New-York tribune., 1911-12-15
MERIT SYSTEM ADVOCATED
Machine Politics Denounced Be-
fore Civil Service LeaguerS.
mr.. ELIOT'S ADDRESS READ
W. T. Denison Attacks Bone
Hunting and Coal Hod'
Methods-Scores Tammany.

philadelphia. Dec. 14--That the bone
hunting" and coal hod" politics of Tam
many Hall and the Philadelphia Republ-
can machine are not good vote-getters
when opposed by the politics of ideas was
declared by Assistant Attorney General
Winfred T Denison in a speech before the
National Civil Service Reform League,
which opened its annual meeting here to-
dav. He cited the success of Hughes,
cleveland, Bryan. Roosevelt and others in
Getting large votes without the use Of pat
ronage He also called attention TO the
recent election of Mayor Blankenburg. in
this city. TO strengthen his argument.
He spoke Of the practice of politicians
assisting voters I'm their districts by send
ing them coal or food. or otherwise help
,ug them when they are in need or in some
trouble. i'm order TO gain their friendship
and their votes. In connection with this he
said that Tammany Hall is declared to be
the biggest charitable organization, outside
the churches. i'm New York. Mr.. Denison
said he believed In politics OF IDEAS and
not I'm coal hod politics" The mass or
voters. he added. ARE beginning to realize
that from the point of view Of the public
administration the bone-huntng system IS
the root of all evil and that is the reason
why the civil service reform movement is
50 momentous in it's importance"
The campaign to place all federal en-
moves under civil service regulations and
take them entirely out of politics was
urged both in the report of the executive
council. delivered by Richard II. Dana, OF
Boston, the chairman. and in the address
Of Charles W. Eliot, the president Of the
league. who is i'll in Ceylon. which was
read at to-nights session.
President Eliot points out that while 2S0,-
% places are now in the competitive classi-
fed service. there remain more than 10000
better paid places still filed by the patron
age method. He says:
Under existing conditions officeholders-
national. state or municipal-control party
ORGANIZATIONS, and committees on Gre
dentals ana resolutions dominate conVeh-
tlOns cut and dry primary elections, anu
take care in good season or the meIiioeI
ship Of legislatures. The federal ONCE
holders machine. particularly active III
the Southern states, is organized IN WASH
ingtOn, and more than once a CaolneI OI
fcer has been the real head OF II. ~ i,
may easily hold the balance OF power IN
the national convention of the party IN OF
nee. and so control both the nominations
and the declarations OF poncy. SIdte diIu
city conventions olltU tAHloII inv f'~
nOmena
How can the people rid themselves OF
this intolerabla obstruction to the tree eN-
ercise of their honest will? Only ny ex
tending the merit system OF appointment
20 the entire civil services OF the country
and establishing the general rule that clVll
servants are not 10 take acuNe part III
PARTY MANAGEMENT or political campaigns
The remedy for the great evil or ooss,
ring and machine management or pohuCs
Is plainly indicated in the effect of Presl-
dent Roosevelt's order to the competluNe
CLASSIFIED service namely, make the Wnole
civil service Of the country-nauonal, state
and municipal-a competitive classineu
service and prohibit political activity 10
civil servants.
The report Of the council saws in part
We are about TO enter upon the year of
Presidential nomination and election. The
federal postmasters. collectors, etc, the
kind Of officials that formed so large
rart Of the delegations TO the Republican
Presidential convention Of 1908, and whose
activities practically controlled the balance
~ the delegates from the Southern states
are none of them under civil service rules,
and the present executive order regarding
excessive political activity is sf small prac-
tical value I'm restraining such officers from
undue political activity. We propose 10
have an investigation into the activity OF
federal officeholders during the coming
campaign.