleagues on
the House committee on Interstate and
foreign commerce, of which Mr.. Sherman
has been member for many years.
The committee met yesterday for the
last time this season. Representative Will
liam P. Hepburn Of Iowa, chairman of
the committee, who will retire from Con-
gress March 4. received a big leather COW
cred chair. Representative William Ryan
of New York, another retiring member,
was given cut-glass punch bowl.
To Stop Gambling in Futures.
Representative Henry of Texas is striv-
ing to have the House committee on agri-
culture adopt his bill for the prohibition
Of gambling in futures. This measure
would make it unlawful for any telephone,
telegraph or other company engaged in
Interstate commerce 10 receive and trans
NIT any message relating to marginal con-
tracts for the sale or purchase of agri-
cultural products known as futures The
mails are also barred to the specula tors
by the bill. The bill prohibits the trans
mission of communications containing fic-
titious prices made upon exchanges for
the sale of cotton, wheat, corn or other
agricultural products.
Extending Benefits to 6. w. q.
Senator Burnham, from the committee
on agriculture and forestry. has submit
ted favorable report on the Gallinger
bill to allow the George Washington Uni
versity to share In the annual appropri-
alton given to those institutions that in
struct in agriculture and the mechanic
arts
The bill was amended by the commit
tee. and now provides that the local in
stitution Is entitled to public lands which
the government may donate for the bene-
f1t OF the courses in agriculture.
A Place for Fulton.
A bill was passed in the Senate this
week creating an additional Judge for
Oregon, and it is understood that Senator
Fulton, whose term expires March 4, is to
get the place.