The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1882-07-23
ANECDOTE AND APPLICATION.

INECDOTE AND APPLICATIONS.
Whenever Civil Service Reform comes up
for debate in Congress with weeping and
with laughter still is the story told " that
once upon time Ctime and place not given)
a candidate for appointment in one Of the
Departments was asked on examination,
" How far is it from the earth TO the sun -
or " moon,' the story is just as good either
way. He Cor she) replied with humor
which never fails to tickle the advocates of a
debased system to the depths, don't know,
"but it is not near enough to interfere with
Z" the discharge of my duties as clerk in
" the something or other We think the
story was put on foot by that ingenious and
creditable advocate of the Spoils System, the
late Benjamin +. Butler, Of Massachusetts,.
In the first place, it is fabulous, and in the
second, if it Were not, it would afford no
argument against Civil Service Reform
simply showing that a certain board of
examiners had once asked rather futile
question: a result which may occur under
present laws, which are supposed TO require
the strict examination of all persons entering
the Government service. But let us further
assume that it is an argument Then what
are we to say of the recent action of the
Secretary of War, who, as a Stalwart, -
cannot be suspected of any undue leanngs
toward Civil Service Reform We find it
thus set forth in an afternoon paper
The answers to Secretary Lncons circular letter
for Information regarding their appointment, are. In
many instances eyaslye and unsatisfactory. This is
especially the In regard to the question n any
other member or members OF their family are In
Government employ. II Is the Secretary purpose
get at the bottom facts IN this matter and n he hnds
that any Of the clerks have deceived him they viii be
summaIiy dismissed.
Suppose an equally smart clerk were now
employed in the War Department. Could
he not reply to this inquisitive circular
somewhat to this effect: 81 believe all the
"persons now in the Government employ
are related to me 10y descent from grand
"father Adam. | do not know the exact
"degrees Of kinship, but they are not prox-
" innate enough TO interfere with the faithful
" discharge Of my duties as a clerk in this
" Department" What is sauce for Tia G
goose is emphatically sauce for the gander,
and a pert reply that is fair ior Civil Ser
vice Examining Board should De equally So
for an inquisitorial Secretary. The interro-
gated might further reply that if having
relative in the Government service is tC
be made a cause of discharge, il is not just
to compel the accused TO furnished evidence
against himself. The Secretary as a lawyer
would be able to appreciate this. To mitgat,
the horrors Of sudden reduction of clerica
force, il may be fair TO distribute the shock
where il will do least harm in inancia
sense, though even this is of doubtful eN
pediency for the interests Of the Government
service. But simply TO rearrange the force
on the idea OF a distribution Of soup or other
aims, SO that as many helpless creatures al
possible shall be fed al the Government
crib, is opposed 10 every idea of good civil
administration, which looks 10 individual
merit in the enploye, not neediness in lis
hangers-on. If the Government had one
branch run on the charity principle and the
other on the merit principle, the difference
would soon be quite apparent.