Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-12-12

President Wilson and criticism of Sec
rotary Bryan for their policies in fill
ing national offices We're contained in
the annual address,. tonight, of DIR.
Charles w. Eliot as president of the
National Civil Service Reform League.
"This league can now congratulate
itself and the country" said President
Eliot, ION the fact that no advent of
national administration which invol-
we'd the transfer of power from one
party to another has ever occurred in
which the principles of civil service
reform have been so general observed
by the incoming administration" He
added that this was true In spite of
pressing temptations to disregard
these principles and several attempts
by Congress to compel the executive
to violate them
I'm general" the speaker said, 1.-The
cabinet officers, with the exception of
the secretary of state have seemed to
intend to conform to the declaration
in their party platform and the we'll
known opinions of the President; but
there have appeared some exceptions
to this general policy.
4
made or proposed appointment in pay
ment for political services" DR.. Eliot
asserted. "and some other cabinet Of
ieers have given signs of accepting
a doctrine which Mr.. Bryan publicly
favored, in 1908, namely, that the ma
tional Offices should be divided be-
tween the two great parties in proper
ton to their political strength"
President Wilson's order of May 7,
last, affecting fourth class postmasters
was characterized by President Eliot
as a Sound amendment to the prac-
tice under the preceding administra-
tions called Covering in but the
league thinks that it will cost much
time and money to carry out the order
fairly and effectively"
Regarding the department of state,
President Eliot reported that executive
orders of the two preceding admins
trations have been adhered to in re-
gard to secretaries of embassies, con-
suls- generals and consuls, but that
1.-The policy of the administration as to
ministers and ambassadors has been
different.
"Out of IL ambassadors, eight have
been replaced" he continued, land out
of SIS ministers, 90 have been replaced;
with the result that some men of long
experience have been replaced by un-
trained men,
AS an illustration, the speaker said:
Henry Morgenthau, chairman of the
Democratic finance committee, dis
placed William Roekhill as minister
extraordinary and envoy plenipoten-
tiary to Turkey. Mr.. Morgenthau was
wholly without experience in diploma
cy. Mr.. Rockhill has been in the Dip
lomatie service for 10 years"
DIR. Eliot said that of the % minis
tiers displaced. IS had had several years
experience in diplomatic service, while
none of the new appointees had had
any experience.
Several of the appointments of OBJ
scure men to diplomatic posts have
seemed to the public to be made in
payment of political debts; but the
public attributes these appointments
not to the President, but to the secre-
airy of sac" Afer citing figures which
he said showed that considering the
long exclusion of the Democratic par
ty from the government the number
of changes made in the first nine
months of the new administration is
within the limits set by former adj
ministratiens. President Eliot said;
THE moral to be drawn from these
figures is that the United States can
not possibly have a proper civil ser
vice, that is an efficient, honest and
business-like service, until all the
higher offices. which are now treated
as spoils are brought under the merit
system of appointment. To achieve
this result a self-denying ordnance on
the part of Congress is probably neces-
sary.
Attacks on the merit system made
in Congress during 1918, have proceed
ed for the most part from members
of the Democratic party in both House
and Senate, said President Eliot.
The speaker referred at length to
the 'Pernicious income tax collection
provision in the tariff bill" which was
amended, and to the "Unblushing at
tempt on the part of Congress to limit
the range of the merit system, and en-
large the range of the spoils system"
as contained in the Rider placed on
the urgency deficiency bill.
President Eliot told the league that
the progress of the merit system In