Los Angeles herald., 1891-04-09
The Perpetuation in Power
of Boss Quay.
The Republicans Awakening to
the Error of Their Way.
Repentant Symptoms Shown by Mem
bers of the G.. O. P.
Secretary Tracy Going to Re-
form the Navy Yards.
Associated Press Dispatches.


BosToN, April 8.-The largest political
gathering of this kind held in Boston
for years, was the first dinner of the
Republican club of Massachusetts,, held
in Music hall this evening. Covers were
laid for 80, besides the guests and
speakers. President Roger Wolcott
presided, and among the prominent
guests were Secretary of the Navy
Tracy, Lieutenant Hale, Congressman
Walker, Lodge, Greenhalge and Morse,
Ex-Governor Ames, Senator Aldrich,
Ex-Governor Bracket and General
Banks.
A SLAP AT BOSS QUAY.
Mr.. Roger Wolcott, in the course1of a
speech, said: "The Republicans party
must rally to it's standard anddrum out
the mercenary. The loss of thousands
of votes in this state was due to man
from Pennsylvania who is still chair
man of .he national committee. The
kind OF personal politics that seeks and
requires what is called "vindication," is
always at the expense of party. and is a
DluuQtI Wllcu IL 10 lOb " CIlIuCs
SECRETARY TRACY SPEAKS.
Secretary Tracy, in speech, paid
high tribute to the Republican party.
and the present administration, and de-
Tended the Fifty-frst congress against
the charge of extravaganza. The secre-
tary then gave detailed account of the
work in which the navy department is
- ,>roeoDt anOonoI ond oOn ol,,IoA
follows: Zone of the last points in
cred, is the question of the employment
years this has been weak spot in naval
in control of the government, it seems
that hitherto it has been powerless to
exclude political influence in, the
employment of navy yard labor.
1t is not enough, apparently, that the
mechanics and workmen in government
shops should be Republicans or Demo-
Gratis; they must wear the collar of the
ward bosses who run the local political
machine, The practice is serious de-
moralization to any party that attempts
to use it; destructive to the government
service, and debauching to local and
national politics. 1t is an ulcer to the
naval administrative system, and pro-
pose to cut it out"
TRACY's REFORM SYSTEM.
The secretary said the details OF the
system he proposes to adopt are being
and in 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
applicants for employment in the de-
partment of unskilled labor, to be Sc
lected as required on the principle that
first come first served, with preference
only to army and navy veterans, or men
having families to support.
Second-The registration of all appli-
cants for positions OF skilled labor. un-
der the same rule of preference and en-
ployment, on trial, according to merits.
Third-The selection of foremen upon
competitive examination. The examin-
ing board will consist of officers of the
navy engaged in conducting the work of
the yard.
EFFICIENCY THE ONLY TEST,
The secretary added that having be-
gun in this way, he does not propose to
stop until the principle Of efficiency is
the only test of navy yard employment.
He is satisfied the plan can be carried
out go it will remove all suspicion of
machine politics from the navy yards;
that the efficiency of work will be pro-
NOTED, while the community will be
sure that the navy yard in it's midst,
instead OF being place of local polit-
ical intrigue, is a place of employment
of body of independent and self-re-
specting workingmen, whose only road
to promotion lies in good work.
Whether the present civil service
law is the best that could be devised to
improve the civil service law of the
country" continued the secretary, II
do not know; but do know from
personal observation in my own depart
ment, that persons appointed under the
system are unquestionably more efficient
as whole than those selected under
the system of patronage; and know,
further, that no Republican charged
with the responsibility of administering
one of the great executive departments
of the government, can be true to him.
self, to the faith of the Republican
party or to the people, if he fails to en-
ploy any and all means within his
power to elevate, purify and render
more efficient the civil service of the
country"