Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-12
THE CIVIL! SERVICE
CONTINUED from First Page.)
e delegates from affiliated societies are

Washington-Civic Center-Dr. Jno. Greg
cry, Rev. DR.. 8. M. Newman, Edwin Will
let's, Chas. Lyman, Rev. Alexander Kent,
Mrs. Ellen S. Mussey. Miss Josephine Clark,
w. F. Willoughby. Board of trades. w.
Woodward, Henry F. Blount, Myron M. Par
ker, Gardiner G. Hubbard, Jno. B. Wight.
Simon Wolf.
Troy-City Club-Mont. G. Curtis, Rev. T.
P. Sawin.
Marietta, ohio-Citizens' Association -
Prof. Jno. C. Shedd.
Massachusetts, Reform Cuba. NJ Howe,
Samuel Y. Nash.
Philadelphia - Municipal League-C. P.
Woodruff.
Boston-Municipal League Samuel B.
Capen, ]. G. Thorp. Arthur Hobart.
New York-Good government clubs-W.
schild. Board Of trade and transportation
Oscar S. Strauss.
Mr.. Foulkc's Address.
At the afternoon session today Mr.. VIM.
Dudley Foulke of Indiana made a short
address upon "Superannuation in the Civil
Service" He began by saying that Jno.
Wanamaker when Postmaster General
once wrote by the hand of Marshal Cush-
ing a circular letter to a number Of civil
service refcrmers throughout the country,
asking why both parties should not dis
card their ins:ncere professions for the
law. and have the patriotism to go back
to the old system. MIR. Wanamaker is not
the only one who has desired to return to
the old methcd of political pull. They
make the claim that the efficiency Of the
departments will be seriously interfered
with in ten or fifteen years by the old age
of many of the clerks who could not be re-
moved. 1t is easy to answer that these
clerks ought to be dismissed when they
cease to be efficient, and it is easy to say
that when they accepted employment they
knew that no pension awaited them, and
that 1t their duty to save in the days
n he r Or tn hoy
in the inferm!ties of age. 1t is still true
that permanency in office holding, which
the merit system encourages, makes even
discretionary removals more difficult, and
as men everywhere outlive their useful
ness this so-called tenure during good be-
havior sometimes fastens barnacles upon
the service. He said that he used the cpl
tibet barnacles, for 1t is used by another
mics. Mr.. Porter, who conducted with such
impartial and disintereSted fidelity the tax
ing of the last census.
The competitive plan has removed one
great temptation. Men are not dismissed
for the mere purpose of appointing to the
vacant place, a personal or partisan fol-
lower. But there are other temptations to
retain the inefficient, and some of these
temptations spring from the best of feel
ings In our nature. Very few chiefs will
discharge man who has spent the best
years of his life in the government SERVICE
doing faithful work, just because he hap
pened to have become superannuated
Many of those who are aged and incompe-
tent. but who can point to a record Of past
usefulness will stay in place, and beside
drawing pay for work that is not per
formed. they will inturc the service In
other ways. We may say that the chiefs
of departments ought not to consider any
of these things. but keep only the best
men, but no man with a heart will ever
and infirmities, has become Inefficient
There are some men. who, by mere length
of service, come TO believe that they have
an indefeasible right to office and there
judges of our federal courts sometimes be-
come arbitrary and dsagreeable, largely
on account of the life tenure by which they
hold their places. A certain insecurity in
office is a great stimulus to urbanity.
Mr.. Foulke advocated the formation of
approximation funds by retaining a por-
ton of the pay of each clerk every month,
and believed that a system compreheuding
the entire classified service would be the
most perfect of all. He thought it wise to
provide some plan by which the service
may be kept from fossilization. even before
the period when the members should be-
come entitled to the benefits of the super
aEnuation fund He also stated that all
grades of the service should be open to
promotion upon periodical competitive eX-
amina ion.
MIR. SiddOns' Paper.
In his paper on 1.-The Important Function
of Civil Service Reform Mr.. F. L. Siddons
said:
LAS the movement known as civil service
reform gains in tie respect and good will
of the American people and its principles
are extended to the various forms of gov
eminent that exist in this republic civil
service reformers and friends of good gov
eminent generally must of necessity busy
themselves with the many details involve ed
in the labor of giving legal expression and
effect to those principles, which this Or
ganization in large degree stands for ard
represents. But their zeal in the labor al
ludcd to Is greatly Inexperienced if 1t Is
supposed that it is inspired only by the con-
viction that the system of examining ap-
plicants for admission to or promotion in
the government service, to test their effi-
cheney. Is superior to the old method, which
made party or personal allegiance alone
tie open sesame to government employ
ment. For irrational, unjust and quite in
defensble as the old method was, and,
alas! still is. it would not in itself, and
merely because it was and is irrational ard
unjust, a method Of supplying govern
n'ent servants. have earned for itself the
undying hostility of so many who count
country above party and justice above
the supposed requirements of political OBJ
legations.
mo. 1. Back of a mere method of how
persons should get into or out of govern
ment service lie questions of far greater
moment TO the welfare of the country:
questions that indeed claim the anxious
thoughts of every lover of our institutions,
and upon right answer to which much of
consequence to America depends.
Let us for a moment consider them
TT can hardly be denied that a govern
ment, organized upon the theory Of the
consent of the governed. and which de-
rived al its powers and functions from the
people whom it is to protect and rule, must
depend for its success and permanence
upon the freedom and case with which its
citizens are permitted to give expression to
their wishes and desires, and their con-
sent obtained, in all matters concerning
their social and political well being. 1t has
lcng been our boast that the United States
of America afford to the world striking
example of such a government. A govern
ment quickly responding to the needs and
aspirations of its people and knowing 10
claims but those of equal justice to all
within the sphere of its jurisdiction This
is our boast. But can we make 1t good?
Review the political history of the coun-
try for the past seventy years with I'M
biased minds, and we must frankly confess
that some of our most cherished institu-
ticns have become mere decisions, and who
believes today that single important cleo
tive office is filled by the free choice of the
electors? Who doubts that much of the
most needed legislation must be purchased
If obtainabe at all? And to whom must
the people go for permission to elect their
servants or to procure the enactment Of
their laws? To organized bands of political