Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-12-08

and In the avoidance Of duplication.
but also In the treatment Of the indi-
viduai employee.
Under the present system it constant.
~ happens that two employees receive
the same salary when the work Of one
Is far more difficult and important and
exacting than that Of the other. Su-
perior ability Ia not rewarded or en-
couraged. AS the classification Is now
entirely by salary. an employee often
rises to the highest class while doing
the easiest work. for which alone he
may be fitted. An investigation order
ed by my predecessor resulted in the
recommendation that the civil service
be reclassified according to the kind Of
work. so that the work requiring most
application and knowledge and ability
shall receive most compensation. ! be-
lieve such q change would be fairer to
the whole force and would permanent
~ improve the personnel Of the serv-
ice.
More than this, every reform direct
ed toward the improvement in the av-
erage efficiency of government en-
ployees must depend on the ability of
the executive to eliminate from the
government service those who are in
efficient from any cause. and as the
degree of efficiency in all the depart
ments is much lessened by the reten-
ton Of old employees who have out
lived their energy and usefulness 1t
is indispensable to any proper system
Of economy that provision be made so
that their separa tiont from the service
shall be easy and inevitable. 1t is i'm
possible to make such provision unless
there is adopted a plan of civil pen
sions.
Most of the great industrial organ
izations and many Of the we'll con-
Quoted railways of this country are
coming to the conclusion that a sys-
tenn Of pensions for old employees and
the substitution therefor of younger
and more energetic servants promote
both economy and efficiency Of admin
istration.
am aware that there Is a strong
feeling in both houses Of congress and
possibly In the country against the
establishment of civil pensions and
that this has naturally grown out Of
the heavy burden, of military pensions
which it has always been the policy
Of our government to assume, but am
strongly convinced that no other prac-
teal solution of the difficulties pre-
scented by the approximation Of civil
servants can be found than that of
system OF civil pensions.
Increase In Expenditures.
The business and expenditures Of the
government have expanded enormous
ly since the Spanish war, but as the
revenues have increased in nearly the
same proportion as the expenditures
until recently the attention Of the pub
lie and Of those responsible for the
government has not been fastened
upon the question Of reducing the cost
Of administration. We cannot, in view
Of the advancing prices Of living. hope
to save money by a reduction In the
standard Of salaries paid. Indeed, If
any change Is made in that regard an
increase rather than a decrease will be
necessary, and the only means Of econ
omy will be In reducing the number Of
employees and In obtaining greater
average Of efficiency from those re-
tanned in the service.
Close investigation and study needed
to make definite recommendations in
this regard will consume at least two
years. note with much satisfaction
the organization in the senate Of a
committee on public expenditures.
charged with the; duty Of conducting
such an investigation, and l tender to
that committee all the assistance which
the executive branch Of the govern
ment can possibly render.