National Republican., 1882-12-22
The Merit system.

speeches, reports, pufs, or something of that
sort.
IT does not seem to have dawned upon the
perceptions of the advocates of thamerit sys-
tenn that it affords an opening for corruption
and temptation far greater than the present
system hut such is the case. Let us examine.
The member of congress is tempted to help
those who help him. Granted. That is
natural, and it is u principle of wide applica-
tion and general practice outside of politics.
The man is deemed an migrate who fails to
recognize the obligation properly in proper
cases. Congressman are not exempt. But in
their case are certain limitations and guards
which tend to protect the public interest. The |
member in most cases is under bonds for good
behavior. The quality of the man, his own
fitness to be in congress- will be largely esti-
mated by the character of his recommended
tons. He can kill himself politically
by many serious blundcrs in this line.
The eyes of his constituents are upon him
and their disposition is to hold him to strict
account. This will necessarily give him
strong INCLINATION to do right in the promises,
and he careful not to do violence to the best
sentiments of his constituents. Now and
then men will be hardy and reckless enough
to disregard decency and public sentiment
and make an obnoxious appointment; but in
the twenty years of discussion on this ques-
tion no civil service reformer has presented
the record of a single member of either house
and shown that out of the fifty or hundred
recommendations made by him, in long or
short public life, there were even half dozen
that could fairly be accounted bad or decid
edly injudcious. The whole batch of re-
formers have not had enterprise enough in
twenty years to bring up the record of single
congressman and prove the statements made
in this matter.
We have read with some care the speeches
in congress, and have been unable to find one
that comes down to particulars. Mr.. TRUM-
BULL was great reformer, and made great
many recommendations, but somehow they
were all good CARL SCHURz had much to
say, but somehow, when he came to act, he
happily put the right man in the right place.
Mr.. PENDLEToN feels confident of his own
ability to refrain from putting rascals in office,
some of the other fellows; but even he, full
as he is with information, avoids specifications,
and depends upon vague and irresponsible
rumor.
Another protection in the so-called "spoils
system is that, in appointing men to Office
as reward for personal service, the chances
are that efficient men will be secured. Con-
gressmen, so far as our observation goes, are
not elected by the work of either fools or i'm
beetles. We guess that if almost any member
were compelled to answer he would say that
in looking up men to manage his campaign he
sought for those who were competent and
able, and in dispensing his favors those have
been remembered who accomplished some
thing, and the blunderers and failures received
no reward.
These two things are guarantee, so far as
they go, which the merit system does not
have. A civil service commission is like any
other, with the addition of peculiar tempta-
tions. They will be exempt from u record.
The appointments are to come from turning a
crank, Twenty questions are to be showed
under the noses of twenty boys, and the boy
| NHO dHSNtlS III SuOIltNl llllt anu WIN ltNtSl
mistakes is to have the place. A couple of
commissioners and couple of clerks will
watch and see that no monkery is perpetrated,
and they make a report that is final.
The first temptation which will beset a com
missioner will be to make something more
than his salary. His salary will be say s., 600
He examines forty men in a year, and by a
a l4.Nnn L. H. nD
if he examines eighty, 800 head will an.
swer, and if he examines two hundred, $40 per
head will do the job, and in two years his
salary and emoluments will amount TO $24 ,00C
and absolutely no risk The business will all
be done without word passed between givel
and takcr.
When the system begins to work the first de.
velopment will be the starting up of schools
for instruction in civil service. The boys
must be taught. They must be up in those
things which will be the burden of eXamina
tion. Mr.. SMITH opens school and adver
tises that he is an expert in civil service. HI!
school fills mp. The boys are anxious fol
places, and will give handsomely to be so in
structed that they cannot fail. Real smart
lads will pay 800 or $500 for such instruction
and SMITH will guarantee to give it or re
fund in certain cases, SMITH understand
boys and whom to select.
Mr.. SMITH goes TO commissioner and says
you are not a fool.' If you saw dollar bill
in the street you would pick it up You ar
not foolish enough to work here year or tw
for 81, 900 when you can just as well come Il
my back room twice month and take $50
out of secret drawer and no questions asked,
The commissioner sees the point and all tina
remains is to get the answers to the question
that are TO be put into the hands Of the candi
date who is to pay the money. Any man abb
enough to he a commissioner will not lack tn
ingenuity to devise hundred plans to efeC
this, aud the whole thing is done and nobod
the wiser. The papers will show the ques
tions answered Perhaps the arrangement
! will he made with clerk to the commission
, and the commissioners be ignorant of i
There are ways enough to fetch it about
there are no ways to expose it.
, Under this system we do not contend tha
, many incOmpetonts will get in; perhaps ut
t more than now. Happily, incompetency
I not prevalent evil now. The trouble is, tn
offices will be sold and will go TO the boys who's
4 rich fathers will come down with the casl
/ Fpka cone Of pn,, ,,,sdn,va Of cn1diarc apd mo-