Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-01
EFFICIENCY THE TEST
John Joy Edison Before the House
Civil Service Committee.
OPPOSED TO PEHsloHING CLERKS
Discussing the Principle of Awards
and Punishment.
F. S. SIDDONS' VIEW

Mr.. John Joy Edison, chairman Of the
Civil Service Reform Association Of the
District Of Columbia, appeared before the
House civil service committee today. He
said that his opinion was that the tenure
OF Office should be during efficiency and
good conduct. There should be no pension
system. Anything that renders a man in
efficient should lead to his removal
He suggested that frequent changes in
offices increased the liability of malfeas-
ance in Office. In the banking and trust
institutions it was found that they were
less subject to loss through dishonesty of
their employees when their tenure of en-
ployment was long and dependent upon
their efficiency and good conduct.
Mr.. Lands asked If there had been more
less to the government through dishonesty
under tie old system than under the new.
Mr.. Edison replied that speaking merely
from his own observation. he would say
that there was much more dishonesty and
fraud under the old system.
He has asked if he believed in the ex-
tension OF the merit system to the lower
positions
To this he replied that he took a broad
view of this question and that If he had his
way he would extend 1t to the entire serv-
Ice, including watchmen and all employees
In the lower grades. He thought this would
much of the criticism of the merit system
grew out of men new to public life-in Con-
gress or in the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES q
hasty conclusion. without thoroughly I'M
derstandlng the system and the reasons for
1t. Many who took a narrow view of the
question would think differently after they
had been here longer and had acquired
more experience.
Mr.. Lands asked If men who got perma-
nent positions in the government service
dld not buy homes and make investments
which were to the material advantage Of
the city of Washington and to its trust
companies and such institutions.
Mr. Edison replied that if Mr.. Lands re-
manned with us long enough-as 1t was to
be hoped that he would-he would see the
attractiveness of the city of Washington
and find that senators, representatives,
cabinet officers and others in public life
sought homes in Washington. Washing
ton was benefited by this, and so were
those who sought homes here. 1t was a
benefit to Washington in more than one
way to have the merit system inforced.
Under the old spoils system many young
men came to Washington seeking Office
and, failing, remained here impoverished
and helpless. This was not benefit to
the city nor the young men who thus had
their lives ruined.
He gave examples of bright and pros
porous young men with good future be-
fore them who had come to seek office
and had been ashamed to so back to their
homes, but had remained here in poverty.
Mr.. Lands asked if the merit system did
not operate to the advantage of students OF
the normal schools and colleges and to the
prejudice of the sons of mechanics and
farmers.
Mr.. Edison replied that this was a fair
question and he would say that perhaps
young men who had had the advantage Of
college or normal school education were
benefAed. This operated, however to in
n frx
effort to educate their sons and an expan-
sion of education resulted. He could not
think that Mr.. Lands would do anything
to disparage education.
Mr. Dockery asked if the public school
system did not open means for the sons
Of mechanics and farmers to acquire an
education, and wanted to know If there
was any discrimination against them.
Mr. Edison said that the public school sys-
TEN did open up opportunities to the chill
dren cf those who were not rich, and that
ne would regret very much if it were true
that opportunities were withheld from
some that were given others.
Mr.. Edison objected to the government
omces being given as records for party
services without regard to the question of
fitness. He thought that the country would
Congress. not because they could well rep
resent their people, but because they could
get offices for certain political workers.
Rewards and PunIshment,
Mr. Pearson suggested that the principle
CT rewards and punishments was universal
~ recognized, and asked if the reason peo-
pie were Christians was not that they
hoped for reward and feared punishment.
Mr. Edison replied that a man controlled
by such consideration would be a very
poor Christian.
Mr.. Fred L. Siddons, secretary of the
local association, followed Mr. Edison, He
referred to a statement that had been made
that out of 81. 100 employees of the govern
ment under the classified service, 1900 had
never passed the civil service examination
He said that these men who had survived
from the spoils system owed their retention
to thus having demonstrated by their SER
vices that they were efficient He pointed
out that there had been a general improve
ment in the government service under the
merit system and that the bill proposed to
modify the law would work an injury to
the service
After a brief hearing of Mr.. Siddons the
committee took recess until go