New-York tribune., 1913-11-17
CROWD HEARS PERKINS
IN PLEA FOR PENSIONS
5000 at Civil Service Retire.
ment Exercises Listen to
Vigorous Speech.
BLAMES BAD LEGISLATORS
Financier, Who Believes System
an Investment, Says Selfish
Lawmakers Retard This
and All Other Progress.

"A few less pork barrel bills and few
more pension bills would result in a con-
siderable net saving in money and con-
siderable improvement in efficiency de-
clared George W. Perkins at the Hippo
drome yesterday afternoon. speaking at
the Retirement Day" exercises Of the
National Association OF Civil Service En-
ployes.
Such a result is not likely. however" "
Mr. Perkins added. There is more per-
sonal glory. more headlines, in preten-
tious public building for Podunk than a
proper pension plan for postmen.
"A prblic building. where none is needed
at all means so much more in the i'm
mediate plans Of a Congressman than a
pension for the comparatively few civil
service employees in his district that he
regards IL a public duty to vote for the
yublic building appropriation. paying no
attention to the pension bill
Mayor Kline. who presided over the
meeting. in introducing Mr.. Perkins 10
the FIVE thousand persons who filled the
auditorium. called him the king bee III
the greatest hive Of industry in the
world"
The reason the people could not nave
passed a pension BILL Mr. Perkins said
Law I'm the failure of the voters to eject
20 office men of intelligence rather than
professional politicians.
Wrong Men in Public Life.
THE probability Of securing an act
pensioning civil service employees il lar
removed from the present day he SAID
There has been a marked deterioration
in recent years in the quality OF the men
representing the people In ONCE secureu
through political channels
I'm my Judgment this is largely due 10
the fact that We have been so eVeriast-
ingly busy with our commercial pursuits
that we have paid little attention TO VINO
was put up for this or That ONCE. Inc
result has been that men have sought oi-
fee for their own pecuniary reward anu
their own glorifcaton. with mighty httle'
If any. honest, patriotic purpose Dehinl
their ambitions. They have gone into OIL
flee and have sought the position as
man would go into business ana seen
gain. caring nothing whatever ioi the
kind Of public service rendered-catluE
everything for what they indiViduai'y
could make out OF II.
The old-fashioned idea of studying
statesmanlke questions aud economic
problems has gone almost entirely OUT OF
fashion. and the average legislator OF to-
dav is made UP of about one part patriot
ism and nine parts personal ambition.
That state Of affairs Mr. Perkins said
was almost wholly responsible for the
condition Of the country to-day. ours
was a land overfowing with plenty, he
said. a land rich beyond the dreams of
avarice. a people with a better education
than that enjoyed in any other country
a people ready from every point OF view
to master the world. and Vet hampercd.
bound, tied almost hand and foot by poll
ticians. who were legislating from theory
and not from practice
a pension. the speaker said. was just
as much part OF proper compensation az
the monthly salary. Il was his belief that
pensions were not only right. and there
fore should be allowed. but that they
paid as a purely cold-blooded business
proposition