The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1911-04-28
Civil Service Pensions Versus
Civil War Pension.

the United States Treasury. advocated
a civil service pension for government
employees, says the whole civil list
is left without any protection or con-
sfderation: that 1t is most Important
that a pension list be established for
the civil employees; that 1t is absolu-
tely necessary for the sake OF the
government itself.
In the same address the Hon. Mr..
Macveagh says we have an enormous
Civil war pension list which is not
a crsdit to us (by us l presume he
means the government.) He says fur
ther that his list newer had a
scientific or just basis" that it,has
lost its patriotic aspects and has be-
come political list.
III this Civil war pension list is
not a credit to us (the government
it must of necessity be a discredit to
us. AS to political aspects, the civil
service employees appointed before the
civil service law WAS enacted were
appointed to their respective positions
almost exclusively for political rea-
sons, and after enactment of said civil
service law and adoption of civil
service rules requiring examinations
of applicants for appointment. fixing
and under President Cleve-
lands last administration, what was
known as his blanket onder" was
extended to include and protect the
employees in the revenue department
who were not then nor have since been
required to take the examination;
were appointed and protected for poll
tical reasons So much for political
as to civil service employees.
Many of the same are yet in the
revenue service in the Fifth collection
district to-day. These civil service
employees were applicants for and anx-
ious to secure their respective posi-
tons, and why? Because the pay is
much better than obtainable and hour
Of service shorter than when employed
running from $500 for
the lowest-salaried to $1,000 per year
and much higher for the heads of
every dollar worth 100
cents in gold.
1t is a well4known fact, however,
that comparatively fsw of these civil
service employees ever save anything
out of their salaries for the appar-
emit reason that they are secure in
their positions, comfortably housed
and with good salaries live Off the fat
of the land, or the best the market
Now let us slap up to the
Hon. Mr.. MacVeagh's Watch Tower
CUncle Sans Treasury Department.
and with him take a retrospective
view of the origin of that discredita-
bls(O Civil war pension list and its
political aspects.
Looking back to April 1861, we hear
the booming of cannons at Fort Sum-
DER, and Immediately is flashed over
the wires the news that South Caro-
lima has seeded, declaring that she
Is no longer part or parcel of the Fed
sral government, and has declared war
by firing upon the United States
troops stationed in Fort Sumter, inn
after which the lamented,
that greatest American, Abraham Lin
colin, President, calls for 5000 yolun-
sesrs for three months service to quell
the rebellion and Immediately there
after the Growers of other Southern
States convened their Legislatures,
which passed resolutions of secession
and organizing their military forces
tons. Then the lamented President,
finding the rebellion of such gigan-
bic proportions, issued his second call
Tor volunteers, this time for 100000
and in response to which many thous-
ands of the first call ne-enlisted and
other thousands came pouring in from
farm and fireside, from the mines and
in fact from every Amer
cam vocation the young and middle
aged, those in the bloom of young
American manhood, offering UP their
lives II need be that the Union might
be held intact.
These men were OF every political
and religious creed. knowing no politi
tics, no religion only the God to have
the Union and preserve the Constitu-
tion and for their services the en-
listed men. thousands OF them leay-
leaving comfortable. happy homes and
pleasant associations and surround
ings and lucrative business, received
for these sacrifices and magnificent
sum OF $l3 month, OF value In
gold about Sass. or a little less than
s55 per year. and promise OF 500
bounty, which bounty thousands of
them never received Many, very