The Sentinel=record., 1912-09-04
PRESIDENT ATTACKS ACTIONS OF THE HOUSE ON CIVIL SER
 VICE MEASURE.
WILL PROTECT OLD CLERKS
President Position Not Thing of Joy When Appointments Are to Be Considered-He Wants Civil
 Service Extended.

Boston, Mass, Sept. 3.-President Taft tonight contrasted the condition that confronted president in the days of the spells system with the system of appointment under the civil service, attacked the democratic house of rep resentatives for attempting to limit the tenure of government employees, and declared that so long as he has the power, no old government clerk need fear discharge unless the United states has provided a system of civil service pension to keep him from want in lis old age.
 The president spoke in Faneuil Hall to several hundred postofiice employees now in convention here. He said that the job of president in these days is not thing of joy when appointments are considered, but in the times of Lincoin, he added, must have been a perfect he'll"
 More than anything else he has en- conntered in the white house, Mir 1aft said. the filling of vacancies that are not under the civil service has proved irksome and distasteful to him, and three times he has urged congress in special messages to ex- tend the blanket of the civil service to all government employees
 Mr Taft motored in from Beverly three hours before his train left for Washington tonight to speak to the c.erks. He lmped into Faneuil Han with his right foot in bandages and wearing on 1t loose felt slipper. I ne foot was injured several years ago while Mir. Taft was playing golf and late yesterday he strained it again. He was able to stand without aid to- night and did not use a cane in walk ing. It was expected he will be able to go on the links again when he re- turns to Beverly Saturday.
 At o'clock tonight the president left for Washington to keep an en- gagement there tomorrow with the h. ternational Association of Applied Chemistry. He will return by way of New York, where he will board the yacht Mayf.ower, and on the way north will stop at New London, Conn. to address the Atlantic Deeper Water ways Association
 Charles D. HiIles, chairman of the republican national committee, and George R. Sheldon, it's treasurer, will be his guests overnight Thursday on the Mayfower. Mrs. raft will prob ably take the trip.
 President Taft was wildly cheered when he entered Faneufl Hall tonight. The president began by praising the faithful. sldlful intelligent, employees of the government, who have built up the machine of government in 125 years, so that no matter what presi- dent or cabinet officers or bureau chief leaves Washington for vacation the public business goes on and the government wheels still turn.
 ''rhe charge has been made" he declared with a bang of his fist on the speakers table, that government em- ployes are overpaid. That is not true. l know hundreds of men in Washing ton who are not compensated within five times or even ten times, of what they would have received in other lines. l do not mean to say that I favor an advance in salary of five or ten times what they get now, but the government should assure these men of permanence of tenure and that they will be taken care of in their old age"
 The speaker explained that once he favored a system of straight-out pen sions for government employees. Alter observation of the working of this sys- tenn abroad. however. he has come to the conclusion that it was not the best
 And now" he continued, q be- lieve in a system that might b< call ed an enforced system of pensions where the government pays part and the employees contribute as we'll
 MT. Taft gave his reasons for the veto of the legislative bill. He said not only did he oppose it because it was unfair and because 1t was placed before him in an improper dress, but because 1t would have accomplished nothing but made the life of congress- men and presidents concerned in re- appointments unbearable.
 The bill would have accomplished nothing good" he said. 'u would just be like beating the devel around the bush'
 With a picture of how many ap- pointments were made in. the days be- fore civil service, the president con- ciuded his address,
 It must have been perfect hell Tn those days" he said '1 speak with empnasis because l do not know any thing connected with the government that so interferes with the administra. ton Of the office as the applications