Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-08-10

about the matter he received reply init
mating that he Page was trying to run
the Mint. Upon this there was quarrel
between him and the Superintendent,
which has gone on until the present time,
and has issued in this investigation. 1t is
to besobserved that Mr.. Page in his refer.
ence to the matter treats this method of
making Mint appointments as the only
rational and proper one, and that Super
intendent Dodge takes the same view of
the case. Indeed Mr.. Dodge is repre-.
sented as expressing the opinion to one
witness that " civil service reform was all
Every well in theory, but would not do in
practice. This is the common opinion
of machine politicians everywhere. They
of course base their belief in the failure of
civil service reform in practice upon their
perception of the fact that its adoption
deprives them of the advantages to be de-
rived from control of the patronage.
In the case of the Mint at San Fran
cisco there was quarrel between Con-
gresham Page and the Superintendent,
and the latter therefore undertook to " get
"even" with Page by discharging all the
Mint employees who had been nominated
by him, and also all those who were known
or even suspected to be his friends. For
example, William j. Ruddick testified
'' was employed in the Mint from 1875
"to July, 1880. On the latter date, with
"out previous warning, was discharged
" by Mr.. Dodge. l know no reason for
"my discharge. MIR. Page is warm per-
"sonal friend of NINE" George Hatson
testified During the last Page. Henry
flight before the Republican Convention
" | was called out to the reception rooms
to see Charles N. FELTON,. He asked me
whether my brother, in the First Dis.
trict, was a Page or Henry man.
"said he was a Page man. FELTON, said he
"was sorry, as it was foregone conclu.
sion that any friend of Page would have
"to leave the Mint" There is other tes-
timony to the same effect, and in fact Mr..
Dodge did not attempt to deny the allega-
tions of these witnesses. He said "that
=" he had made most of the discharges to
(Which Mr.. Page objected for the purpose
"of clearing the atmosphere of the Mint
"of the spirit of insubordination and dis
"cord. 1t was probable that Mr.. Han
films head fell because he was too close
political friend of Mr.. Page" Thus It
is frankly admitted by the Superintendent
that he made appointments and discharges
upon political grounds alone, and that he
used his position in the Mint to satisfy
his political revenges and to reward his
political friends.
He told one employee that he must dis
charge him because he was fighting Page.
1t is in evidence that he dismissed skillful
workmen who had been for many years on
the pay-rolls, without warning or com.
plant or reason of any kind. He did not
take faithful or valuable service into con-
sideration at all. He does not appear to
have realized that the American people
had any rights in the premises. Heran the
Mint as personal political machine, and
il he did not run it SO extravagantly as to
cause heavy losses to the Government it
certainly is not owing to the wisdom of his
methods a Mint is great business es-
Enlistment, in which trained skill and
knowledge are required more imperatively
than in almost any other Government
work. The men whose services are de-
manded in its various departments can
scarcely be first-class workmen if they are
also politicians. Assuredly they can have
no time for politics without neglecting
their business. Here, if anywhere, the
principles of civil service reform ought to
be applied; but it is already perfectly OBJ
vious that Superintendent Dodge has been
running the Mint at San Francisco upon
the most pronounced spoils system, and
with a thorough contempt for business
principles.
1t is true that Mr.. Page has shown no
greater appreciation of reform principles
on his part. His chief complaint against
Dodge seems to be that the latter turned
out his Page's) appointees and put in meu
who were his enemies But the quarrel is
in all essentials quarrel over spoils be-
tween two machine politicians, and the
g. - f1ak ,,a,khor IS IL L.
able to realize the discreditable character
OF their respective shares in it, shows how
demoralizing the spoils system is. Dodge
wanted to run the Mint go as to help him.
self. Page wanted to run it so as to help
himself. Neither OF them had any idea
of running it with single eye to the pub
lie interest. Both were prepared to sac
riice the efficiency Of the service to the
qualification of their personal ambitions and
revenges. The question with both of them
when considering appointments was not Is
this man capable but: Is this man
likely to be useful to me? The vices of
the system which they are both devoted
to are being exposed in avery useful and
seasonable way by their unconscious admis.
sions Of the methods they employed. Ii
the investigation has no other result it
will serve to show that the San Francisco
Mint has been administered in a most OBJ
jectionable manner, and that it is neces.
sary to reform its management in the most
radical way. And it is clear that an Of
fetal who entertains Mr.. Dodge'a ideas of
civil service reform is by no means the
right man in the right place in the position
he occupies.
CHICAGO AND OTHER WEATHER,
A few days ago the Chicago Tribune had
an article expatiating upon the delightful
climate of that city during the summer