The Washington herald., 1912-12-17
The District and Political Spoils.

For more than thirty years the
government of the District of Co.
lumbia has been a business organi-
zation rather than a political insti-
tuition. The heads of the various
departments have been selected be-
cause of their fitness for those po-
sitions. Occasional changes have
been made in the personnel, but
these have been inspired by a COM
mendable desire to secure improved
SERVICE. Political considerations
have had no weight in determining
promotions or appointments, the
result being a government which,
in unusual degree, is efficient and
honest.
This result has been secured in
spite of the fact that there is no
civil service law for the local ad-
ministration. The Commissioners
have, however, always recognized
and respected the spirit of the law
and, above all, have never regard
ed District offices as objects of
political traffic.
Unfortunately. a change from
this satisfactory condition of af-
fairs is now threatened.
First of all. it is seriously sug-
gested that the District Commits
sionerships shall be placed in the
category of political spoils, and
that the terms which expire next
month shall be kept vacant, through
failure TO confirm any nominations,
until after the 4th of March.
This, in itself, is at variance with
the spirit in which the District gov
ernment has always been admins
tered and would, if carried into ef-
feet, establish an unfortunate prec-
edent for the future.
More than this, if the District
CommissionerShips are merely jobs
to reward politicians, then the
Commissioners appointed under
such an understanding will natural
ly regard themselves as agents for
providing places for their political
friends.
The result will be a complete up
heaval of the District government,
not only in its personnel, but in
the spirit which has marked its ad-
ministration.
The people of the District do not
want this to happen.
1t will be a sad day when the
District government becomes the
football of the politicians. We
want a local government econom-
ically, honestly, and efficiently ad-
ministered, wherein men who rem
der faithful and competent service
may have the certainty of undis-
turbed position as an incentive for
their best efforts. The moment
political influence becomes the
a5oundation upon which the District
OVernment rests, that moment we
will have inefhciency and disor-
ganization and retrogression.
The proper and decent thing to
do is to continue the District Com
missionerships upon the high plane
which they have occupied in the
past. Let the places be filled in
due order when the terms expire
and let lasting quietus be put
upon the effort to lower the Dis
trict government to the level of
job-dispensing institution.
There never has been a more!
insidious and menacing attack upon
the stability and efficiency of
the District government than the
suggestions that the Commissioner
ships are to be bestowed as po-
litical rewards. The moment that
idea is put into practice we will
have a radical and undesirable
change. The District people want
their government kept free from
politics in the future as it has been
in the past.
1t is not question of personal
selection for the Commissioner
ships. The principle involved is
whether the Offices shall be re-
garded as political spoils. Against
this proposition The Washington
Herald takes its stand, believing
that the issue is one which con-
Germs the highest interests of the
National Capital and that it af-
fects the continued integrity, sta