Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-12-15
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM
LEAGUE ANNUAL MEETING

Milwaukee, Wis, Dec. 1.-THE TWEEN
ty-hfth annual meeting Of the Nation
al Civil Service Reform league opened
In Milwaukee today. Much regret is
expressed at the absence OF Secy. OF
the Navy Bonaparte. who was TO have
been the chief speaker, meeting OF
the council was held In the forenoon.
The first public meeting was held
this afternoon. when the subject of civ
II service reform in the west was treat
ed in papers by Samuel r.. Sparkling,
president of the Wisconsin commission:
w. b. Moulton, president of the I'LL
nois state commission; Allan @. Har-
rison, secretary of the Kansas City
MOI Civic league, and others.
President Charles A. Van Hise OF
the University of Wisconsin welcomed
the gathering.
The annual report of the council was
read tonight by Richard Henry Dana
of Boston. The report In part IL as
follows:
1.-The most notable event OF the year
in the United States is the successful
revolt against boss rule IN politics ex-
empllfed in 80 many parts OF the
country at once. AS the inspiration TO
civil service reform Is TO free the coun-
try from the boss, this event is a source
OF great Joy to US who have labored so
long In the good cause, but without sat
isfactlon. There comes to all serious
minded men the fear lest the people.
content with victory, will lapse into In
activity. We have seen similar revots
before, with no permanent Improve
ment. We have turned out Tweed.
and In came a Croker. out went
Croker and In moved Murphy. We
abolished some particular boss, we re-
moved the man, but we kept the con-
ditlons which made the man what he
was"
Boss disease, the report says,ls spread
and fed by the misuse OF the officers
and OF the contracts, Jobs, etc, In the
control OF the offices. II has been long
believed, the report says, that many
positions exempted on account OF spe-
oial qualifications. such, for example.
as deputy collectors OF internal reve-
nue.. have been filled on the suggestion
and through the influence of the very
interests to be Inspected, and the posi-
tions are held on the same tenure.
The recent Insurance Investigations
furnish illustrations. The former In
surance superintendent of New York.
James T. Pelrce. was attorney for the
Mutual Life before appointment, and
an employe OF one of the officers OF the
Equitable was made inspector-bo
TO watch the very companies by whose
favor they undoubtedly got and held
their places.
The isthmlan canal service was clas-
sihed at a time when that service was
being organized. and It was antlolpat-
ed that so many appointments 10 be
made at once for so distant scene.
with varied service, would cause a
great strain on the resources OF the
civil service commission, and so IL
proved, Approximately 1000 exempted
appointments were made for want of
eligible lists, and lQ5 more for which
there were nomlnally eligibles OF sim
liar grades, but not tested for the spe-
cial qualifications desired.
AS to future work." says the report.
we ought to secure In states which
have civil service laws the extension OF
the merit system 10 some higher NUM-
ctpal and other positions now EXEMPT
cd by law. For the national govern
ment We hope TO SEQ the fourth class
postmastcrs, or at least the higher
grade OF them. put under the merit sys-
tenn"