The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1910-01-28


hope for their old age, except that
which they can lay up for themselves
out OF their earnings?
Government Work Desirable.
"If the government service is so
great hardship, how is it that those
engaged in it do not quit? If they
cannot make enough to take care of
themselves when they get old why do
not they go where they can do bet
ter? Not long ago young woman of
my district came to me with the state
ment that. she had passed the civil
service examination, but could not
find vacancy.
81 undertook to look around the de-
partments little to see if | could not
find place for her. In the govern
ment printing Office | found 825< APP
plicants ahead of her, and in the de-
partment of agriculture | found $500
ahead of her. That does not look as
If the government services was so
undesirable, does it?
'At the same time | realized that
we have people in this country who,
through misfortune or natural inabili-
ty to take care of their earnings, come
to old age with nothing to live on. I
DO not know but some provision could
be made for these. But if it is made
do not want to see it made for gov
eminent employees alone. And | do
not say it can be done.
Il only concede that there is pos
sibility The annuity idea has been
suggested for government employees
That is, to have them pay in what
they feel they can afford to, with the
repayment of what their money will
earn after they retire. That plan, #
try, might work out all right. Posi-
bly, it could be developed in harmony
with the proposed postal savings
bank.
Apply to All, or None.
"But whatever is done, am against
compulsory thrift unless you make 1t
apply to us all The people who or
ganized this country came to these
shores to get an independent opportu-
nifty and equal treatment That idea
is the basis of our government, and
it must be retained if the government
is to endure. The establishment of
a high-salaried, pensioned bureau
cracy at the seat of general govern
ment may be all right for monarchy
but for a republic it seems to me to
be utterly inconsistent. 1t would take
away from a considerable portion of
our people that great spirit of initia-
tive that has made this country great
1t would make of every government
employee a wooden automaton, with
4 l. l., l..
job until old enough to draw pen
sion.
81 saw the future of the United
States depends, as it has always de-
pended, upon the individual aggres-
siveness of our people. The very fact
that every man has his chance in this
country with no limit but that fixed
by his own ability, has attracted to us
the best blood of the old world We
are nation of fighters, whether it
be in war or in business or in politics
or in any other field of human COM
petition. Let us not then deliberately
set about establishing a breed of Off
cial lotus eaters at the national capt.
tai who will lose sight of all the
individuality of American citizenship
and will devote themselves to toiling
as little as possible and to getting
from the treasury all they can.
Secure Good Educations.
"Why the government departments
are already full of people who came
here in their youth, and owing to the
short hours and good pay of govern
ment services have secured a profess
sional education in one or the other
of the great institutions of learning in
They have done this
outside of their working hours. Yet
they remain on the payroll.
They do not seem to have the
courage to leave the government SER
vice and go out into the country to
practice law or medicine or dentistry
or whatever it is they have learned
here. And if you give them pen
sion they will never leave. | would
prefer to send these people back
where they came from and give their
places to other deserving young peo-
pie who are anxious for an education
and have not the means to get one.
"Of course the pension is all right
for the man who takes gun on his
shoulder and risks his life in the de-
lCISC vi thC NouIltl all III thae
sort of pension, and is every other
citizen who loves his country, and l
do not care how much it costs. AS
long as we keep alive the true Amer
lean spirit among our people we will
always be willing to recognize the
rights of the citizen soldier. 1t is
part of our system of
mutual protection that we should do
so. But this idea of civil pension is ,
at the other pole from the war pen
sion. For it is nothing but a game of
grab. and no matter how much OF
pension you gave the civil servants of
the government they would want
more.
Senator Burrows Little Joke.
"One of the best things l ever heard
Senator Burrows say was on this
question. While he was living at the
Dewey hotel a government employe
came to him one day asking for help.
"'What do you want me to do?
asked the senator.
"T would like to have you help me
get my salary raised" said the man.
Il get $1,000 year and it costs me
$500 to live