The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-04
An EVIL SCHEME
REV. w. R. LORD SCORES THE
SPOILS SYSTEM IN POLL
TICS.
HINT FOR LEGISLATORS.
DISCOURSE IS CONFIDENT WITH
THE GATHERING OF STATE
LAWMAKERS.
Incidental to the ODeratiOn of the
Old Plan, i'm the CIergyman's
Opinion.

At Unity church yesterday morning,
Rev. w. r. Lord called attention to
the essential immortality Of the spoils
system, because, as he said, it has it's
root in the principle of selfishness
Through this selfish appeal it under
mined patriotism 1t went to men and
said: Serve me today, and [ will serve
you tomorrow" Mr.. Lord said in part:
Secondly 1t is immoral, because of
the kind of men it brings into our cleo
tive offices-men who not only fall far
short of statesmanlike qualities, but
who are in their character unworthy
and in their ability deficient One has
only to glance at the United States
senate to see what kind Of men have
climbed to office upon the spoils ladder
The ambition today Of low types of pol
ltlcianS in great states in the Union to
get seat in this body can only be
attained through this immoral system
The system elevates base men and de-
bases good men who use it, for the
spOils system is both bribery and rob
berry. 1t pays for votes and assistance
by office; it takes money from the pub
lie treasury to pay personal political
obligations. in the salaries of men who
should be public servants In the next
place, it corrupts the public service by
introducing unworthy and inefficient
men in the lower grades of the public
service. 1t also debases those who OBJ
tain office through this means The
clerk in the department knows by what
base means he came there. His tenure
depends upon the favor Of some heart
less boss or upon the next political
election. The uncertainty of position is
constant decentralization, and beside
there is no hope of getting higher how
ever efficient and worthy he may
prove.
Then, the immortality of the system is
seen in its effect in producing an office
seeking class. For every office there
are twenty seekers, and there have
been all over the country and in Wash
ington men who have lived and died
hoping for their turn to come, mean
While degrading themselves and their
families, and depending for a livelihood
upon relatives and friends. This is one
of the greatest evils Of the system.
Then, again, see how the unfairness of
the system is fundamentally immoral
Common morals require that things
should go by merit. This is simple
democracy, which can only give us the
best
Under the spoils system men once
appointed might never hope to rise
through merit, but over the head of
competency and honesty would con-
stantly be passed inefficiency and I'M
Worthiness.
In contrast, let US see the essential
morality of the civil service system.
TCst nj te,
The idea of the system opens the civil
service of the government to every
man and woman in the United States
without regard to influence or any
qualification whatever except that of
merit. In the second place see the
effect Of the system upon the people
in giving play to the higher motives
In political action. 1t has been ia
Vorfte word Of the defenders of the
spoils system that YOU could not con-
duct campaign without having Of
flee as a motive. The last canpaien
utterly refutes any such argument.
Third, it has rendered an immense
service in sending the office-seeking
and oftice-hoping class to some other
and permanent employment. 1 am told
that one of the best results of civil
service reform in Washington is that
there has almost entirely disappeared
from that city the office-seelxing class
that used to hang around, a burden
upon congressman, upon the city, and
sometimes slyly and secretly becoming
beggars.
Fourth, the effect upon the officials
under civil service rules; the conscious
ness that the place is gotten and held
by merit; that it is certain during
good behavior; the certainty that merit
Will lead to promotion
l was told by two or three of the
most thoughtful men In washington.
who observe official countenances, that
they can see change in the express
sion of the people who were already
there when the civil srvice law went
into effect. The anxious look has gone.
but there has come the consciousness
Of moral strength TO those who realize
that their future depends upon honest
effort and thorough work And then
In, taking away the debasing sense of