The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1882-03-24


Mr.. George b. Cole, Secretary of the Civil
Service Reform Association of Maryland has
sent letter to Collector Webster in reply
to his letter touching the application of the
civil service reform principles to the APP
pointments TO be made by him at the Bati.
more Custom House The letter presents
cogent arguments in favor of making APP
pointments in the civil service by woll-de-
fined system of competitive examinations. It
quotes the testimony of the chief officials OF
the New York Custom House showing the
greater efficiency of the force appointed un,
der Civil Service Reform rules, as compared
with appointments made under the plan OF
"helping the party" Naval Officer Bcvit
ofthe New York Custom House, is quoted as
saying:
although the system of appointment by
competitive examination in the New York Gus
tom House he's been an experiment, and is by
means perfect, Ii has worked wonders. The
increase Of emulation and efficiency in the clerks
has been remarkable. SO eager are they to i'm
prove and advance that at present they often
learn as much in one year as they learned under
the old system in six years. The clerks have
merly. They are less cringing, and this year,
iof the first time in my recollection, they open.
~ rebellcd against political assessments"
The open REBELLION against political assess
ments, spoken of by Naval Officer Bevit, is
one of the chief reasons why the system does
not commend itself generally to Federal Off,
cials of the present day. 1t is no secret that
AT every State or national election the incum-
hents of government offices are required to
contribute certain per centage of their sal
aries for campaign purposes. The amount
raised is largely in excess of what is needed
for legitimate campaign expenses, and the
surplus is used for purposes of an exceeding
" questionable character.
The letter alluded to shows how little faith,
inl service, honesty and efficiency weigh
against the supposed needs ofparty, and per-
tinently adds
as 1t, in yonr opinion, nothing against the
system that the whole time of the Collector
charged with the care of important national and
commercial interests, should for months be oc.
cupied in hearing and determining the claims of
office seekersg Is 1t nothing against the system
that out of 100 officers appointed by yourself
during your previous term of office, all but
three were turned out by your successor y
When you say that quite a number of the persons
thus dismissed by your predecessor filled faith
fully and efficiently few years ago the very
offices they now seek to obtain and were re-
moved to make way for the gentlemen now oc
cupying them,' do you not bear the strongest
testimony to the practical evil and injustice of
u system that is liable to be used with such in.
furious effect through official caprice, prejudice
or self.interest? 1t will not do, however, to
charge these results against the Collector as
personal sins, only they are chiefly the product
of the system. In this point of view, collectors
are but average men-neither better nor worse,
all alike have to be credited with the best in.
tentlons; nevertheless, very few men possess
ing control of official patronage are found able
and willing to resist the temptation of using 1t
as q means of rewarding political friends and
Furnishing political opponents.
"Do you you self not propose to remove your
late predecessors appontees and reinstate your
own? If he should, perchance, be again your
successor will not the same retaliation again
occur With like consequences? If, indeed, he
should not be the same, but another person,
would the result he different? Is this sort of
rotation in office, resulting from mere change
in the head Of the office, and without even the
bad excuse of change in the dominant party,
designed to be for the public good? Does it
tend ito elevate the standard, intellectual and
moral of the civil service:' Is there anywhere
even pretence of such a motiveY Is it not on
the contrary, manifestly incompatible with the
proper conduct and best interests of the public
service ~