Evening star., 1898-08-20
DemoraIizing the System.

Meanwhile, the men who are resnonsibla
for placing this important and and indis-
pensable reform in jeopardy have adopted
measures and resorted to methods which
to my mind have demoralized the whole
system. The object of the civil service law
and rules is to eliminate politics and per-
sonal fdvoritism from appointments and
promotions by substituting open competi-
1--WE examinations. To make the system
complete and perfectly fair, all back doors
TO appointment and promotion should be
closed and the only open door should be
the front door, through which merit only
as determined by open competition can
enter. What disturbs me now is to see a
uozen back doors open where favorites are
being ushered in, while those who stand
at the nont door are held at lay and be-
come the dupes OF a defective system.
hate to make a confession of this kind,
ana L would not make it only that | be-
heVe the truth should be tcld before it is
TOO late to correct The errors. Some things
the commissioners cannot prevent and they
should not be held responsible for the i'm
possible, but they Go not need to become a
steering committee to point out the weak
places where evasion of the law may be
IrScticed with impunity.
me greatest danger to the system lies
in the possibility that the spoils system
will be transferred from congressman and
politicians to a small bureau. When this
occurs the last state is worse than the
first If the civil service commission be-
comes mere patronage bureau under the
guise of a merit system, 1t is a worse evil
tran when the patronage is widely dis
triDuted among politicians because ii then
tecomes centralized power and therefore
Is more dangerous. do not hesitate to saw
that in my opinion the present commission
ers nave granted favors and privileges in
cor slstent with the merit system in order
TO purchase favors and immunity in high
places. and in doing they have establish
ed precedents and practices which seem TO
me 10 be utterly den3oralzing to the whole
merit system.
pointing officer really wants to apnoint
man to place a way to do it can he
found. The methods resorted to for eyad-
ing an honest competition would stock a
curiosity shop These methods have grown
up under the tutelage of the present com
missioners, excepting, of course Judge
Brewer, who is too new in the Commission
to be held to joint responsibility.
Back Door Entrances.
II will mention some instances of what
I have designated as back door entrance to
the service. congressman's son was ap-
pointed a clerk in post office the day be-
fore the office was classified, and immedi-
ately after the Office was classified he was
transferred to a good place in the DEPART
mental service at Washington. He never
served day in the post office, and being
orought IN by inclusion instead of exam
NATION he was not even required to serve
a SIX months probation, but was trans
feIred at once. Another case of the same
this city. 40
AT the instance of a congressman she
was appointed to a position in a post Office
Just before the office was classified. and
then in the same way was transferred TO
position in the departmental service
mere. She did not have to leave this city
10 accomplish this result, and a pretext