The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-04-09
To the Number Of Eight Hundred
They Sit Down at a
Banquet.
Many Distinguished Members OF
the Party Present On the
Occasion.
Secretary Tracy the Chief Orator-He
Talks of Civil Service MIR. Quay
KOundly Denounced.

BosTos, April a.---The largest political
gathering Of the kind held in Boston for
years was the first dinner of the republican
clubs of Massachusetts, which was held in
Music hall this evening Covers were laid
for 80. besides guests and speakers. Pros
ident Roger Wolcott presided, and among
the prominent guests were Secretary of the
Navy Tracy, Eugene Hale, Congressman
Walker, Lodge, Greenhalge and Morse Ex-
Gov. Ames, Senator Aldrich, Ex-Gov.
Bracket and Gen. Banks. Secretary Tracy.
III his speech, paid high tribute to the re-
publican party and the present administfa-
ton; defended the Fifty-first congress
against the charge of extravagance. The
secte etary then gave a detailed account Of
the work in which the navy department at
present is engaged, and concluded as fol-
lows: Zone Of the last points in naval af-
fairs remains to De considered, the question
OF the employment of labor at navy yards.
For fifty years this has been the weak spot
in naval administration. Whatever tho
party in control of the government, it seems
hitherto to have been powerless to exclude
political influence in the employment Of
navy yard labor. 1t is not enough, appar-
emily, that mechanics and yorkmen in
government shops should be republicans or
democrats they must wear the collar OF
ward bosses who run the local political ma
chine. The practice il sourse Of demoral-
lzation to any party that attempts to use it.
destructive to government service and de-
bauchinQ to local and national politics. 1t
is an ulcer in the naval administrative sys-
tenn and propose to cut it OUT
The secretary said the details OF the sys-
tenn he proposed to adopt are being pre-
pared, and in short time will be in full
operation. The essential features, as ap-
piled to navy yards, are: First The ap-
pointment at each yard of registration
board to register all applicants for employ
ment In the department. Of unskilled labor
to be selected as required, on the principle
OF first come. first served" with prefer
ence only to army or navy veterans, or men
having families to support.
Second, The registration of all applicants
for positions of skilled labor under the
same rules of preference, and employment
on trial according to merits.
Third, The selection of foremen upon
competitive examination. The board will
consist of officers of the navy engaged in
conducting the work of the yards.
The secretary added that having begun
IN this way he does not propose to stop
until the principle of efficiency and worth
ls the only test of navy yard employment.
AAc 40 nhtlSAeu tudb tHe pIaQ can De carried
out SO it will remove all suspicion OF
machine politics from the navy yard; that
economy and efficiency of work will be
promoted. while the community will be
hure that the navy yard in its midst, instead
of being focuN of local political intrigue,
IS place of employment of body of inde-
pendent and seli-respecting workingmen,
whose only road to promotion lies in good
work.
Whether the present civil service law ia
the best that could be devised to improve
the civil service of the country, / do not
know, but do know from personal obser-
walton that in my own department that
persons appointed under the system are uu-
questlonabiy more efficient, as whole, than
those selected under any system of patron
age, and l know further that no republican
charged with the responsibility of adminis-
tering one of the great executive depart
men of the government can be true to
himself, to the faith of the republican
party, or to the people if he fails to employ
any and all means within his power to ele-
vate, purify and render more efficient the
civil service of the country"
MIR. Roger Wolcott, in the course of
speech. said the republican party must
rally to its standard the recruit and drum
out the mercenaty. The loss of thousands
of votes in this state was due to the Penn
sylyanian who is still chairman of the ma
tional committee. The kind of personal
politics that seeks and required what il
called 'vindication' is always at the expense
of party, and is blunder when 1t is not q
crime"