Farmers' champion. (Elgin, Okla.) 1912-1922, 1913-05-22


the civil service system 10 not 20
much that Incompetent men get into
ONCE. or that favoritism is shown In
marking examinations. as that many
employees take advantage of the fact
that they are under civil service and
think they are there for life. to loaf
on their Jobs. that is. to give just %
much working service as they think It
is necessary to give and yet to save
their positions.
Practical knowledge Needed.
Men interested In the safeguarding
Of the civil service law say that II
has been shown many times that per
sons who can pass the best civil serv-
Ice examinations do not always make
the best employees This means. Of
course. that good many men have
book learning" which enables them.
to get into the service by the examina.
ton route. but when they get In It is
found that their book learning" 10
not anywhere near 30 much service to
the government a. practical kuowl-
edge would be.
IhOIo uuu LuOTe tue ClNH cCtviSC
chiefs have attempted to make the
examinations practical, but even the
best tests Of practical knowledge fail
at times when they are reduced to
question form.
An investigation of the civil service
which 1t Is promised will be made.
will go deep into all questions. and 1t
Is believed that the committee OF con-
gress which will conduct the inquiry
will be able to recommend new legls.
lation when the next session CT con.
gress opens In December President
| Wilson, II is said. favors an investiga'
| tion. As has been said, 1t Is charged
that a great many employees under the
civil service lose their ambition to
work as soon as they are covered
by the law" When 1t comes to a
question Of promotion political favor
itism still rules In places In the de-
partments. and 80 frequently man
who is lazy. II he happens to be a
favorite with someone in authority.
can get promotion, while an ambi-
tious man doing twice as good work
| 40 eho OthCi Soh eCt nv PhOAhotAoh'
This is a part of the system which
congress says must be changed.
joys Of Official Life.
A United States senator told
me few days ago that out
Of his salary of $500 he was able
during the first year of his incum-
bancy to keep for himself only
$2,S00. He said that he did not give
the money away. but that he was
obliged because of the opportunities
Of patronage hunters to spend virtu-
ally all OF his time which was not
spent In the senate chamber. In the
work of seeing men In authority In
an endeavor to get government places
for constituents who thought they de-
served them. and that this necessi-
tated. his paying the greater part OF
his salary for extra clerks, stenog-
raphers and the like In order that the
multitudinous things could be done
which q senator IL supposed ordinar-
lily to do for himself
This gives some idea of what q
senator or a member Of the house has
to do when he first comes to Wash
ington. 1t is especially true just at
the present time. when there has been
change Of administration. It IL
probably no exaggeration to say that
every Democratic senator and every
Democratic member Of the house of
representatives has In his Office 1000
applications for places under the gov
ernment, and each maker of an ap-
plication seemingly believes that he
Is the only proper person to whom
job should be given.
The patronage business Ia driving
some OF the members of congress
pretty close to the distraction point.
They do rot know what to do. They
do not like to offend the place seek.
ers, and yet they know that offense In
a majority of cases will be taken
for, as one senator put II, mo man
or woman believes that any other
man or woman should be given the
places which the first man and WON
an have asked for
| Busy Asking for Jobs.
The senator who said that he was
able to keep less than $4,000 Of his
pay for himself declared that from
the day he came to Washington after
the new administration was inaugu
rated he had done little else than
tramp the streets or ride In street
cars from department to department
asking for job here and Job there
for this man or for that man. The
senator said II AIN sick unto death
cf II and yet can't help myself. moi