Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-07-27
Civil Service Reform.

Senator Dawes of Massachusetts, has con-
tributed to the discussion Of this subject q
long letter on the spoils system. The sena-
tor does not pretend to treat the subject ex-
haustively but confines his remarks to a
single prominent feature Of the evil. He
divides the advocates Of civil service reform
into two classes one which treats the sub
ject theoretically, and the other, practically,
and recommends these two divisions TO stop
firing into each other and train their guns
upon the common enemy. Mr.. Dawes be-
leves the worst phase Of the evil to be con-
gressional participation in appointments to
office. He paints vivid picture of the ex-
actions put upon congressman by office seek
ers, and strongly characterizes the democrat
izing influence of such opportunities. The
responsibility for the state of things which
he depicts he distributes between the presi-
dent, the congressman and the constituent
cies, laying the chief responsibility upon the
latter In support of this position he says
Why is II that the rush after office of every de-
scrption at Washington, even from Massachusetts,
ing has been done at home to check 1t. On the
contrary II has been stimulated and encouraged
by the best men in both parties among us. Take
an actual case: A very bright and highly respec-
table young man, who had acquired profession.
and with fair prospects OF success had been trusted
and elected TO office began to think about federal
affairs. He took counsel OF an influential friend,
who encouraged him in the notion and gave him
a letter TO a Massachusetts congressman, who
must have some good place at his disposal" He
took him around to another friend who gave him
another letter. And then he went up to the state
house and got the names OF the state government,
executive and legislative, and then the board OF
trade and cergymen Of the highest respectability,
including men who do not hesitate to declare pub
licy that those to whom the letters are addressed
have inscribed on their brazen foreheads that
they are " ofice-brokers." With all these letters
the young man started for Washington and sum
moned the " ofiice-broker :" to the work to which
he had been thus called by the most influential
and best men among his constituents The young
man kept going to Washington, kept sending on
the letters OF his friends and those OF the congress-
man, saying that this thing must be done rs a
special favor to them" He grew more earnest
every day, and hardly let mail escape, until
half crazy over the delay he began to demand at
the hands OF the member upon whom this attack
had been concentrated, the fulfllment of the ex-
pectations Of those " to whom that member was
indebted for his place" He finally went home
angry, without money dissatisfied with every
body, soured and untitled for any quiet employ
ment. This young man was ruined for want OF
little good advice from the friend to whom he first
applied. II he had been discouraged instead OF
encouraged by the men of influence whom he APP
preached he would have remained contented, in.
dustrious, trusted and honored among the rising
young men OF the commonwealth. But this Is
only the beginning of the evil, the germ OF a
widespread contagion warmed into life by mis-
taken friendship and msdirected kindness. A
neghbor OF this young man, equally mertorious,
began to wonder why he might not have an Of
flee as well, and he began to talk about it much
az n m
enlargement He is soon on the same round for
" influence" and, like him who has only day or
two the start, leaves for Washington with the
same array of names addressed to and calling
upon the same Massachusetts member to "se-
cure" for him also position in the government
service In due time he arrives home as did the
other. And so on scores of applicants, commits
stoned by the best men In Massachusetts,, have
followed, overaken, or run by each other on their
way TO the same brokers' office " in Washing
ton. Often the letters they carry come from old
personal friends OF the member whose requests
could not be denied without a marked disregard
of the common courtesies Of life. The state and
sometimes the country is traversed to invoke the
aid OF some one supposed to have intimate rela-
tons with the beseged congressman. And some
times those who have been especially bitter on
Congressional office brokers'" deliberately ask
their neghbors to make for them the requests
compliance with which they have themselves de-
nounced.
Another class of office-seekers who go to
Washington, armed with the recommends
tons of influential constituents, are inteli
gent young women out of employment at
home. The senator says there has not been
month of congressional session for the
past five years when there has not been
more than one such young lady in Washing
ton from Massachusetts, appealing to every
consideration which can influence gentle
man to induce Massachusetts, member " TO
get her place." After going the rounds
of the department in the vain search for
place for the applicant, the member often
contributes from his own pocket the money
to pay her expenses back to Massachusetts,.
Mr.. Dawes remembers an instance of wo-
man with six children who was furnished
by the selectmen of the town in which she
lived with the money to go to Washington
TO get employment, and in due time the
worthy dame appeared with her brood be-
fore the member whose home was in the
same county, with the request of his con-
stituents that " he would get her something
to do" Friendship the senator maintains,
is a stronger consideration to which appli
cants appeal than is the fear of political
hostility or hope of reward, and consequently
the district is ransacked for the names of
individuals whose personal relations with a
member will have weight. AS to the rem
edy, Senator Dawes says
But it is hardly worth while to spend much
time inquirng who Is most to blame for this state
of things. 1t Ia upon us, and stares the most
earnest and thoughtful craftsmanship in the face,
and 1t is Of much more Importance to inquire how
it can be done away with. Every one can see
that 1t eats out the soul and consumes the life
blood Of the legislator, and must be ended, or he
will degenerate into mere purveyor of offices.
But how? The president can stop 1t by two brief
orders proclaimed officially and rigidly adhered
to, viz: Q) No man will be appointed to any Of
flee while he is in the city Of Washington. (2)
No man will be appointed to any Office who
brings, unasked for by the appointing power, the
recommendation OF any member of congress.
But no resident can stand upon such platform
80 long as hundred thousand ofice-seekers,
each backed by twenty or more best men, are
beating against the doors OF the White House.
The members OF congress themselves can stop 1t
by flat refusal to do that which their constitu-
ents thus press them to do. But few, II any,
members OF congress will decline to serve their
constituents In any matter that Is lawful and
some think that thereby they serve themselves.
The constituency can end 1t by eeasing to ask 1t
Of a representative, and by withholding the en-
enlargement which such request gives to the in
cnation, already too prevalent TO turn from the
moderate and honorable rewards OF sure en-
ployment at home to the uncertainties and disap-
pontments OF official life. All combined can Danish
It more surely and effectually and forever. pro-
pose such combined efforthere in Massachusetts
| will engage TO furnish you for publication the
written pledge of every Massachusetts member OF
congress that he will never, while member, un-
asked by the executive, recommend person for
office, provided you will publish the written
pledge never TO ask them to make such recon-
mendaton, Of those leading men among their con-