The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-06-05
NEED SOUTHERNERS
 IN CIVIL SERVICE Commissioner McIIhenney Will
 Tell of Attractions
TO MAKE TOUR OF SOUTH
Himself Southern Man---Presldent New Appointee Wants to Correct Erroneous Opinions as to Fa-
 vorltlsm In Civil Service.

Washington, June 4-(Special. )-Havlng as an object an increased percentage of federal officeholders of southern nativity John MoIlhenny of Louisiana, whom the President recently appointed member of the civil service mossion, left tonight for Raleigh, N. C., and in that state, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Ala bama and Louisiana for the next two weeks will urge upon the people the ad- vantages of taking civil service examina- lions and placing themselves in line for federal appointments.
 MT. McIlhenny, himself southerner, was appointed by the President with the main object in view of increasing the interest of the south in the opportunities afforded by the civil service. For years, in fact ever since the oivil war, south erners have afforded a small proportion of applicants for the positions tendered This, due in large measures to the fact that 8 political prejudice against appli- cants from these states was believed to exist, combined with the frequent appear ance of negroes as candidates.
 MT. McIlhenny believes southern young men are in error by ignoring the advan- tages of government service. He Is very much interested in creating a new senti- ment, and in the talks he will make for the next two weeks he is hopeful that there will be an increased number of ap- plicants, which will result in the south getting something like its fair proportion of the minor federal offices.
 "The President sometime ago noticed that the appointments In the civil service from the southern states were less in proportion to population than from any other portion of the country, and that the proportion instead of growing larger with time was growing materially smaller" said MT. McIlhenny tonight
 Knowing that the advantages of the civil service were very material advan- tages and that they were eagerly sought for by the residents of the northern and middle states, he was very desirous that the people of the south should be shown the opportunity which the civic service offers them and should have explained to them it's object and the manner in which 1t works With this end in view he has appointed me to fill the position recently held by MT Cooley. In looking into the reasons why the south has shown such indifference to the civil service in the past I find that there still exists in the minds of the people the belief that by reason of the fact that the administration is republican and the south overwhelming ly democratic that 1t Is useless for a democrat to make application for an ex- animation as none would ever be ap- pointed. As this Is entirely Inisunder- standing, the civil service commission be- ing @ non-partlsan, non-political board, both in its formation and in It's oper- ation, I wish to bring that fact clearly before the people and show them that 1t is well worth while to come forward and take the examinations.
 T find also that while the white peo- pie of the south are abstaining from taking the examinations and are ap- parently indifferent to the advantage of the civil service, they object very se- riously to the negroes filling the fed eral offices in that service. I wish to explain to the people that as the law recognizes no distinction of color we, operating under the law, cannot recog- hive any division of color and that if the negroes apply for the examinations and pass them and the white people ab- stain from the examination, the result will be that the offices will of necessity be filled by the negroes however objec- tionable 1t may be to the white people of the south. If the white people. with their higher intelligence and better traln-
 
 pass with higher averages than will the negroes with their poor mental equip ment, and inferior training. The advan- tages offered are these: The young man of poor or moderate means can obtain a position with an entrance salary of $720 year and by his ability he can ad- vance to salary of 5000 or more. If he is ambitious he can at the same time by reason of the educational advantages offered by the different institutions To- cated in Washington. study and obtain his degree in any of the professions. All of the institutions located in Wash ington have night schools and the fees which they charge are very moderate The hours of work in the civil service range from to 4:30 and leave ample time for q young man to take up the study of his chosen profession and perfect him. self in 1t. The civil service itself is a splendid training for any young man. "There are the general points of which | I propose to speak"
 Among other places at which Mir. Me | Ilhenny will speak are Raleigh, Durham. | Greensboro, Spartanburg. s. C., Augusta 1 Atlanta Montgomery, Jackson, Miss, and | New Orleans.