Evening star., 1896-10-23

Inc Assault ON Local frOSperltys
Yesterday The Star suggested briefly va
rious assaults upon the prosperity of Wash
ington which were threatened by The Chi
cago platform. Undoubtedly the attack
upon the merit system, to which a mere
reference was made, Is giving the most
serious concern not only to the clerks whom
it directly affects, but to every business in
terest in Washington, whose prosperity is
inseparably intertwined with that of the
twenty thousand government employees,
who, with their families, constitute so inn
rortant an element of the city's population.
Efficient clerks, who considered their po-
sitions safe as long as they remained eff
cient. and in that belief bought or rented
comfortable homes, patronized literally ac-
cording to their means the grocer, the
clothier, and all the other dealers in COM
modities for household or individual Use,
and who confidently invested their savings
in building associations and other similar
institutions. are now in the state of terror
which characterized them in the old spoils
era, when the paralysis of daily apprenen-
sion reduced their pecuniary value to the
community as circulators Of money by even
more than the fifty per cent Of depreciation
which is proposed for Our present dollar.
The frightened employees are seeking to
realize upon their investments to cheaper
the cost of living. to cut down every bill,
to reduce the rent charge by substituting
oramped rooms for houses, and all Wash
IL Ston in every branch Of business suffers
with them. The success of Mr.. Bryan AMI
the Chicago platform would render period
ical these panics and make the business
paralysis perpetual.
A picture of Washington under the old
lie ho tol for he
benefit of its business men. They have not
forgotten the bad debts. the shaky credits,
the unrented houses. the half-paid mort
cages, the regularly recurring depressions
when none dared buy more than their bare
necessaries. New comers have heard the
story with wonder that a community could
ever prosper under such conditions.
Civil service reform brought a degree of
confidence in the future that was unknown
before Instead of violent changes in the
financial affairs of a large body of resi-
dents at intervals there came permanence
and security. Boarders became house
buyers, and under the influence of prom
ise of retention in office during good be
havior the clerks protected by the civil
service law. who had been mere birds of
passage in the past, came to regard them
selves as permanent residents and invested
their savings, thus contributing to the pros
perity of the capital. Bad debts became
rare. and the credit system was far less
of a threat to the merchant. In short,
Washington emerged from the shadow of
doubt that the spoils system had cast upon
IL and throve as never before.
Now it Is threatened that this era of
prosperity is to be ended. The thousands
now deriving incomes from the government
under the civil service law may be swept
from office by a hungry horde of political
strikers Washington is confronted with
an experience far worse than that which
was cured by the reform now assailed
Under the old plan of office-distribution
the local merchants, while puzzled by the
uncertainties of trade and credit, knew in
general way what they had to expect
after several years of the beneficent work.
inSs of the civil service law, to which the
business of Washington has adapted ITSELF
a sudden radical revolution of conditions Is
threatened.
Not until 1T ~ certain that Bryan and
free silver and free spoils have been de-
feated at the polls will there be a revival
of confidence, either among the clerks ard
those dependent upon them or the business
men of the capital. Is 1t marvel then
that the substantial citizens of Washington
are anxious for the election of the republi-
can nominee, and that The Star, as the ad-
vccate of the city's interests, IS urging the
importance of this end?