Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-22
Alternating Civil Service.

To the Editor of The Evening Star:
Another Member of the Board of Trade"
in his late communication in your columns,
while claiming to be in favor of civil
service founded upon business principles"
yet strenuously advocates a strictly linn
tied term of appointment for civil servants.
The nearest approach to permanence of
tenure he will allow is that, in cases of
special merit, a reappointment for an
other fixed term may be made
Is this the way he runs his own bust
ness? If he employs clerks or workmen
does he hire them for a fixed term? He
knows that he doesn't. With the power
in the employer of discharge at any time
for ineffciency or unfaithfulness to his in
terests he knows that in all private bust
ness a good and faithful employee has no
term of employment fixed. And he knows,
too, that in private business experience is
one of the cardinal virtues-integrity, in
dustry and experience, with its resulting
skill
To the thousands of civil servants of
the government here employed 1t is a mat
ter of wonder to realize the hostility to
their best interests of few members of
the board of trade and of the Washington
Post. The Posts platform is a fixed term
of six years, for all government employees,
and no more. 1t further advocates the in
fusion of one-thrd new blood every two
years. That is to say: Onethird the force
This is the cheerful prospect we would
have to face, should the Post succeed in
making enough converts to its views in
the right quarter. Now, Is it not passing
strange that a newspaper whose prosperity
Is largely built upon the patronage of the
civil employees of the government should
thus deliberately advocate policy that
would bring several thousand homes, hum
BILE though they may be, to the auction
block every two years? On second thoughts,
however, the sacrifice of homes would not
continue long. for the reason that the new
Corners, warned by the fate of their prede-
cesSors and knowing the limited period of
their own employment, would not become
home builders in this community. They
would board round save every penny
they could, and have no interest in the
town in the meantime
Another Member of the Board of Trade"
declares vigorously that with his consent
no ce-holdng-for-life class shall ever
be created here. He wants no aristocrats
in the departments, lording it over mem
bers of the board of trade
He Is right! We give 1t up! Far be II
from us to contend for permanent tenure
an arStocratiC. privileged class in our
midst. The feelings of our board of trade
members ought not tc be outraged by their
having to witness the passage along our
streets of the gorgeously appointed VIC
toria with it's banged-t tall Understanding
team, and liveried groom and tiger, con-
veying the luXurously clothed family of
the twelve-hundred-dollar government
clerk to the doors of the business houses
of the members of the board of trade. And
as the danger appears to he imminent We
members of this privileged class subordf-
mating our individual interests to those of
the public, cease our contention and ac-
cept the merry-So-round civil service of
the Post, and another Member Of the
Board of Trade"
A CIVIL SERVANT