Evening star., 1895-06-14

This should, indeed. be a day OF mourn
ing for the spoilsmen of America. Their
great stronghold at the capital has been
carried by the stormins party of the army
OF common sense in the civil service, and
at the present rate Of progress the country
will soon be wholly freed from the perni-
cious theory that the public business Is fit
material for party patronage. The action
Of the President last evening in signing the
orier which places the Government Print
lng Office under the operations of the civil
service law takes from the adherents of the
Idea that to the partisan victor belong the
spoiis Of public Office their last chance to
weather the storm of public disapproval.
The result came rather sooner than was ex-
pected- But II did not come a day too soon
for the best interests of the country, not
to mention those of the efficient workmen
who are now placed beyond the reach Of
the accidents of party success. The foolish
claim that this order will make no differ
encc in the standard of efficiency of the
prin ting Office can be disproved, of course,
only by the test of time but that it will be
disproved, and so completely that there will
reyer be any reasonable objection raised
to the new system, no thoughtful observer
of the course of the civil service law will
doubt for a moment. The coalition of the
printers and others employed at this great
establishment has been we'll described by
some of their own number as distressing.
They have gone about their work like peo-
pie living under a reign of terror. The AK
of official displeasure forever hung over
their heads. Without the doors there was
always a great, clamorous crowd, eager for
their places, or for 4 chance to share their
none too liberal emoiuments- The system
of appointments was wholly bad, and would
always continue to be bad until the entire
Office was placed under the operation Of a
system which recognizes merit first of all
and party last. The effect of the new order
will be watched with great interest by all
who are interested in civil service reform.
as well as by those who are concerned in
the hest interests of labor. for there is a
possibility that the new plan may have a
bearing upon the status of the unions,
though it is not apparent Just now what
the final result will be- The chief result of
the order, it is now sure, will be to give TO
the country a better prfn ting service, and
to prevent the periodical seasons Of great
distress which have always marked the his
tory of this enormous shop as IL has passed
from one political management to another
throughout the fluctuations Of partisanship.
In no other case has there ever been so
good a chance for the civil service commits
sion to demonstrate to the merchants of
Washington that the merit system Is a
good thing for local business. fnasmuch as
1t makes employment more stable. and
therefore strengthens trade and prevents
losses by the granting of credit to those
who may at any moment be deprived of
their livelihood. OF course. the extension
OF the civil service law TO a department of
the government does not of itself displace
completely the spoils system and establish
the merit system. There are weaknesses
and loopholes for evasion in the civil SER
vice Law and in its application by spoils-
men. But every such extension marks a
step in the right direction on the road to-
ward an ideal condition Of the government
service Now let the fourth-class post
Offices and the District municipal offices be
placed under tine civil service law.