Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-04
The Apportionment of Offices.

The Apportionment of Offices.
In another part of The Star today
will be found communication with
reference To a recent editorial in this
Paper on the subject of the apportion
uent of offices system. the abandon
ment Of which was recently recon-
meudcd ny the Presidents efficiency
and economy commission. The writer
Of this letter takes exception To the
view that the apportionmcnt Of federal
offices among the states in accordance
with popula ton is inimical To the in
terests OF the public service. and h'
urges even the abandonment of com
pettive examinations and the filling oi
all subordinate public places upon the
nomination ot the representatives in
Congress of the districts into " hich the
states are divided. in strict accordance
with the number of people they con-
tain In other words. though not
so lated. this correspondent proposes
direct return to the patronage system
of filling government offices. For il
cannot be questioned that under such
a system as he describes the positions
would he filled by members Of the ma
jority party. there being no lega! re
straint upon the nominators in their
selection OF candidates. and no govern
mental supervision over such exami-
nations as this writer suggests rs pos
sibly an advisable feature Of the out
lined system.
Looking at this matter solely for
the present from the point of view of
the public service and not that Of the
District of Columbia, in whose behalf
The Star has for years protested
against the illogical apportionment oi
Offices law. there can lie no doubt of
the i'll effect Of any distribution of
public places in accordance with popu-
lation any geographic consideration
There is no honest middle ground be
tween the merit system and the spells
system. The government service
should he regarded either as means
to the end Of maintaining an efficient
organization or as an aid to indiv .duals
and parties The apportionment OF
offices law links the service To the
latter doctrine. 1t is in its essence
a relic of the old Ubiquitous spols
system, and as long as it remains on
the statute books the departments will
he used means of gra tifying
place seekers. The Presidents COM
mission has recognized this truth and
recommends the abolition of the dis
tributive system in the interest of
efficiency in the government service.
Offices under the government are not
TO be regarded as pr.zes spols. to be
apportioned either among the politi-
clans of the winning party or among
the states among any class of
Americans. but they are simply oppor-
tunities to work for the United States
and should, in the nature of things. be
confined To Americans. But outside Of
that sole restriction. in abstract jus
tice the United States should have the
widest possible field TO draw on for
employees, and the test OF employment
should be merit in order TO obtain
workers who would most probably
render the best service To the govern
ment What is to be the test of that
probable fitness? The stars CORE
spondent assails competitive examina-
tons as not the best method Of de-
ternininc merit. While il is possible
70 overdo competitive examinations. IS
pecially in the matter OF determining
promotions within the service still
more reliable than throwing open the
entire service 10 the individual selec-
tions Of politicians in accordance with
a mathematical rule Of population.
Offices are not like direct taxes or
representatives. which the principle Of
popular government requires TO be dis
tributcd among the people in proper
ton To their numbers. The govern
ment's needs have no reference to state
boundaries or the lines Of congress
siona districts No properly organized
and cc.ssfully managed business enter
prise was ever guilty of the selection OF
IL WORKERS upon amy other basis thar
efficiency. and the government shoIid
places or residence or voting. To throw
the government Offices open to con-
occasionally dictated appointments
based strictly upon population, with or
without examinations to determine
merit. would be 10 reduce the public
service to the lowest plane of compe-
teuce III it is desired, on the other
hand. TO raise il III efficiency. to make
merit and capacity alone the basis of
selection and retention in place. the
sure Way TO accomplish this result is To
repeal the apportionment of Offices law.
- Eow recommended BY the commits
sion. and fill the government service
Win workers demonstrated br reasona bl.
and practical tests a. uf superior fitness
and selected from all OF any availabl,
sources II supply. Irrespective Of geo
graphical and political considerations