Evening star., 1896-09-09
dr. Bryan Declared SDOilsmnn.

Local interest IN IIr. Bryan's formal ac-
ceptancc of the Chicago nomination will
be especially aroused by that paragraph
which de.sls with TIE civil service. Wash
ington Is concerned generally as to every
thing that is likely TO affect the national
welfare, but being humarly and not i'm
properly selfish II is most anxious as to
those matters which are of greater import
ance in the District of Columbia than they
are iii any other American community For
the first time since the Chicago convention
Mr.. Bryan speaks out directly upon a
topic which touches upon the bread and
butter of great many people. This may
be marrow view TO take of the situation
In most instances those who discuss the
merit system from a friendly standpoint do
so on a high moral plane which takes no
note of the material argument common
enough in this yiciDity-but it has TO be
taken very large percentage of those
who dwell at the national capital are en-
ployed Ly the general government The
Chicago platform aH1 Mr.. Bryan threaten
the official security OF these many and as
rule, excellent citizens. Mr. Bryan's let
ter OF acceptance. printed elsewhere IN this
issue OF The Star. says:
That the American people are not in fa-
vor of life tenure N the government sery-
ice is evident from the fact that they as a
rUle, make frequent changes in their Off
Cl2l representatives when those representa- l.
tIETS atG CHOSEN by ballot i permanent
Cffice-holdlnS class is not in harmony with
OR Institutions. y fixed term in appoint
i've offices, except here the federal Con
sttuTtGG now provides otherwise. would
oT"1 the public service to q larger number
OF citizens without impairtng its efficiency
Where does Mr. Bryan find authority for
at nj hat tfe rip 10
are NOT favorable to what he calls life
tenure in the departmental servfceo Did
not the American people send to Congress
as r-presen ntatives the men who put the
civil scr:ice law upon the statute books d?
And has not the course of those repreSen-
tatives been heartily approved by the same
people for whom Mr.. Bryan presumes.
without authority. 10 speak: The candidate
of the silver democrats knows perfectly
well that there is no such thing life
tenure in the departmental service. He is
aware. as every other we'll Informed per
son must le. tiidt departmental employees
retain their pos.,iCEs through merit, yet he
talks to the public about life tenure just
as if appOiu. meats were made upon life
tenure basis and without any regard what
ever for the qualification Of the empIoye.
Mr.. Bryan has reached the conclusion
that "a fixed ,vrm in aprCintIve offices. ex-
cept whe"e the federal Constitution nov
prCIid otherwise. would open the public
Service to larger number OF citizens with
out imrairinG lis efficiency" Such de
oiaratioH q that is absurd it will not be
accepted by any man who has even q mod
icun. Of business sense. IL means that CO.
Incidental with the incoming of eaciI sue
ceediug administration there would be a
complete exodus of those who had served
for the four years last past. The places
thus vacated would Ie filed by persons in
political accord with the new administra-
ton. and ali Washington knows what that
would mean. for Washington has suffered
incaiCu!ahle injury from the spoils system.
Where can any honest man find rational
excuse for the tremendous waste of gov
ernment funds that would necessarily fol-
low the practical rehabilitation of the doc
tTiT.e Cf spoils" Would any corpora ton or
Individual attempt 10 do business after any
such fashion? Mr.. Bryan has declared war
against the merit system and the govern
ment clerks employed under it.