Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-27

There Is always a superbly honest ring
to the utterances of Mr.. Theodore Roose-.
welt, which Is especially noteworthy when
he devotes himself to the subject of the
civil service. To every lover of honest gov
eminent and advocate of the adoption of
sterling business methods in the direction
of its various departments the interview
published in yesterdays Star will prove
gratifying and Inspiring He shows how
the reform he has uonc much to advance
is steadily spreading throughout the de-
partment and bureaus in spite of the an
tagonism of spoilsmen and the enmity of
practical politicians. who believe in barter
ing offices for voter The advantages of the
merit system of appointments and promo
lions In the civil service cannot be too often
described nor too highly applauded. Its
substantial benefits 20 the government and
10 the government employees and the moral
Improvement that accrues from system
based upon honest methods equally
striking. It Is easy for one familiar with
the recent history of this city, for instance
to recall the time when a department clerk
who owned Ais own home was almost an
anomaly. The departments were filled with
clerks who were transiently residing in the
city through the grace of the political party
to which they belonged. They hesitated to
put their savings INFO substantial brick and
mortar because they did not know at what
moment their party might be ousted from
the administration or their own particular
influence relegated TO private life. Their
tenure of office depended upon the slim
thread of the spoils system, and. no mat
ter how anxious a clerk might be TO own
his own home. he was unable to conscien-
tiously begin its purchase through fear of
losing his place, and. coincidently. his abil-
Ity to meet the Obligations he had incurred.
The introduction of the merit system by
reason of civil service examinations has
changed all these conditions. Today hun
dreds of government employees own their
homes, while hundreds more are engaged
in paying for them. There is no longer oc-
casiOn for honest, capable and faithful
clerk employed in a department where the
civil service law is properly observed to
fear lest a change of administration will
read to his dismissal There is, to be sure,
danger that partissns in control of de-
partments may by specious measures take
t..e official life of a clerk here and there,
but the great mass of the departmental
employees are protected from attack of this
sort, This protection should be extended
over every employee and official of the gov
eminent save alone those who have its do
nestle and foreign policy to shape. in COM
pliance with the voice of the people as ex-
pressed at the polls. Members of Congress
and heads of depaI tments whose time now
is largely taken up in listening to and de-
Gliding upon the pleas of office-seekers,
would have more opportunity to attend to
the public business for which they are
elected and appointed. And in spreading the
merit system to every part of the civil SER
vice another reform should be introduced.
Every employee, high or low. should be
given the chance 20 meet any charges that
may be made against him before his supe-
riors take action upon them. Departure
from. well as entrance to, the public ser
vice should be eq! ally voluntary, save
where II can be SHOWN beyond question that
in employe is not worthy to hold his posi-
ton. Tenure of office under the govern
ment should be based upon the same
grounds that, II g in a private business
upon faithfulness to the employers inter-
est capability, industry and integrity, and
recognition in the shape of promotion
should follow in proportion as these qualifi-
cations become more pronounced, and,
therefore. more valuable to the government.