The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-07

their efforts often blocked by lack OF
accurate information containing a proper
analysis Of requirements and Of actual and
reasonable costs. The result OF this inquiry
should enable the Executive In his comnlu-
%nications to Congress to give
to which Congress is entitled and which
Will enable 1t 70 promote economy.
have requested the head OF each de-
%partment to appoint committees on economy
operation In the movement by the employees
OF the government themselves.
/ urge the continuance of the approprla.
tlon OF $4,000 requested for tho fiscal year
1912.
Civil Service Retirement.
It is impossible to proceed far in such
an Investigation without perceiving the need
of a suitable means OF eliminating from
tho service the supcrannuatcd. This can be
done in one OF two ways. either by straight
civil pension or by some form OF contrib
utory plan.
Careful. study OF experiments made by
foreign governments shows that three Sc
out OF the public Treasury may be brought
against 1t by the taxpayer, the admIn,stra-s
tive officer, and the civil employc, .respec.
lively. a civil pension is bound to become
an enormous. continuous and Increasing tax
on the public exchequer: it is demoralizfns
to the service. since 1t makes difficult the
dismissal of incompetent employees after
they have partly earned their pension; and
II Is disadvantaseous to the main body of
employes themselves. since 1T is always
taken into account In fixing salaries. and
only the few who survive and remain IN
the scrvice until pensionable age receive
the value of their deferred pay. For this
reason. after a half.century of experience
under a most liberal pension system. the
civil servants of England succeeded, about
a year ago. in having the system so modi-
fed as to make 1T virtually a contributory
plan with provision for refund OF thei,
theoretical contributions.
The experience of England and other
countries shows that neither can a con-
tributory plan. be successful. human ma
tire being what it is, which does not
buttons. with interest, in case OF death OF
resignation before pensionablc age. Fol-
lowed to Its logical conclusion this means
that the simplest and most Independent SO.
luton of the problem for both omploye and
the government is a compulsory savings
arrangement. the employe to set aside from
his salary a sum sufficient. with the help
OF a liberal rate OF interest from tho gov
crnincnt, to purchase an adequate annuity
for him on retirement. this accumulation
leaves the service before reaching the re-
tircment age. or by his heirs In case of
his aenth. This is the principle upon which
the elliott bill now pending is drawn.
The Gillett bill, however. goes further and
provides that the government shall con.
tribute to the pension fund of those cm-
ployes who arc now so advanced in ags
that their personal contributions will not
be sufficient TO create their annuitics be-
fore reaching tho retirement age. In my
judgment, this provision should be amended
SO that the annuities OF those employer
shall be paid out of the salaries appro-
/, pIldltu II ppsltiOUS- Dy Ire
ment, and that tho difference between the
annuities thus granted and the salaries may
be used for the employment of efficient
clerks at the lower grades. II the bill can
be thus amended ! Its passage,
as IL viii initiate a valuable system and
ultimately result in a great saving In the
public expenditures.
Interstate Commission.
There has not been time to test tho ben.
eft and utility of the amendments to the
interstate commerce law contained in the
enacted did not contain all the feature.
which / recommended. 1t did not specit-
cally denounce as unlawful the purchase
by one of two parallel and competing roads
OF the stock of the other. Nor did il
subject to the restraining influence of the
. Interstate Commerce Commission the power
OF corporations engaged In operating inter-
/ state railroads to issue new stock and
bonds. nor did it authorize the making of
temporary agreements between railroads.
n limited to thirty days, fixing the same
9 rates for. traffic between the same places.
n l do not press the consideration of any
( OF these objects upon Congress at this ses-
: sion. The object of the first provision is
S probably generally covered by the anti
trust law. The second provision was In the
E mission to be appointed by the Executive
and to report upon the matter 10 Con-
; gress. That commission has been appointed
and is engaged in the investigation and
\ consideration of the question submitted un-
der the law,
The third proposal led to so much miscon-
- StTuCtlOu OF ElIS OBJECT, II DelNS LndCI OF
weakening the effectiveness OF the anti
trust law. that / am not disposed to press
II for further consideration. 1t was intended
to permit railroad companies to avoid use
q less rate-cutting by a mere temporary ac-
auiesceuce in the same rates for the same
service over competing railroads, with no
obligation whatever to maintain those rates
:, for any time.
Safety Appliances and Provisions.
. The protection of railroad employees from
. personal injury is a subject of the highest
Importance and demands continuing atten-
c ton. There have been two measures pend
ing in Congress. one for the supervision OF
boilers and the other for the enlargement
e of dangerous clearances. Certainly some
G measures ought to be adopted looking to
a prevention of accidents from these
causes.
a bin might we'll be drawn requiring and
c enforcing by penalty a proper system of
inspection by the railway companies them
I selves which would our purpose.
The entire removal of outside clearances
y would be attended by such enormous ex-
pense that some other remedy must be
state Commission is authorized
J. and directed to Investigate accidents. TO
I report their causes and its
tons. | suggest that the commission ba
: requested to make a special report as 70
d injuries from outside clearances and the
!. best method of reducing them.
= Valuation OF Railroads.
y, The Interstate Commerce Commission has
recommended appropriations for the pur-
. pose of enabling 1t to enter upon a yalua-
: ton OF all railroads. This has always
been within the jurisdiction of the COM
mission. but the requisite funds have been
wanting. Statistics of the value OF each
railroad would be valuable for many pur-
70 poses. especially II we ultimately enact any
Limitations upon the power of the inter-
state railroads TO issue stocks and bonds.
as | hope We may. | think, therefore, that
in order to permit a correct understandings
a of the facts. 1t would be wise to make a
reasonable appropriation TO enable tho In
~serstate Commerce Commission to proceed
with due dispatoh to the valuation OF ali
railroads. ! have no doubt that railroad
companies Themselves can and Will greatly
facilitate this valuation and make 1t much
less costly in time and money than has
$ been supposed.
Fraudulent Bills OF Lading.
Forged and fraudulent bills OF ladlng pur.
porting to be Issued against cotton, some
/, months since. -esulted in losses or several
II imillions of dollars to American and foreign
a banking and cotton interests.
e. For the protection OF our own peopae
lie and the preservation OF our credit In for
ia eign trade, l urge upon Congress the In,
mediate enactment of a law under which
IS one who. in good faith, advances money OF
credit upon a oiil of lading issued by a
in common carrier upon an interstate or for
an ciCn shipment can hold tho carrier liza HE