New-York tribune., 1909-04-04
BROADER CIVIL SERVICE
ELECTIONS TO CONGRESS-.
EUen Courts, Er-Attorney General
Says. Would Profit bv Ertension.

Ex-Attorney General Bonaparte. president Of the
Nationa! Municipal League the principal
speaker yesterday the luncheon Of the City Club
at which the subject of discussion was The De
veloprnent OF a More Efficient Public Service q"
Mr.. Bonaparte urged the strengthening and exten-
sion of Civil Service principles in the United
States Senate and House of Representatives. and
intimated that competitive examination for places
on the bench, even of the United States Supreme
Court. would be amiss
The former Attorney General expressed pref
srence for "a government by megaphone'' to "a
government Of whispers and took issue with re-
cent statement OF ex-senator John c Spooner. that
reformers should not be TOO sarcastic about real
alleged bosses TOO inquistive."
Now. no public Official said Mr.. Bonaparte.
who is really and truly ready 10 do his whole
duty by the people and nothing else. ever objects
70 questions or inquisitiveness.
George McAneny president OF the City Club. pre-
sided. There were present number OF members
OF the Civil Service Reform Association and the
Worneu's Auxiliary. Mr.. McAneny said that lie
noted an Improvement in the public service and in
the men Of the present municipal administration
In speaking OF the proposed new city charter, he
pointed that IL provided for larger salaries for
city officials. which. he said. would command the
best men. and that such men should be kept
Mr.. Bonaparte, among other things. said.
am Offering myself here in the nature Of St.
Sebastian, because the chairman expressed the
hope that my ideals had not been seriously dam
Of fact, the yiews Of PTesidenJ Roosevelt We're
practically the at the end or his adnlnlstra-
tion as those that he expressed to me whea @ nIst
made his acquaintance. As for myself, l am more
convinced than that Civil Service is absolutely
necessary TO the proper conduct OF our government
and I am certain that no better method can be
found while II is possible 10 nave neophytes ap-
I am very decided advocate, an almost fanatical
advocate Of the application OF Civil Service pr1n-
ciples Offices that could not possibly be hled by
Conpetftton especially Representatives and
Senators. No doubt Republican and Democratic
constituencies should be represented by Republican
part Of the qualification, but they do not form all,
and the man who is a knaye a fooL. an lsnoraInusy
tbtns about m the tariff or politics generally No
matter what district a may come from he
for the entire country Incapable men cannot be
elected in accordance with the principles OF Civil
Service reform
Referring TO government by whispers and by
uegaphone Mr.. Bonaparte said
In a government by megaphone President calls
the Senator with whom he disagrees before the
bar OF the people and asks the people TO judge be-
tween them That kind Of government has its dis
advantages but It's the government OF the people
It's in keeping with our American principles. 1t
The people are sensible. They appreciate the
necessities OF law of the conduct Of diplomacy.
and they realize that at times public official
can't saw all that he knows. Leave that 10 them.
But the man who objects TO being asked by those
who his salary and 10 whom he is account
able In the last analysis Why did you do this or
Ttby did YOU do that9" objects because there's
something TO conceal. because he's secretly afraid
10 tell the whole truth Therefore say TO you:
from officials themselves frankness to their
conduct in office Whenever you find any one who
rers in darkness, or at least in twilight, You get
hold of who wishes to run his orf1ce IN ac.
cordance with other than Civil Service prlnclpies
Frank l. Polk Of the Municipal Civil Service
Commission; Everett P. Wheeler and DR. Fagnan
made five-Ininute addresses.