Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1913-09-04

When the democrats have had a SIM
liar opportunity conditions will be diff
ferent. When the republicans get in.
control they manage somehow to put
democrats out. of the offices and Tand
their fellows in their places. Now,
democratic workers, and men fully
fcapable of filing the positions for
which they are asking, must submit t.
the humiliation of having their qualii-
cations passed upon by q foreign board
composed largely Of members Of the
opposite party. There is no justice in
it. y
Mr.. McIlhenny, himself, admits that
the recent examinations are more diff
1cult than previous ones. He says:
AFTER full personal consultation with
all the departments and Independent
establishments, in January, 1910, the
scope and character of this examin-
at on Vas increased somewhat in diff
fculty with a view to providng a bet
ter grade of eligibles than heretofore
and also with a view to bringing
about fexibility of the entire service,
permitting transfers from n service
to another without further examina-
ton" About all the faithful had
previously been placed and there was
little need for complaint at that time.
But a democratic congress- had just
been elected and the chances for dem
~tcratic eligibles eDchanced, 30 it was
deemed expendient to increase "the
scope and character of these examina-
tons! Now, the necessity" has been
intensified in order to keep men of
ability" CD ensconced in good fat
places which, by every rule of reason,
should be filled by democrats.
We notice that Mr.. McIlhenny is
generous CD enough to say: "At all
times the Commission has been prepar-
ed to modify this examination, as in
the case of IN other, with the assent
of the Department, whenever it should
not produce eligibles, and particular
ly so # the Department should take
the initiative in requesting modifica-
ton. The scope and character of this
examination, with sample questions,
has been published during all of the
t ME for the past three and one-half
years, and officials in the Departments
have had full knowledge of it." In
view of the fact that Mr.. McIlhenny
consents to modify the examination
when a department shall take the
initiative" we hope those in auth
will ask him to submit questions
to applicants for positions in the In
Revenue service, in this state,
relating to the character of work re-
at their hands. Men who are
seeking employment as deputy collec-
tors, and deputy marshals care nothing
about transfers, desiring 1only sucn
places as they can handle a~cceptably. |
1t is easy enough for a fellow who I
happens to be holding down a, good
FAT place to grow eloquent about the
merit system" For this paper, it be-
lieves, with Senator Vance, that the !
horse that pulls the plow should have
the fodder. We would not dfscredit
he merit system. The country needs
men in office, but are thor
convinced that the examine
ton given on August Is, was not a ia r
test for those DESTROYS of entering
the service under the Commissioner of
Internal Revenue. If some remedy is
not provided, Commissioner Osborne Is
going to lose some of the most deserv-
ing and best qualified men in North
Carol ma, on account of their inability
&c pass IN examination of such broad
significance. And, in the meantime,
democratic prospects in close districts
might be endangered. There must De
some way out of the dilemma. If not,
then congress should provide a way
quick