Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-17
PORTO R|CAN OFFICES
Attempt to Establish the
Merit System.
GOV. HUNTS ATTITUDE
LIKELY TO BE OPPOSED By THE
DOMINANT PARTY.
Bill VIII Be introduced in the Legisla-
tive ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS VIII
Probably Support It.
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
SAN JUAN, December 8, 1901
A bill viii be introduced in the next legis-
lative assembly Of Porto Rico to place un-
der civil service rules all positions in the in
sular government except those held by
presidential appointment. The present In
dications are that the measure will be
beaten despite the fact that the republic
cans, the majority party In the house OF
delegates, are commonly reputed to be the
| administration party and that President
Roosevelt and Governor Hunt favor the
application Of civil service laws first to in
| sular places and later to the municipalities.
| The situation Is therefore unique and inter-
| esting.
Gov. Hunts Position.
Governor Hunt is quite outspoken regard
| ing the matter. He says:
while was secretary for Porto Rico I
went on record as to my attitude toward
/ civil service. In a report to the governor at
| that time emphatically stated that firm
| ly believed that the best thing that could
| possibly happen to facilitate public business
and get the best efforts out OF government
| employees was to inaugurate the merit sys-
| tenn. Since the making Of that statement l
| have had no occasion to change my opin-
| ion. Any talk with reference to the pass
| ing of civil service laws at this moment Is
premature, that Is a matter for the Leg
islature when 1t meets. There can be no
doubt that civil service would be great
boon, insuring as 1t does that merit will, win
and that favorttism will not be responsible
for advancement in the governmental serv-
ice.
81 am as yet unable to say, but the like
lihood is that will make some mention OF
civil service in my message to the legisia-
tive assembly on January next. This
| matter Is all in an embryo state. SO 1t Is
impossible to say just what action Will
take"
Asked II any legislation was likely that
would affect the present status Of employees
piled: "No, 1 don't think 1t likely that any
laws would be passed that would interfere
| in any way with the present positions heid
by any one in the government service An
| 1t might do would be to govern promotions,
which would then be by competitive examl-
nations. In this way the best man for the
place would always be procured
ply to municipalities. the governor said:
"It WILL think, be the idea OF the first
law that might be passed to take In only
the insulaI government posisi9,ns ao, Du.
municipal positions in the civil service de-
partment later on. This would take them
out of politics and would be a great thing
for the island -ot
Complex Situation In Legislature.
The federal party, which 10 opposed to the
administration Of Gov. Hunt, will stand with
him In support Of this measure. thus Great
ing a novel and complex Legislative prob
lem. In the next house Of delegates there
will be ten federals and twenty-five repub-
licans. The republicans have generally. up
to this time, controlled the appointments OF
the natives who have been put In insular
government positions, but for two years
there have been no federals in the house,
hence every bill introduced by a native has
come from republican. and along all lines
republicans have had full sway in legisia-
tive matters.
The governors stronghold Is the executive
council, all appontees Of the president. The
council can, II It will, bring back into the
traces any republicans who may chance TO
kick over tnem on the civil service question
but the rcament 1t does the result VIII be
schasm between the administration and the
majority party. On the other hand, trouble
may be avoided If DR.. Barbosa, the shrewd
republican leader. gives orders that his fol-
lowers in the house are to support civh
service bill The success OF the measure
will then be Instantly insured.
Attitude of the Federals.
The attitude of the federals may be judged
by the following expression Of opinion by
prominent member Of the federal party:
IF civil service law that would be hon
estly enforced were put on our statute
books, the effect would be more far-reach-
ing than just a cursory look into the situa-
ton discloses. Civil service means advance
by meriting advance. not favoritism of
political leader. 1t means an end to the
using of public moneys for political party
purposes and an end to that kind of black
listing which makes an employe give up 10
per cent of his earnings to satisfy the cam
paign committees.
cit means that every individual may have
an opportunity to give his services to the
government. and that it will be case OF
the survival of the flttest in the giving Of
positions. But the story is too good to be
true. 1t hardly seems likely that repub-
lican legislature will pass law that will,
so to speak, cut its own mead off, kill tho
goose that lays the golden egg. II law
were to be passed that would put the posi-
lions In the gil. OF municipalities under the
civil service law, 1t would mean an end to
the levytng OF pap to feed the election ma
chine. Civil service means the divorce Of
governmental administration from political
machinery"
The heads of departments Of the insular
government, to whom a rough draft Of the
proposed law has been sent for an express
sion Of opinion are unanimous in declaring
that such law would u be good thing for
The San Juan News. an nti-administra-
ton paper and the leading federal organ.
says:
island Ia certainly good move and cal
culated to better conditions and improve
the public service. Men who retain their
positions simply by reason Of the pull they
have in politics rarely make good officials
Their attention Is divided between the party
and the country, and the larger share Of
their efforts in most cases. 1t Is safe to say,
are not for the country.
Naturally this kind Of bill will meet
with objections and there II bound to be
fight upon It, The republicans, 1t Is said,
are even now grumbling and protesting
against it. 1t may be that the support Of
the party will be in great measure with
drawn from the government because Of this
attitude assumed by the officials and,
coupled with other matters, is also offensive
to the republicans. The other matter which
Ia offensive to the republicans Is the prose-
cution OF republican wrongdoers. 1t Is
noised about that there are some republican
officials who are not going to be white
washed in their wrongdoings, and for this
reason there is just at this time good deal
OF ddssensdon in the party"
Civil Service Principles Applied.
The principles Of civil service. outside OF
the municipalities, have always been applied
in Porto Rico. first by Governor Allen and
later by Governor Hunt. The merit system
has generally controlled promotions and
faithful employees have had no reason to
fear dismissal National politics have cut
no figure, and many ardent democrats from
the states hold good positions because Of