Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-07-19

me report OF the Civil-seryice Commission Wig
UOusiy assails the spoils or patronage system and
presents good showing OF benefits which have
resulted from the law designed TO make Office
hoidihg dependent not upon party service but
upon merit and good behavior" The advantages
Oh reasonably stable public service, appoint
ieuts 10 which In all but the highest positions
secured through merit shown In competitive ex-
aminations and are retained by efficiency and
good oehayior, over the shifting, uncertain, and
unreliable service secured under q spoils
system, by which the Offices are distrib-
uted as plumber to politicians are denied
oy very few persons at the capital But
the eiv1l-service law departs in some particulars
RON the wise theory which the commission up
mold Ofrice-holding is not made dependent SIM
ply upon merit. Under the absurd apportlonment
law, which keeps alive the bad principle Of the
patronage system. by distributing the Offices like
spols, among the states and territories according
10 population, residence in certain localities is
now more essential condition TO appointment
than merit In this very report the commissioners
resist an effort TO extend the apportionment sys-
TEN and TO distribute appointments among the
legislative districts which. IL Is said. would
put limit upon the choice OF applicants
and restrict the appointment OF the best men,
This restriction Is already accomplished by the
present law. Under the legallzed "divvy" OF pub
lie trusts the District OF Columbia for instance Is
1.OO2 appointments. Many citizens OF the various
states who have from time to time secured Govern
ment employment at Washington have not under
standing the effect Of their action, incautiously
permitted themselves to be assigned TO the Dis
trict, and TO lose their citizenship elsewhere The
result is that the District quota Is full and over
flowing the Government cannot avail itself OF the
home expert-labor market, and cross-examines ap-
picants for office to be sure that no wretched resi-
dent OF the District, or OF any other division
whose quota Is full secures a position
under false pretenses. The special injury
Is, OF course, to the Government, which
In theory seeks the best material available but In
fact may be limited to a selection from the office-
seekers OF remote section Of the country. II in
truth the clerkships were no longer viewed as
spoils for division, to be quarreled over by poll
ucians or states, the Government workshops would
De conducted on the same principles which govern
other great factories. The absurdity OF advertls-
ing competitive examination TO secure expert
wOrkmen, from which the men OF ones own and
the neighboring states are shut out and only cam
didates from remote states examined, would not
then be committed The youth or the city In
which the great workshops are situated would not
De excluded from the principal occupations their
fathers. and be driven from home to earn a living
In other calhngs, or to remove the faint OF resi-
dence at the capital and 10 gain that Nevadan or
oregonian citizenship which may enable them to
return and secure Government employment.