The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1905-06-01
CIVIL SERVICE.
mo. l3l

One of the fundamental principles
of a Republican form of govern,
ment is: It's burdens should be
shared alike and its benefits equally
distributed among the people.
The Civil Service system dis
eliminates in the most palpable
manner between citizens of different
localities. The examinations are
held in the large cities. The
residents can attend them with no
expense save a loss of time, but
those residing outside must pay
fare and board. 1t has been esti-
mated that it costs those outside
of the places where the examina-
tions are held an average of $50
each to attend the same. This
must be repeated each year until
a position is secured. Thus the
young man and woman of the farm
and country village, the class that
has produced Americas best and
greatest men and women, are as
effectually barred from these posi-
tons as if there was law on the
statute books prohibiting their
employment.
The great boast of the advocates
of this system is that it is one of
"merit" and that the appointments
are made without regard to politi-
cal ''pull'' and solely on account of
ability. A glance at the roster of
government employees in the city
of Washington shows the utter
absurdity of this assertion. The
population of the city is about the
same as that of the 18th Congress
sional District in the state of
Michigan. According to the off,
cial Blue Book of 1898-and the
proportion has not materially
changed since that time-the city
of Washington had 3,737 employees
under the Civil Service drawing an
annual salary of $3,s52, 900; the
18th Congressional District of
Michigan had one drawing 5000.
In other words, in practically the
same number of people, there is in
the District of Columbia 3,737
times as much of that peculiar
"merit" that fits persons to hold
civil positions as there is in the 18th
Congressional District of Michigan.
The 5th Congressional District of
Maryland has 21s drawing 1927, 900,
the 9Th District of Minnesota 80
drawing $4,000. ! wonder if
Uncle Loren Fletcher, former
member from the district, thinks
that there is six times as much
"merit" IN Baltimore as there ie
in Minneapolis? Ask him some.
time, but not in the presence of
your wife and children if you are
at all particular as to the character
of the language they listen to. /
might continue these comparisons
indefinitely, but to anyone who is
in the least familiar with the facts,
the claim that these appointments
are impartiallv distributed or that
they are based on "merit" is too
absurd for a moments consideration.
The idea of "Iife tenure or
tenure "during good behavior is
repugnant to the spirit of republi-
can government. The Revolu-
tionary War was fought to free the
colonies from the control OF officials
who held their Offices during "good
behavior" With the single excep.
ton of few judges, neither the
constitution of the United States
nor the constitution of a single
state in the Union provides for the
election or appointment of a single
solitary official who shall hold his
Office during "good BEHAVIOR
there is not single statute, national
or state, that makes such a provi.
sion. No national or state legisla
tor ever has or ever will have the
temerity to introduce such bill
1t is "Commission-made Law
created by an appointed commission
which first passed a resolution tha
it's members should hold ofic,
"during good behavior" on accouR
Of their own "merit," which meri
thew discovered themselves on,