The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-06-16

THE MERIT SYSTEM AND OFFICE.
The civil service system needs no de-
fence 10 long ~ II means no more than
retaining I'm office officials of exceptional
merit. There are hundreds OF positions In
the public service from which the re-
moval of an experienced man IL OF as
great disadvantage as such changes are
In private business. There are many more,
however. as to which 1t makes very little
difference whether a man had has ex-
ceptional experience or not. But the sys-
tenn was not intended 10 keep forever in
Office those who were fortunate enough
TO he Installed when the system was
adopted.
President Mckinley has declared that
he intends being bound by the declarations
OF the party platform. and will. to the
utmost, maintain the merit system In the
civil service. He Is very consistently
standing by the platform. but the Demo-
cratic newspapers are assailiug him be-
cause he Is permitting any removals what
ever. They would have him leave all
Democrats in Office, because they are
Democrats. and not because they are pre-
erainently efficient We cannot blame the
Democratic newspapers for standing up
for their own peopIe. but we need not be
deceived by their pretense that they are
eetuated only By desire for civil service
reform.
There is no doubt that the public service
required reform. but that fact was pre-
aeuted by Republican administration. II
would seem tn the ordinary newspaper
reader that the Democrats were entitled
10 the credit of introducing the merit sys-
tern. but a matter Of fact the "act to
regulate and improve the civil service Of
the United States was approved by Pres.
idcnt Arthur In iSSs II was put into
operation eonservatiyeiy and reasonably;
II Was not until Mr.. Cleveland took Office
and his administration had cleaned out
every Republican and filed the Offices
check fall OF Democrats that he put ap the
bars OF civil service reform and kept ev-
/ eryhody else except his appoIn,ees out.
There is no Republican who wonid de-
| sire 10 SO hack 10 the system in vogue nj,
| the time Of the passage OF that act The
/ departments had become the prey ofspoila-
| men. 1t was declared az thai time that
/ there were over three thousand employees
/ IN the treasury department. rot more than
/ one half of whom were needed and many
] ef them were on the pay roll without any
warrant ~ law whatever. In the bureau
/ of engraving ana printing. of a force Of
| rs persons. there we're wa. with annual
/ salaries amounting 60 saso zoe. found to ns
( superfuous ard were discharged Amor :
many less aagrant eases IL was said that
! in one division there were twenty raessc-l-
! gers where cniy one was necessary. That
/ was hsd enough. bat evsn eliminating al
I those Who we're unnecessarily drawing
/ pay frea, The ;Fea sIvy was the bad ensc,
~ the system uren those who were me-
| sssary 10 the service. and ordinsr4ly at
! tentlve 80 th~ir duties. The best OF them
/ felt that sheir hope % remaining was
/ rsuch better based on securing TIE support
90 an insaeatisl politician than ia faith
| fully d.schargtas their Sutsas Since atsei-
! Wy ard Industry vcre az less consequence
/ thaa the patronage % a io-al politician.
| much of IRE ofsscials tlnne ard most Of his
attention were devoted 10 that as the prf,-
| sirsi end. instead % demonstration 81
eoIapaGeeey. Then the ctvIl service era-
| ploSes, too, we're Geing constantly black
mailed - those who pretended 80 have
| rclltIeAi taausncS Tsese was no rsrffss-
! lar ohiecsiaa % the subscribing OF a sp@,l-
| ses amount 70 cansqs,Ea funds. Most usea
10 THAI even without oF.3ce. Ans ,he hala.
snS ~ os~sse = 10 reason tar Immunity.
Tsesw legitimate ASSESS merits ep4n&y
made. With TIRE smsGnt ara the Csc
Known. dla NJ particular ssrFs. It was TITO
/ vssczgly imposition by heads ee depart
soeats. sscrrtly ard exssrsionasesy. OF as.
sexsrneass far shesr private benefit. ua3er
/ false gg~teg~es
one vvA@an why the Democrats havs
Neen associated wsth cTr,t3f fer she evil
service system : :ne; tas hsli w&s essS8asi-
Is !uiT0aucess IS Senator Tendlessa. 90
oshie. ~oSnssssaaa Geegss.v IS be was