The record-union., 1891-04-09
REFORM IN THE NAVY.
TRACY PROPOSES TO
ABOLISH PATRONAGE.
He Says That the Present System is
Demoralizing Both to the Gov
ernment and Labor.
Special to the REcoRp-US1oy.

Special to the RECORD UNION
BosToN, April S.-The largest political
gathering of the kind held in Boston for
years was the first dinner of the Repub-
lican Club of Massachusetts, held at Music
Hall this evening.
Covers were laid for $40, besides the
guests and speakers. President Roger
Wolcott presided, and among the prom
inent guests were Secretary of the Navy
Tracy, Lieutenant Hale, congressman
Walker, Lodge, Green, Halge and Morse,
Ex-Governor Ames, Senator Aldrich, ex-
Governor Bracket and General Banks.
Secretary Tracy, in a speech, paid a
high tribute to the Republican party and
the present Administration. He de-
Tended the Fifty-first Congress against
the charge of extravaganza. The Secre-
tary then gave detailed account of the
work in which the Navy Department is
at present engaged and concluded as fol-
lows:
Zone last point in naval affairs remains
to be considered. 1t is the question of
the employment of labor at the navy
yards. For fifty years this has been a
weak spot in naval administration,
Whatever the party in control of the
Government, it seems hitherto to have
been powerless to exclude political influ-
ence in the employment of navy yard
labor. 1t is not enough, apparently, that
mechanics and workmen in the Govern
ment shops should be Republicans or
Democrats. They must wear the collar
OF bosses who run the local political ma
chine. The practice is source of de-
moralization to any party that attempts
to use it. 1t is destructive to the Govern
anTNf Il Il.
and national politics. 1t is an ulcer to
the naval administration system, and /
propose to cut it out"
The Secretary said the details of the
system he proposes to adopt are being
prepared and in a short time will be in
full operation. The essential features as
applied to the navy yards are:
First-The appointment at each yard of
registration board to register all appli-
cants for employment in the department
of unSkilled labor to be selected as re-
quired, on the principle of first come.
first served" with preference only to
army or navy veterans or men having
families to support.
Second-The registration of all appli-
cants for positions of skilled labor under
the same rules of preference and EMPLOY
ment on trial according to merits.
Third-The selection of foremen upon
competitive examination. The board
will consist of officers of the navy en-
gagged in conducting the work of the yard.
The Secretary added that having begun
in this way he does not propose to stop
until the principle of efficiency and worth
is the only test of navy-yard employ-
ment. He is satisfied that the plan can
be carried out, so it will remove all sus-
picion of machine politics from the navy
yards; that economy and efficiency of
work will be promoted, while the COM
mnnItV will hn fhaf hn
its midst, instead of being the focus of
political intrigue, is place of employ
ment of body of independent and self
respecting workmen, whose only road to
promotion lies in good work.
whether the present civil service law
Is the best that could be devised to inn
prove the civil service of the country,n
concluded the Secretary, 81 do not know.
but do know from personal observation
in my own department that persons ap-
pointed under the system are unquestion-
ably more efficient as whole than those
selected under any system of patronage;
and L know further that no Republican
charged with the responsibility of ad-
one of the great executive |
of the Government can be |
true to himself. to the faith of the Repub- |
llcan party, or to the people, if he fails to |
employ any and all means within his |
power to elevate, purify and render more |
e1Ilclent the civil service of the country" |
Roger Wolcott, in the course of his |
speech, said: 1.-THE Republican party !
must rally to its standard the recruit, and |
drum out the mercenary. The loss of |
thousands of votes in this State was due |
TO the Chairman of the National Com |
mittee. The kind of personal politics |
that seeks and requires what is called |
Nindication,' is always at the expense /
Of the party, and is blunder when it is |
not crime.n