Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-25

eminent printing office over to his success
sor in excellent financial condition, with a
fierce of workmen never excelled and rarely
equaled in faithfulnesS and efficiency. The
force was then at it's minimum, about . 100,
being 800 less than when he took charge in
September, 1886.
The deplorabe condition of the office
when again turned over to Mr.. Benedict
last May Is a matter of public record. The
force had been increased by his predecessor
from about 100 to nearly $500. about 600
more than were found necessary at any
time during the Harrison administration.
Mr.. Palmer's free Offering to spoils, called
half Loaf policy, had demoraliZed, to a
great extent large portion of the working
force, and enormously increased the cost
of the public printing. During the fiscal
year ending June 30, 1894, the cost of COM
position In the specification room, where
the Official Gazette and specifications of
patents are put in type, was IL cents per
page more than during Mr.. Benedict's first
administration. There was no reason what
ever for this increase in coSt-about 81, CO.,
more than per cent-other than a less
efficient administration than formerly
There is no doubt whatever that the in
creased cost was much greater in the "all
time divisions of the office.
Under the merit system established by
Mr.. Benedict, about eight months ago. the
public printing is being executed better and
will, no doubt, effect still greater economies
by this system than he did during his first
administration, large they then were, in
comparison with the cost of the work dur
ing the administration of his predecessor
While I freely concede that Mr. Benedict
has made many political discharges and ap-
pointments 1 assert, without fear of sue
cessful contradiction. that he has not, to as
great an extent his predecessors, "pur-
sued and prosecuted those who differed
from him politically" or so "mercilessly
applied political test against which his
victims might in vain urge competency
and faithfulness." Hundreds of republic
can employees were retained solely upon
their merits as workmen during his first
administration, and many hundreds have
been retained during the past year for the
same reason. He retained a much larger
percentage Of faithful and efficient republic
can workmen than his predecessors did
of faithful and efficient democratic work
men. About 80 per cent of the force We're
republicans when Mr.. Benedict turned the
office over to Mr.. Palmer in 1899, and be-
lieve that is about the proportion of re-
publicanS in the office today. Not more
than 20 per cent of the printers were dem
ocrats during Mr.. Palmer's administration,
during which time the force was increased
nearly 1,50O, and about 900 additional ap-
poin We're made to fill vacancies
caused by discharges. If the present pub
lie printer is a spokesman, what were his
predecessors?
will question the statement that the merit
system inaugurated by Mr.. Benedict is a
long step in the right direction, but mas
much as his successor would probably be
forced to take a long step backward to
the spoils system unless upheld by some
thing much more potent than the ex-
ample of his predecessor, it is to be hoped
that a death blow will soon be given that
discredted system, SO far, at least as ap-
pointments and removals in the government
printing office are concerned, by an extern
sion of the civil service law and rules to
that Office, as recommended by the en-
ployes through their union, and thereby
fasten upon that important branch of the
public service a merit system which
neither the present nor any future public
printer could strike down with impunity
and, at the same time. efectually remove
the only disgrace and weakness attached
to the present method of executing the
public printing. { =. w. OYSTER.