Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-25
TALK ON CIVIL SERVICE
MR.. JAMES r. GARFIELD DIS
CUssEs THE SYSTEM.
Inception and Growth Of the Nom
Partisan Method Of Choosing
Public Servants.

For the first time in many months a full
membership of the Mems Club of Northeast
Washington was present last evening at
the clubs hail. 40S H street northeast. The
members and their guests listened to an ao-
dress on THE Principles Of the Civil Ser
vice of the United States by Mr.. James
R. Garfield Of the United States civil service
commission. There was a large number
of government employees, residents of the
northeastern section Of the city, also pres
ent. Mr. Garfield concluded his remarks
in about one hour, and announced that If
any one wished to PROFOUND questions re-
garding the operations OF the civil service
law he would be pleased to answer them.
The invitation was accepted, and ques-
lions were fired at the official as fast as he
could respond. In answer to some ques-
lions Mr.. Garfield admitted that the civil
service commission was not altogether sat
isled with the existing conditions, but was
doing all 1t could to extend the scope OF Its
power.
Mr.. Garfield began his address by taking
his auditors back to the time Of George
Washington, who, the speaker said, was
opposed to nepotism and always refused TO
appoint relative to an office. The speaker
said the idea OF civil service was reaiiy
conceived at that day, for the reason that
men who were appointed to offices In the
military and civil departments OF the gov
eminent were chosen upon merit ana were
appointed to the department to which they
were best fitted. During the early days
of our history, Mr.. Garfield declared, une
United States sent to Europe unframed
men, but honest. educated ones, VINO were
more than able to cope with the pollshed
diplomats of the continental countries The
speaker averred that this was because
there was honesty in the administration OF
the government. which resulted in the pest
f11 70 hn
There Came Change.
"At the end of the first twenty-five years.
however" Mr.. Garfield continued, when
Van Buren, came in, everything was chang
ed. The spoils system was introduced Men
were given office who had been the political
shouters, doing the dirty political work,
and politics were dirtier then than they
are now. Even Jackson and Van buren
saw that in the army and navy men 10
command ships or armies must be capable
and capable men were appointed In tnese
two branches, while the vicious poiltlclans
seized upon the civil branch Of the gov
eminent In this way the army and navy
became separated from the civil arm
Every four years things were turned up
side down. Good men were removed ana
bad ones given their places.
After Jacksons time the government pc
gan to suffer losses through dishonest once
holders, and in six years every public onl
Clal IN Ne" 1OTk ndu eilHSI oCci GA SShSA
for stealing public money or fled the coun-
try With the civil war came a need for
economy, and reform was talked OF. IN
1869 the standard for better things was
fought. Various administrations had taken
to the idea that the spoils belonged to the
victor, and 1t was hard to convince people
that this was not good doctrine.
During Grants administration law was
passed and an effort was made to intro
duce the merit system. But Congress want
ed the patronage. In 1888 a better and
more stable law for the Improvement OF the
civil service was passed. me people %
jected to it because it looked English
They said every American citizen was capa-
bile of holding any office under the govern
ment-if he could get 1t. In England the
errors of the system were appreciated py
the mobiles themselves, who had had the
patronage, and they amended their law so
that any Englishman could hold office I'M
der the British government
Gained Supporters Yearly.
Mr.. Garfield declared that year by year
the idea OF reform gained more supporters
in the country. until now the civil service
system Is an established fact, and the ques-
ton confronting the country Is not how far
to extend 1t, but how good to make 1t. The
present conditions, Mr.. Garfield said, were
gained after years of struggle and still the
system is not perfect. The merit system, |
the speaker declared. has become funda-
mental part of the government and the
people all over the country advocate It.
OF the 100000 persons employed by the
government, 10000 are under the civil
service Mr.. Garfield said that the failure |
of the law in many instances Is due to the
fact that the old spoils system has not yet
been thoroughly outgrown. The men left
over from the spoils system, said MI. Gar |
field will be dropped and are being drop |
ped day by day. and within ten or fifteen
years the governmental departments will
all be under the civil service.
The administration of the law, Mr.. Car
field declared, has improved marvelously
during the last ten years. Last year there
were 6s0O0 applicants for office. or this
civil service. Mr.. Garfield said there are
more than 400 different kinds of examina-
tons and that papers are marked absolute
ly free Of favoritism.
Incentive to Good Service.
The speaker said there used to be an idea
that once in government employ under the
civil service man would hold his position
for life. and that he could not be removed.
The government, he declared, Is wedding
out poor workmen, and today there is an
incentive for every man to do his best
for Uncle Sam He noted instances where
messengers and laborerS had become heads
of departments under the merit system
Commissioner Ware Mr.. Garfield said, is
endeavoring to bring this condition about
in the pension Office. The commissioner is
not only promoting deserving clerks but he
is reducing incompetent ones. Mr.. Garfield
also noted an instance where an ex-confed-
crate soldier was promoted over the heads
of some ex-Union men. because he was q
better clerk He said the United States has
grown away from being a small govern
ment and Is now spending hundreds of mil
lions Of dollars where it formerly spent
hundreds of thousands. 1t is on this &C.
count. he continued, that the government
wants men of integrity, honesty and eff
cheney for its service.
At the close of Mr. Garfield's address
those In the audience were supplied with
cigars. and these were burned while Mr.
CARRIED served as target for red-hot
questions which he answered most good
naturally and quickly.
Distasteful Food.
From the Boston Budget.