Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-07

employee. There is great room for i'm
provement toward this end. not only by
the reorganization of bureaus and de-
partments and in the avoidance of dupli-
cation. but also in the treatment of the
individual employee.
Inequality in Salaries.
Under the present system it constantly
happens that two employees receive the
! same salary when the work Of one is far
| more difficult and important and exact
Ing than that Of the other. Superior
| ability Is not rewarded or encouraged. As
the classification is now entirely by sal
airy, an employee often rises to the high
est class while doing the easiest work.
Tor which alone he may be fitted. An in
Vest1gation ordered by my predecessor re-
suited In the recommendation that the
civil service be reclassitied according to
the kind of work. so that the work requir-
ii-g most application and knowledge and
ability shall receive most compensation.
believe such a change would be fairer
to the whole force and would permanent
ly improve the personnel Of the service.
Retirement for Age.
More than this, every reform directed
toward the improvement in the average
efficiency of government employees must
depend on the ability of the Executive to
those who are inefficient from any cause,
and as the degree of efficiency in all the
Department Is much lessened by the re-
tention of old employees who have out
lived their energy and usefulness, it is in
dispensable to any proper system OF
economy that provision be made SO that
their separation from the service shall
be easy and inevitable. 1t is Impossible
to make such provision unless there Is
adopted plan OF civil pensions.
Most Of the great industrial organiza-
tons and many of the well-conducted
railways OF this country are coming 10
the conclusion that a system of pensions
for old employees and the substitution
therefor of younger and more energetic
servants. promotes both economy and eff
ficiency of administration.
Only Practical Solution.
l am aware that there is a strong feel
ing In both Houses of Congress, and pos
Shy in the country, against the estab
lishment 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 Gov
eminent to assume; but / am strongly
&C WINGED that no other practical solution
OF the difficulties presented by the super
annus ton OF civil servants can be found
than that OF a system of civil pensions.
The business and expenditures Of the
Government have expanded enormously
since the Spanish war, but as the revenues
have increased in nearly the same pro-
portion as the expenditures until recently,
the attention of the public, and of those
| responsible for the government, has not
been fastened upon the question of re-
ducing the cost Of administration.
More Pay; Fewer Employees.
We can not. in view of the advancing
prices of living, hope to save money by
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 economy will be In reducing the
number of employees and in obtaining a
greater average of efficiency from those
retained in the service.
Close investigation and study needed to
make definite recommendations in this re-
gard will consume at least two years. IL
note with much satisfaction the organiza-
ton in the Senate Of 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 Government can possibly render.