The National tribune., 1899-09-21

for year, and cannot be entered except
with the next annual crop, after they have
again gone through the planting and har-
veSting process of another rigid examina-
ton in logarithms 10 prepare them for open
ing letters in the dead letter. Office, or
filing claims or copying letters, or hundred
other places where the rare commodity of
commonsense, and not higher mathematics,
should be put in practice; yet when done,
and the high-water mark is touched again
in the record, what does it avail-some
Senator has asked for the appointment OF
one of his constituents, and Tom Toodles, of
Toodledom, who passed by the skin of his
teeth, marches off with the appointment
The Commissioners have done their duty,
the Chief has done his, made his choice out
of six, and the non-voter is left to WONDER
with Uncle Sam, who built this stone
WALTZ"
Civil Service in the abstract is right, if
honor and uprightnesS could prevail, but
the Civil Service of this century is blemish
upon the escutcheon of truth and upright
ness. IN the palmy days of competitive
examination political influence never
played a quarter part that it does today in
the role of Civil Service.
Even that is not so bad as the subterfuge
taken of dismissing clerk who holds a
position wanted by voter, and dismissed
for incompetence" written on the record
book, after the place had been satisfac-
torily filed and the work without flaw.
All this is VOLTS work in Sleeps clothing,
and as long as men are allowed the liberty
of such intrigue the Government is party
IN will racaiva ba tia,
enlightened citizenship.
A Government that will be party to
branding clerk with "incompetence."
after years of satisfactory work, should
in some way be held responsible for eefa-
nation of character. 1t is a very serious
matter, and should not be winked at by the
Government.
We know a case Of soldiers widow who
was a supplanted clerk, and who was
promised good position with a private
firm because she had held desk for years
in the Treasury Department; but when her
record was looked up, "incompetency,"
the Civil Service trademark when a place
is wanted, was the sign-manual TO her fair
name. 1t is needless to add that she lost
the place thereby, and there the brand
stands to-day, sentinel against her ever
getting responsible position.
The people have the right to know why
an incompetent clerk was kept for years at
an important desk, and if it is libel, why
such condition is possible-that good
name be made TO carry through all time
this Civil Service scapegoat. No act ever
done by an officer of this Government has
received such encomiums, and no man has
- ha
has carried with him such gratitude from
thankful hearts as Gen. Spinner, United
States Treasurer. He lived to see that he
did not decide unwisely when he opened the
way for woman in the Departments and
recognized her citizenship.
The first appointment of woman in the
Departments was that of Sophie Holmes. a
colored woman. She had married Ma
| lachi Holmes, a slave, in 1852. In 1854 he
was 10 be sold at auction, but through the
influence of Garrett Smith he was bought
| by William Seaton, editor of the Not;ong,
Intetligencer. The price was 81 900. Ma
| lachi went to work for Mr.. Seaton at the rate
OF SO per month, and Sophie was to paw
SO per month earned by washing, and this
was TO apply on his freedom papers. Ma
iachi was given his wages, and supported
the family, and Sophie washed out his
freedom. Jefferson Davis, Slidell, Beaure-
gard, and Thompson were among her Gus
toners. They had paid $3.50 when the
clouds OF war gathered over the country.
Ihey stopped payments and put the money
IN the bank. but there came a day when
the clouds grew darker; the onion seemed
in danger, and that meant Malachi would
be sold ntoslavery. Sophie raised the $3.50,
paid it over, and Malachi was free man.
Sophie had been in possession of his
freedom papers four months when he