Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-12

son of the operation Of certain rules, which
the commission carefully explains, the city
has been accredited with larger number
of appointees than should pc scored against
1t, through reinstatemeuts. transfers, etc.
Furthermore, 1t Is demonstrable, as the
commission points out. that the appointees
credited to the District are IN very many
cases properly chargeable against the
states, this community not having had the
honor Of being the scene OF their birth or
the place of their real residence.
The commission proves that the apparent
excess Of District appointments over the
allotment Theoretically provided by law
on population basis melts away when the
conditions governing each case are exam
ined. The District has never held very
high regard for the apportionment system,
and In this 1t would appear to be In accord
with the commission. The first purpose of
merit system OF public service is to se-
cure the best obtainahle clerks and work
ers. The government, by STIMULATING that
they be divided geographically on certain
ratio. retains a measure of the old spoifs
doctrine In force. The commission finds
that in practice 1t Is Impossible to regard
this regulation scrupulously. Naturally
here at Washington gather from all parts
of the republic many hundreds of capable
and well-educated men and women, versed
in the needs Of government often specially
trained In particular lines As the capital
expands as an educational center it will In
creasingly attract such residents and the
governments opportunities to secure the
services of ideal employees will enlarge.
Meanwhile. no handicap should be deliber-
ately put upon the wage-earning enterprise
of the bona-fide Washing tonian merely be-
cause he is Washingtonian. In the aver
age city the second generation of workers
in the industrial and business establish
ments is regarded as even more fit for SER
vice than the first. Both the industries and
the community profit from a recognition of
the principle that the sons of the workers
should be preferred to new corners. Here
there are no numerous great mills or bust
ness houses to absorb the talents and ener-
g1eS of the people. The young Washing
tcnian cannot. of course. expect the govern
ment to invite him into it's employ merely
because he is the son Of faithful depart
mental clerk. But he should at least not
be excluded from the public service IRE
spective of his merits for that reason or be-
cause he chances to live here.
Having provided capital city which
permits of only a minimum OF commercial
activity and thus a restricted field for the
activities of the people, outside of govern
ment employ, it is regarded as a hardship
upon the residents of the capital when the
government deliberately draws the geo.
graphical and apportionment line upon them
and bars them from employment In the Of
fees which constitute practically the sole
opportunity enjoyed by many hundreds of
them for earning an honest livelihood
And the civil service commission now
declares that the government loses as well
by too strict an enforcement of this rule so
suggestive of the old spoils system in its
attempt at a division Of the offices on an
other principle than that of merit