The Washington herald., 1909-04-20
Nj. Smith snd the Civil Service.

.-Cabiust ministers do not manage Their depart
rasnts wiling and able as they nay be- the de-
partuens manages the Cabinet minister ard leads
hin brdly through maze Of departmental politics.
as uystfying IS i IS vicious and shocking to
5shoid."
This almost startling assertion was
made by a United States Senator. the
Hon. William Alden Smith. Of Michigan
It IS taken from a recent issue OF the
Congressional Record. The subject under
discussion was the classified service and
the wisdom OF applying the rules thereof
20 the Census Bureau
Senator Smith is disposed 70 speak his
mind freely when he feels that the occa-
sion calls for plain talk But he IS not
given 10 intemperate speech, nor to the
making Of idle charges. Therefore when
he asserts that the departments are run
by bureau chiefs rather than BY the de-
partment heads. and that departmental
politics governs promotions and the ike
when United states Senator avOws such
10 be the state OF affairs. it is vel TO give
heed and take an accounting
Read further from Senator Smiths
speech in the Congressional Record:
'ske7i- must be the basis Of pubic employment;
but II should Trsl On merit and nos lfayoritia O
caprice q petty chief. wish 70 give my opinion.
for whatever Il NAY be worth FROM fourteen years
observation. that the msanest. most ooateuptible,
and perry politics IN the United States IS now
reform. EEsry department. C this goEerunent is 50
hoasycnbed N1th h.tls department eliques that
merit Is no longer the basis q Promotion Bu5
ahect s1nserTieuCy and toadyism is sure passport
u favor
7 desire % give II as ms opinion that few men
G women can set q promotion n the civil service.
a. nov administered. unless he or she win boz Iov
OF Tiuse and kotow 70 some little petty chief who
shields himself behind the civI service law. Get
promotions merit I deny that merit rules II
The cTi service q 0uT government. The spois
system q Andrew jackson hsd al least one meEit-f
the people did not Ike IT. they could ohsnge tie
Eyztem By changing the re-rescntati9n even Jackson
did net en1h-ole q petty chief with 10 oblizz-
tions % party. state. O country many q whom
do not now vote ard have no interest in the
government they serve"
4 strong aTraignment this Allowing
for any overstatement OF the case-and
We prefer to believe that the situation is
not quite 50 bad as here presented-it
calls, nevertheless. for consideration by
our new Cabinet officers They cannot
too quickly concern themselves In cor
recting such abuses. The civil service
law undoubtedly is right in theory. Il
made for a more wholesome state Of
things when 1t was enacted And it
would now be most unfortunate for the
country if it should become nuIIihed IN
its very essence by the undermining OF
the merit system as here described
The trouble IS with the administration
OF the Law. if trouble there be-not with
TIE law itself-and, as we have said,
the earlier the Cabinet officers begin TO
give attention 10 actual departmental af-
fairs the better it viii be for the civil
service and for the great army OF honest
government employees. who deserve fair
treatment always. We echo this senti-
nert Of Senator Smith: 'Tf we are 70
have q merit system, let it be fair and
just 10 all sections and al people" "
Otherwise It Is not merit system.