The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-25
THE l. SYSTEM.

There seems to be a quite general i'm
preston that if there were no civil-service
law every man Who desires it could have
an office by asking. Thus far no statement
has appeared setting forth the glories of
the good old days when qualification was
not regarded as a first essential in securing
public employment. Still. there need be no
surprise in case recollections of hat period
are given to the public. in which it may be
set forth that applicants belonging to the
party in power received places on present
ing Endorsements and that there were
enough places made to furnish one for each
aspirant. If the history of those good old
times were written accurately and fully
the account would be a very different one.
The seekers for positions were largely in
excess of the number of positions. For
every clerkship in Washington and in the
large federal offices there were a score of
applicants. Except in the railway mail
service and a few branches requiring
special skill. men were appointed at the re-
quest of senator's and representatives. upon
whom supporters had special claims which
could not be denied. Under the old regime
influence alone counted in getting positions.
Merit counted for nothing. Many good men
secured positions. but quite as many were
put into clerkships and other positions
simply TO relieve those who helped to make
senators and representatives of the re-
sponsibility of providing for worthless de-
pendents. a young man of real merit stood
no chance without the Endorsement of the
men at home to whom the congressman felt
that he owed nomination and election. and
upon whom he relied for future nomina-
lions and elections. A man who had be-
come efficient in a position was quite sure
to lose IL when his hacker in Congress was
retired to private life, the representative
elected by the same party demanding the
place for his special supporters. In hun
dreds of cases party politics had nothing to
do with appointments, but appointments
were made TO secure the influence or good
will of congressman of the opposite party.
Not to the victors did the spoils belong,
but TO the favorites.
The civil-service law was passed during
the administration of President Arthur to
put an end TO evils growing out OF that sys-
tenn. 1t was first applied to the clerks and
other employees in the departments at
Washington and to the clerks and employees
in the larger postofices and custom houses.
None of the men who were in Congress
prior to 1850 would have the departments
surrendered to the old system based upon
favoritism. If the decision were left TO the
men who receive three-fourths of the mail
matter in Indianapolis they would decide to
retain the present merit system.
AS was stated in the Journal some time
since, Mr.. Cleveland extended the rules of
the civil-service law to cover a large num-
Der of men appointed under the system of
party favoritism. Few of them could have
passed in a competitive examination. For
the success of the system all these persons
should be required to be m for the
positions they hold. Many who believe in
the merit system also believe that some
plan should be devised by which the thou
sands of incompetent men who were COW
cred by the civil-service rules by ex-Presi-
lent Cleveland's orders may be admitted by
the application OF the merit system or re-
moved. 1t should at least be sufficient
cause for removal that they are under the
| merit system without having passed an eX-
animation.