Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-23

the great collections OF money in bank:
| and in the government And so it be-
/ comes important that there should bt
brought home to him and to Congress it.
| self the fact that that issue ought to bt
taken up and settled as perhaps the mos
| important issue that we have in spite OF
| the fact that 1t may not offer itself as q
! good subject for discussion on a platform
| to carry a crowd with you when you are
hunting votes.
And there is another subject am not
| going to invade the territory or the
| speech of my friend. President Eliot, but
| here is the subject of civil service reform
| We have gotten along pretty well in that
! regard. We are gathering generally
| everything that is lying loose under the
| classified service of the civil service law.
But there are some things that do not lie
| loose.
Part of Criticism Justified.
ting fOurth-class pOstnAaSters under the
classified civil service has attracted con-
siderable criticism. I am not prepared
to say that the criticism has not some
foundation in this: That under a success
sion of republican administrations when
there was no restriction as to how those
postmaster should be selected. republic
cans have been given these Offices.
1T is possible that during the late up
heaval the definition of what a republic
division now among these postmasters
into republicans apd bull moosers. SUI
ficient to say that their being put under
protection of classified service Is not
altogether a movement solely In the IN
terests of one party. But 1T is true that
they are generally non-democrats, and it
is natural therefore that democrats COM
ing i'm with party spirit should feel that
an order like that was not fair because
ii classified for the benefit or one SIDE
ar,Ix 1,av- h-o not ont
the delay in adopting my proposition that
all local offices. collectors. pOstmasters.
surveyors. all who play any part In the
local administration of the government.
who are now appointed by the Presloen.
and confirmed by the Senate, should
ultimately have their method of appoint
ment changed so they may be appointed
by the President, and then by him put in
the classified service.
Now. without breaking any confidence
of my successor. l venture to think that
after two or three years those local
offices will have changed their political
complexion to such an extent that they
may be put then in the classified service
without Including any injurious number irr
of republicans and that thus the swing
of the pendulum may ultimately bring
all those local offices and. indeed. the
chiefs of bureaus and everybody, as IN
the English system, within permanent
tenure. except those secretaries and I'M
the selection of policies. and should
change with each administration.
Must Preserve Consular System.
This is. perhaps. radical change. but
we have come quite close to it now We
have a consular system and a diplomatic
system that has civil service reform fea-
lures in respect of every office but min
listers and ambassadors. You gentlemen
ho INN rfo NJ
consular system. You know how 1t Will
break into the business of the country to
put a lot OF mere tyrOS into that system
Now 1t is not protected by anything but
an executive order and an enabling law
1t can be changed into q spoilS system by
revoking an executive order. Now, your
influence will be needed to back up the
incoming President in preserving that sys-
tenn and continuing 1t to be as useful as
possible. and making It q great deal more
That is very important matter. al
though it does not appeal loudly as an
issue to the people. and does not make
food for stump oratory.
Then here is the question of economy
and efficiency. You know as business
men that 1t Is necessary after you have
run a business for 125 years on a basis
adapted to capital that was very small
and a scope of business that was very
narrow that. you reorganize and adapt
ganiZations to a larger field and a great
er responsibility. Now we have not had
In the history Of the country any such
organization. We ought to have it, and
we have now a commission on economy
and efficiency that is making its recon-
mendations with a view to that change.
/ don't say that its recommendations are
perfect. but do say that the members Of
the commission are men who know what
they are talking about, who have had
great experience in business and in gov
eminent, and their recommendations are
entitled to consideration, whether you re-
ject them or not. We ought to take up
their recommendations and pursue a
course Of reaching the best system Of
government that We can devise
Educate the People"-Dr. Eliot.
President Taft was followed by DR..
Charles w. Eliot, president emeritus of
Harvard University. and president of the
National Civil Service Reform League.
DR.. Eliot said in part:
THE hope of civilization is in the
education not only of the children but of
all the people. Not only that. but the