Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-03
The Seventeen Tenure.

The conferees on the legislative appro-
priatiou bill have agreed to compromise
the tenure of office item OF difference
between the two houses by the adoption of
a seven-year term provision for all CLASH
fled employees of the government. II is
stated that the conferees believe that by
the adoption of a seven-year period no
injustice viii be done to anybody. This
IS most serious mistake The adoption
of any stated period of tenure for the
public service workers is a gross injus-
tice. both to the clerks themselves and to
the government.
There IL one consolation in this matter
for those vino look upon the government
service as a business proposition unaffect-
cd by consideration of political spoils or
with the narrow concept that work in the
federal departments is different from
work in any other employment Before
the first of the seven-year periods has
expired the grave mistake that has just
been made in the agreement upon limit
ed term for the public service workers
can be corrected Much water will flow
under the bridge in that time. and ii will
be possible to demonstrate the danger
OF this attack upon the merit system
and this beginning toward return to the
old spells plan of distributing govern
ment positions.
There is no difference in principle be-
tween the original four-year tenure pro-
posal of the House and the seven-year
compromise agreed upon by the conferees
While the latter term is longer it is
quite as vicious in its design to limit oc-
cupancy Of government positions and to
afford an opportunity and excuse for
wholesale explosions from office. Indeed.
the longer period is more Instantaneous
10 the conscientious. efficient and faithful
government cmploye than the shorter
one. for after seven years it will be hard
er for him TO pass an examination virtu-
ally in competition with newcomers, than
after four years. The interval. in the
terms of the conference compromise. will
be just long enough 10 make him too
rusty 10 defend his position successfully
unless the examinations for retention are
TO be merely formal or are to relate ex-
clusively TO the duties of the position
held. with credits given for experience
and peculiar personal fitness and fidelity
and all the elements that go into the
composition of a good worker. On these
points the proposed new law is silent. As
the case stands the empoye must run
the gauntlet every seven years, with the
chances against him unless-and here is
the v.Tst feature of the whole matter
he possesses sufficient influence to be CIV
en- The benefit of qualification by other
means than examination.
II is perfectly obvious to one who knows
The pressure for government positions
Which is brought TO bear on the members
OF Congress that this tenure of office par
through i'm tho form Of a compromise
Mich is even more dangerous to the
merit system than the original for the
purpose Of making opportunities for
appointments in the public service.
The hypocritical guise of maintaining
4 higher standard of efficiency in the
government offices which il has been
sought To give ii deceives no one with
the least acquaintance with conditions
This is an attack upon civil service re-
form. only cloaked by the seven-year
clause. which for the present postpones
the first wholesale dismissal of the
departmental workers by that length
Of time. If the legislators sincerely
wish TO improve cSlditions in the gov
eminent offices and to establish a
higher standard of efficiency and to
insure continuous merit and fidelity
they should make two changes in the
now existing law quite different in
character from that which is now be-
ing undertaken. They should provide
hrst for systematic promotions by
competitive process within the depart
ments and. second. for clerical retire
Inents after long and faithful service
Those changes would make a model
civil service far removed from political
influences and of maximum benefit to
the government.