Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-12-01
HEADS IF CLERKS MAY bt CHOPPED 4
 Tenure in Office in Depart ments at Washington May
 Be Limited.
UNEASINESS IS FELT
Many Democrats Are After Jobs 4,0O0 Government Positions at
 NatiOn's Capital.
6Rv SYDNEY ESPEY)

Washington, NOV. 50.-Whetlsr the Democrats in Congress will persist in their demand. that tenure in office for government clerks be limited to seven years, is one of the things that most concerns the federal employees at the present time.
 Inasmuch as no less influential a person than Representative Under- wood last session declared that a limited tenure in office would ma terially improve the service it is no, unreasonable to assume that tho idea will be strongly supported. Yet -he pres; dent-elect and many prominent Democrats in and out of congress have continually protested that no change would be made in the civil service list.
 With every incoming and outgoing administration where there is a change of party this fear has always been expressed. Some times it is without reason as during Clevelands first administration. Sometimes there is good reason to be nervous as in the case of President Harrison, who threw all employees of different political af- filiations out of office, replaced them with Republicans and then closed down the civil service rules tighter than ever.
 Undoubtedly there are many Demo- crats who honestly believe that a limited office tenure IS an honest and equitable thing. They argue. that a government job is thing to be de- sired. It should not go to any man for life, they claim, because the peo- pie as whole pay the salaries of government employees and the govern ment employees should be of the peo- pie.
 Ons Democrat, prcm'nen as an ad- vocate of reform Legislator said re. gently.
 Why shouldn't the seryice of gov ernment employees be limited' I cant see a reason why any man should get an easy position, and wilh his medic ere ability, hold on to u througl life Men in my district and me.l ;n every other members district are ready and anxious to obtain a position m Wash ington. They get easy noara, good pay and long vacations -end above all the opportunity to pa" , p:olong- ed visit to Washington appeals tt them
 ''They have helped to lay othel government clerks salaries. wh. shouldn't they deprive soma of the benefit, providing they can do the work? I can't see lOgica: reason why many persons should net be a. lowed to work in Washington for a time, become familiar With the ways of American government and return still young and their energies nnim paired. l. i, the chronic governmer clerk-the n,sn who has found a soft thing and desires to hold on 10 it et- ernally-who cries out against the re- moval of public servants fem office A congressman is defeated A presi. dent is defeated. A secr.tary in a Gepartman. s retired. Ye: th, gov .'n1nent !: "h Iels that he should e:- rnally rem and tina! Uncl.' S:.n should pay hi. funeral e&.ierses.
 II am not talking now about experts in the different departments. The men to whom I refer are the men do- ing work which hundred thousand other men could do equally well it lot better. l cannot see ahy they should not be periodically retired and their places filled by younger mtn
 This view is by TO means genera though it represents the idea of l2aly who are urging limited term of office for government clerks.
 The chief opposition to such a change comes from men who describe it as a return to the old "spoils system" They argue that the civil service plan of efficiency is absolute ly of no value unless the employe is protected from petty tyranny. They also declare that the petty chief is tyrannical and frequently disposed to vent his dislikes.
 As things now stand there are three hundred positions of political pneferment which will be vacated after March 4th and which President cleo: Wilson will fill. There are abo.l 10000 government employees in th;s city alone. The appeals for positions w II be many.
 Those men, Democrats and Repub-