The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-27

have been hewn out of that same interior department. They are agriculture and commerce and labor. Within ten years yet another department will be added, the chief of which will have a place in the Presidents council.
 Verify the civil service oi the United States expands like a gourd vine and cum bers the earth. When I first came here the big building west of the White House was approaching completion and the state, war and navy departments were housed in it. Now the entire structure Is scarce big enough for the navy department alone, and ground is already purchased south of the avenue for a new state de- partment building. Doubtless 1t is true that an indiscreet, or even reckless private citizen can build a house cheaper than the government; but it is the more prudent economy for the government to build than to rent
 What pity it is that government can- not be carried on without agents known as civil service officials and civil service employees. Here is a democratic Con- gress, the first one in 16 years, with little dab of patronage, and there are enough office-seekers here to absorb 1t ten times over. The majority got along swimmingly in the organization and in the political programme, but it will be
 
 over the miserable little bit of patron age" DO you recall Proctor Knott's de- licious satire on the paving of Pennsyl- vania avenue, that surpasses the Duluth speech itself In delightful fancy and rol- licking humor He takes a glance at our then comparatively diminutive civil serv- ice, and has deal of rapturous fun with the public functionary whom he sees leav- ing his home and all the delights of do- Ira tu In himself on the altars of his country like very Hector of Troy, who goes out to fight Achilles. He pursues this man to the of- flee of the disbursing clerk pay day and sees him sitting at "a miserable repast of sea turtle and champagne" Get 1t and read it. The Duluth Herald ought to print it.
 Logan Carlisle, who had as much sense as his father, and more than his father had at his age, thought that it was the duty of Congress to enact a law that mo- body would be employed in the appointive civil service until he had shown to the exclusion of a reasonable doubt that he would starve to death in private walks.
 One of the most brilliant jackassities wrought by the democratic party was when it forced the war with Spain. Me Kinley did not want it, neither did Mark Hanna, but it saved their bacon. The ad- ministration was in despair owing to the hordes of office-seekers that descended on this town like the swarms of Egypt that rlagued the subjects of Pharaoh. But here came the old democratic jackass with both hands full of relief.
 Thousands of places were thus made for republican office-seekers, who had re- solved to vote democratic the next cleo ton, with all their kin, friends and neigh bors, but the President and Mark Hanna ceased to walk the floor at inauspicious hours of the early morn when the war came on.
 What pity that politics is encumbered with that deadly fungus, "spoils," in our country. In England it gives no con- cern; but it is the bane of our system in this free republic.
 Life tenure would be an excellent and ar effective remedy. Then Congress would not seek the President of its party every morn to find out what he wants done.