Omaha daily bee., 1910-12-07


ing and carrying on the meeting.
] renew my recommendation that the
claims Of the depositors in the Freedmen's
bank be recognized and paid by the passage
OF the pending bill on that subject
also renew my recommendation that
steps be taken looking to the holding OF a
negro exposition In celebration OF the M
tieth anniversary OF the issuing by Mr..
Lincoln Of the emancipation proclamation.
bureau OF Health.
In my message OF last year I recon-
mended the creation OF Bureau OF
Health in which should be embraced
all those government agencies outside Of
the war and navy departments which
are now directed toward the preservation
Of public health or exercise funtons ger
name to that subject l renew this recon-
mendaton.
civil Service Com mission.
The Civil Service commission has con-
tnued it's useful duties during the year.
The necessity for the maintenance OF the
provisions Of the civil service law was
never greater than today. Officers respon-
sible for the policy Of the administration,
and their immediate personal assistants or
deputies, should not be included within
the classified service; but in my Judgment,
public opinion has advanced to the point
where it would support a bill providing a
secure tenure during efficiency for all
purely administrative officials. / entertain
the profound conviction that II would
greatly aid the cause OF efficient and econ
omical government and Of better politics
II congress could enact bill providing that
the executive shall have the power TO in
clude in the classified service all local
ottices under the Treasury department the
Department of Justice. the Postoffice de-
( partment, the Interior department aud
the Department of Commerce and Labor,
appointments to which now require the CON
firmation Of the senate and that upon
such classification the advice and consent
OF the senate shall cease to be required in
such appointments. BY their certainty Of
tenure, dependent On good service, and by
their freedom from the necessity for po-
hucal activity, these local officers would
be Induced to become more efficient public
servants
Economy and Efficiency,
The committees on appropriation Of con-
gress have diligently worked to reduce the
expenses Of government and have found
their efforts often blocked by lack of &C
curate information containing a proper
ar alysis of requirements and of actual and
reasonable costs. The result Of this inquiry
should enable the executive in his com
munications to congress to give informa-
ton to which congress is entitled and
which will enable it to promote economy.
1 have requested the head of each de-
partment to appoint committees on
economy and efficiency in order to secure
full cooperation in the movement by the
employees of the government themselves
l urge the continuance of the appropria-
ton Of 100000 requested for the fiscal
year 1912.
My experience leads me to believe that
while government methods are much criti-
cised, the bad results-if we do have bad
results-are not due to a lack OF seal or
willingness on the part of the civil serv-
ehts. On the contrary, believe that fine
spirit of willingness to work exists in the
personnel. which, II properly ENCOURAGED
VIII produce results equal to those secured
In the best managed private enterprise In
handling government expenditure the aim
is not proflt-the aim is the maximum of
public service and a minimum of cost We
wish to reduce the expenditures of the
government, and we wish to save money
to enable the government TO go into some
OF the beneficial projects which we are
debarred from taking UP now because we
ought not to increase our expenditures.
At later date shall send to congress
special message on this general subject
Civil Service Retirement,
1t is impossible to proceed far in such
an investigation without perceiving the
need Of suitable means OF eliminating
from the service the superannuated. This
can be done in one of two ways, either by
straight civil pension or by some form OF
contributory plan.
Careful study Of experiments made by
foreign governments shows that three
serious objections to the civil pension pay-
able out Of the public treasury may be
brought against it by the taxpayer. the
administrative officer, and the civil en-
ploye respectively. A civil pension is
bound to become an enormous, continuous
and increasing tax on the public ex-
chequer; It Is demoralizing to the service
since II makes difficult the dismissal of
incompetent employees after they have partly
earned their pension; and It is disadvanta-
Geous to the main body OF employees
themselves since II IL always taken into
account in fixing salaries and only the
few who survive and remain in the SER
vice until pensiOnable age receive the
value OF their deferred pay. For this rea-
son, after a half century OF experience.
under 3 most liberal pension system, the
civil servants OF England succeeded, about
a year ago. in having the system so modi-
fled as TO make It virtually q contribu-
tory plan with provision for refund Of
their theoretical contributions.
The experience Of England and other
countries shows that neither can a con-
tributary plan be successful. human ma
ture being what It Is. which does not
make provision for the return OF eontribu-
tions, with interest, In case OF death or
resignation before pensionable age Fol
lowed 10 Its logical conclusion this means
that the simplest and most independent
solution OF the problem for both employs
and the government lie a compulsory saw
ings arrangement, the employo TO set aside
from his salary sum sufficient. with the
help OF a liberal rate OF interest from the
government, to purchase an adequate an
nuity for him on retirement, this &C
cumulation to be inalienably his and claim
able II he leaves the service, before reach
ing the retirement age or by his heirs
In case Of his death. This Is the principle
upon which the Gillett bill now pending
Is drawn.
The Gllett bill, however. goes futher and
provides that the government shall contri-
butte TO the pension fund OF those em-