The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-08-05
INCIyIL SERVICE.

The Augwunp newspapers have dis
covered two serious faults In President
Mckinley's administration, and they
both relate 10 his Interpretation OF ,hs
civil service system. In one case he per
mitsed a. young officer to be appointed TO
a post. and In the other the chief griey-
ance Is that he refused to consider poliu-
cal activity as bar TO preferment
1t Is not enough tina, competent men
shall rot be turned out of Office liz order
to make way for incompetent men, nor
does IL satisfy the Mugwumps that SO
long as man who has been appointed
because of his exceptional qualifications
fills the Office he shall not be turned out
10 make room for mere partisan. They
insist that the mere fact that a man has
taken prominent part in local politics
is prina facie evidence of his unfituess
for public office. and consider that he
should be viewed with suspicion.
The particular army case that Is vexing
the ultra good y that OF a young cf!csr
who has been assigned to the regiment he
wanted TO join instead of one
as TO which he knew nothing.
IL was done at the request OF
IAN influential friend" who brought
the matter 10 the attention Of the secre-
tary of war. Ii IL not alleged that ne
was unfit for the place that he sought. or
that there Is any undue preferrnent over
other officers, or any extra eInolument. or
any additional prestige-oniy that he
asked IL. and the president is oyerturn-
ing the discipline Of the army by granting
II instead of insisting tina, he should go
elsewhere than 10 the regiment he
wished.
IL would be subversive Of discipline IL
officers were 10 be permitted TO change
places at their pleasure, whether the In
terests Of the service suffered or not. and
IL would be also fatal 60 discipline IL
young officers were permitted by favorit-
ism 10 receive desirable places with in
Justice 10 others OF equal rank. II Is not
alleged that any OF these evils are likely
TO follow. The gravamen of the offense
is that the intercession was made by
IAN influential friend" 1t is not likely
~ &c the president or select as his inter-
cessor stranger who would rot be likely
TO have any influences with the secretary.
! The nation is at peace. IL 1t were at
war preferences would be ignored But
being at peace there IS little choice as TO
ths service When a young officer joins
. regiment he enters upon a life In which,
( as tn any other walk. the eongeniaiity OF
associates Is a very important matter.
/ 1t is very natural that he should prefer
I 90 be In regiment where he would be cor
I daily received, than to be in one where
the officers were ali strangers. But even
this is of less consequence than the SD
/ pegior morale Of the army when It's off,
GERS are happy IN their associations.
/ Much Of the esprit de corps Of the army
was due in war times to she association
/ OF officers ana men in regiments from
| the same districts. The patriotism which
served the couu,ry So we'll was not III
minished By the pride which the men
! attached TO their local companies ana
/ their state troops.
The secretary would no doubt have
/ pleased the critics had he acted like
/ martinez and. so soon as he discovered
/ that the young man had a preference.
! peremptorily ordered him 20 5ola another
/ regiment. This would have displayed
/ authority and il would have been exceed.
I iug.y disagreeahIe. bur there are some
men who consider that no official can do
; bis duty unless he Is disa Ereea Die. and no
/ administration can be honest unless II
EARNS down" is friends.
Nothing nj 40 more 20 bring the civil
/ service system jnto odsum than it applIca-
/ tioa on any such tines. President Mckinley
/ has acted with rare Judgment and con-
st!erat!on Ter the public service in his
{ discriminating selection Of subordinates
( aud shere IS less complaint 81 favoviilsrn
( in ,he Cu1t@i States arn,y and navy than
/ la sny in ths world II st should be mani
( Tested in any way calculated 20 work in
{ tassl1e ;here ~oa3 b. reason 70 con-
! den'a *. not beoa any erscar was ap-
! po.ased &c "a regiment Ia lkea bat be-
! cause u TIE injustice % night ee to
I Others
/ There IS 50 lizzie ~ real :avov7tlsrn ard
rar;isaasa3p il ;Ae present adgn.u.sira-
| tion that tse ca~p3as critics a-e con-
pelle. 70 take ~ the uso~t trivial inc.-
esntS as a rrctext sor g~1lr,h1snx