New-York tribune., 1910-12-17
BARS POLITICAL LAWYERS
Assistant Attorney General Den-
ison Favors Civil Service Spread.
STIMSON AND SUGAR CASES
Reform League Re- elects DR..
Eliot President-List of Rad
ical Recommendations.

it is next TO impossible TO put rich Grim
inal in jail, declared Assistant Attorney
General ". T. Denison in an address here
to-day before the National Civil Service
Reform Association.
Predicting that Civil Service principles ul-
timateIy would be applied TO all legal posts
in the government service. with the pos
sible exception of the Attorney General
and Solicitor General Mr. Denison declared
the breakdown of the criminal law was
due largely TO political appointments to
legal places, because they prevented the
people from getting their moneys worth in
ability and service.
Mr. Denison's address followed the cleo
tion of officers for the ensuing year. DR..
Charles W Eliot, president emeritus of
Harvard University, was reelected presl-
dent. as were all the vice-presidents, with
the addition of DR.. Woodrow Wilson, Gov
ernor-eIect of New jersey. The other vice
presidents are DR.. Edwin A. Alderman,
president University of Virginia; Joseph H.
Choate, of New York, former Ambassador
to England; Harry A. Garfield, president
Williams College; DR.. Arthur T. Hadley
president Yale University; Seth Low. OF
New York; Franklin MacVeagh, Secretary
of the Treasury; George A. Pope; Arch
bishop 2. J. Ryan, of Philadelphia; Thomas
N Strong of Portland, Ore, and Herbert
Welsh. OF Philadelphia. The old secre-
taries and treasurers were reelected
"A law officer of the government and
especially a criminal prosecutor ought not
TO know a Republican from Democrat,
said Mr. Denison, who asserted that Presi-
dent Taft and Attorney General Wicker
sham had eliminated political considera-
tions from all appointments under Attor-
ney General, except in a few isolated cases.
AS Of his
prosecuting branch of the government, he
said he had come TO believe that all as
sistart attorneys general and all United
States attorneys could best be selected by
promotion on a competitive basis. and all
posts below assistant district attorney by
competitive oral and other examination.
practice which bad been used by Henry l..
Stinson, when the latter was United States
District Attorney in New York.
Mr.. Denison said that Mr.. Stimson's pros
eCuti0ns OF rebates. sugar frauds and bank
wreckerS never could have succeeded if he
had made appointments in his office in
accordance with the demands Of poIiti-
clans. The New York politicians, he said,
had even protested to Attorney General
Benaparte that Stimson was requiring too
much public work from his assistants.
which had the effect of causing them to
neglect legal work for the Republican or
ganization of New York, which they want
ed done at public expense He continued:
Stimsons method was strongly opposed
not only by the ordinary type of politician,
but by certain very enlightened and genu-
ineiy public spirited leaders, who We're of
tne opinion that Mr. Stimson was in error
POLITICALLY in adopting 1t. 1t came down.
then, to the real objection direct bald
question of dollars and cents. The party
managers said in effect:
n =
of legal work done, some of it for poor
members Of the party who need to be kept
Of it for direct organization legal work in
connection with watching elections, advis-
legal work being necessary, how can We
get men to do it? Would anybody do it
without compensation? We must then
either pay them from our own private
money or we must pay them through pref
erence in appointments. at good salaries
in other words through the public purse
I agree fully thar this point of view is
shocking TO the moral sense of, at least,
the average man, though [ recognize that
moral to many men of genuinely high
moral character. l confess that [ have not
the acuteness of moral vision that can per
ceive its essential distinction from ordinary
enbezzlement.
The terms of public office are very short
in this country, the law is very long, and
the two do not fit. Under our defective and
absurd legal procedure the laws delays are
so great that hard fought legal cam
counsel cannot be carried through to final
elimination within the limits OF the term
of office; and a change in the office fol-
lowing a party change is a fatal swapping
of horses.
The report of the committee on resolu-
tions recommends:
First-The extension by executive order
of the competitive classification of fourth
class postmasters in view of its successful
operation in the territory wherein 1t is now
applied.
Second-The extension of the merit sys-
tenn TO the municipal service OF the Dis
trict Of Columbia
Third-Leglslation giving the appoint
nlent of first. second and third class post
masters to the President alone or to the
Postmaster General, without confirmation
by the Senate as a necessary preliminary
To classification under the Civil Service
law.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. which, in accordance
with the recommendation of the President,
shall bring within the merit system the ap-
pointment and promotion OF all federal en-
ployes, excepting only officers responsible
for the policy of the administration and
their immediate personal assistants and
deputies.
Fifth-The extension Of the merit system
of appointment and promotion TO employees
Of legislative assemblies, national, state and
Sixth-The effective regulation of the po-
itical activity OF all non-political officers
and employees
Seventh-The enactment of comprehen-
sive Civil Service law for Porto Rico.
Eighth-Renewede efforts TO introduce and
extend the merit system in the Civil Service
of our states, counties and municipalities:
efforts in which we should be encouraged
by the gratifying results of the submission
to popular vote of the principle of Civil
Service reform in the recent elections held
In Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey and else
where.
That the Brandes idea of efficiency IN
railroading can be applied TO municipal
business By means of efficiency experts
working under city Civil Service commits
sons was a proposition advanced by Rob-
ert Catherwood, president of the Civil Ser
vice Reform Association of Chicago. Mr.
Catherwood read d paper the Chicago
City Civil Service Commissions experience
during the last year in introducing etf1-
cheney division. This is regarded by the
Civil Service reformers Of the country as
the most novel development in the evolu-
ton of the merit system
The conference ended with a dinner this
evening at the Hotel Belvedere. The speak
ers included President Eliot, Mayor j.
Barry Mahool of this city; Robert q. VAL
entine. Commissioner of Indian Affairs, and
William Dudley Foulke. The postmaster
WAS Charles J. Bonaparte, former United
States Attorney General
"KoENIGsKINDER" ON DEC. %
Premier To Be Followed by New