The Washington times., 1913-08-04
JOBBING THE CIVIL SERVICE.

President Wilson's sincere devotion to the full
spirit and purpose of civil service reform is not to
be doubted. He has record of writings, speakings,
and actions which is altogether too decisive. -..
Therefore, it is confidently believed that if the
President fully understood some of the things that
are afoot in certain departments of the Government
in Washington, he would signify disapproval so
emphatic as to discourage the patronage potters who
seem determined to crcumvent the civil service law
in order to provide their constituents with places
When member of the Presidents Cabinet issues
his letters of Endorsement like notes of hand, to old
time political friends who ask for them it is inevita
ble that bureau and division chiefs should take them
more or less seriously. The proceeding looks very
much like wink and nudge from headquarters
to the men who have in some measure the power
to hire and fire." 1t makes vastly more difficult
the effort of executives who would honestly like 10
be square with the civil service law, but who nevita
bly, will assume that this proceeding means that
the Administration wants to do everything it can
for the office seekers. t E..
civil service merit system administered, not
squarey and fairly but with the purpose Of finding
just how many blowhoes there are in it. just how
many devious procedures will suffice to beat it, just
what schemes can be operated to circumvent it, is
than straight-ou spols system At least, the
spoils system is honest and frank II assumes that
the civil service jobs are to be treated as rewards
for party service and loyalty, and, that much being
frankly accepted, it does the best it can to fit the
man to the job. But when man is being sneaked
into job through a crevice in the regulations or
techncaliy in procedure, there is not much chance
that the proceeding will be conducted with special
reference to his fitness for the place.
~ The President has need to know how much of
this has been going on. The recent shifts in the
Pension Bureau have exempiifed the procedure
Changes have been made, by which old-time en-
ployes are denoted and insistent Democrats given
their places "for the good Of the service" Perhaps
that is an honest statement of the reason but there
is promise of an investigation to find OUT and it isn't
bad idea.
About civil service reform, of course approx
mately half the politicians are hypocrites all the
time; all of them hypocrites half the time. When
the Republicans are in power the Democrats are
strong for the reform, and the Republican members
of Congress haven't much use for it; when the
Democrats come into power they discover that the
reform is fraud and the Republicans are marvel
ously converted TO its support. That is just. plain
human nature. 1t doesn't signify much Of anything
But here is something that does signify, and that
both crowds of politicians will do we'll to keep in
mind:
The public is for the civil service system, against
the spos system, and determined that there shall
be no raid on the Offices 1t will not view with COM
placency any prostitution of the great Government
service to political uses 1t is determined on more
not less efficiency; and it knows that efficiency will
come with civil service reform and be destroyed by
departure from the ideals and essentials of that
reform.