Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-13
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM
Untenable' Positionao of the Opponents to the
Present Law.
Its BencficeRt Elects Shown and the
System Strongly Defended
The People for 1t.


trust it will continue to shed light upon this
important subject and remove the shaslowy
ideas about it which seem to be held by
many intelligent and patriotic people.
Why any respectable citizen of the Unit
ed States should object to the progress
| made in civil service reform and wish to go
back to the brutal and demoralizing spoils
system surpasses my comprehension. Ger
ta1nly such an one desiring to see this back
ward step taken is the victim of false in
formation, or else actuated by selfish con-
siderations.
Even in warfare the motto ITO the victors
telong the spoils'' is no longer followed
and to consider employment in the govern
ment service in the hight Of "spoils" to be
distributed to thick and thin parusans of
any dominant political party is not con-
Sistent with a patriotic desire for the pub
lie welfare.
voters do not prefer the merit system is
merely the wish which is father to the
thougnt. II the question Is made an issue
ana the matter thoroughly discussed be-
lore tnem. large majority will be found
ranged under the banner of civil service
REFORM, and the public man who thinks
otnerWise and imagines he is voicing the
s sem OF his constituents in opposing
ms great reform will find he is sadly mis-
taken: Inc people, as a whole, have not
yet given serious thought to this momen-
lous question. Other issues of tariff, cur
rency, etc, have been, and are still, domi-
Hant. IN the recent Maryland election
wnere the issue came up in most un-
satisfactory way, not one-half of the votes
poaiea were Recorded for or against the
made upon it. Some of our congressman
wax indignant at the outrage upon the
rights OF the majority which they claim is
caused by present civil service laws and
machine politicians everywhere grow eIo-
qutJft IN discussing this
of the case
Inc opponents of this reform, like those
OF all other reforms and decent endeay-
ors to promote good government and pure
and honest methods in the public service
are noisy and blatant, and those of them
VINO nave no axes to grind can only be ex-
euseu on the ground that they do not real
iZe what they are doing. 1t is certainly NOT
credltaole to his standing as good citizen
70 near man advocate the rcintroduction
ol system that is calculated to break
u ,ot ana oebase American manhood. And
w mat is Just what the spoils system has
uone ana will do for we all know that to
secufe government employment under that
syS , as rule, the influence of a polit-
go noss is more potent than honesty
ii" competency, or even these when allied
" iaithIul party allegiance Under thar
pernlclous system it is base subserviencv
10 the selfish interests and ambition of in,
of nno;n and not loyalty to the principles
ci ann TO political preferment
Ihey say that the civil service law is I'm
a. An, indeed! Is it un-American
~ ~ lepudlate machine rule and ignore
poss power? Is it un-American 70 fostar
INDIVIDUAL independence or to strenpthen
ana encourage intelligence, patriotism and
inannood! Is 1t un-American to sustain a
matter what his creed, race or conditton
III NE may be, can secure a place in the
government service upon his own merits
a.one and not through slavish allegiance
10 some political satrap?
~ Is also SAID that the civil service law
VIII perpetuate an officeholding class ana
men who have held office all their lives. and
make 1t their thought by day and draar,
by night to perpetuate their officia, reisn
nold up their hands in holy horror at the
luea But no such class can be pernetuat
ed under this law. for removals for cause.
deaths and even designations are of daiIv
occurrence, and the vacancies tbarahI,
caused must be filled from the ranks of The
people at large. The fact that this Law,
ln insure, 10 the faithful public servant a po-
sition for life. or while competent to per-
form official work. ought not to meet with
objection from just and fair-mfnded peo-
pie. is 1t not that which every tradesman.
mechanic, laborer and employer of eyery
description desires and is entitled to-a
chance to work and earn an honest living
for himself and family and to hold that
empioyment Tor life. or during good be-
havior? Do not employees of railroad com
panies and other corporations. factories
&c, ask and expect to receive similar con-
sideration? Where, then, are the merits
OF THIS much Wanted objection to this
present beneficent system of civil service
reform, which has the approval of the
best thought of the country and the best
craftsmanship in the land? The antagonism
of the average congressman to The civil
service law need not surprise any one.
From his standpoint it is a most obnoxious
and unsatisfactory system. And why
should 1t not meet with his dispieasure
and condemnation? 1t will prevent him
from securing. as Of yore, snug places at
the public crib, choice berths in the de-
partments, for his numerous and hungry
progeny, for his sons and daughters, Ibis
sisters and his cousins and his aunts.''
j. B. F.