The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-07-21

pointed by Pres dent Harrison Civil
Service Commissioner. For nearly Ave
year.l had not been very active in po-
iitical life. although had done som,
routine work in the organization and
had made campaign speeches. aud in
1856 had run for Mayor OF New York
against Abrsm $. Hewitt Democrat.
ana Henry George. independent. and
had been defeated
served six years as Civil Service
Commissioner-for years under Presi-
cent Harrison and then two years I'M
der President Cleveland was treat
ed by both Presidents with the utmost
S"hsl1eistlon Among my fellow-Com-
missioners there was at one time .N-
Governor Hugh Thompson. or South
carolina. aud at another lime John n
Proctor. OF kentuckv Tbcy 10
i'emccrats and cN-Conrederate soId,er
became deeply attached to 10th. anr
contest In which the Commission was
forced To take part.
When Amateur Gssts Professional.
co DIrlns my SIX yesrs' service a.
system Was extended at the expense
OF the spons system 80 az To Include
several times the number of offices
thai had originally been Included. GEN
sometimes. as In the NaVy-Gards. by n
= stem OF reEistrut on. This Of itself
Even better work was making the
"a efficient and genuine where u APP
pred A. was inevitable in the intro
aucti"n or such a system, there was at
hrst only partial success in its appli :
alton For Instance. 10 applied 10 the
ordinary employees in tn. bte CUSTOM
houses end poSt-ufficeS but not tn the
heads OF these offices. number OF tn.
heai> OF the Offices wer. sllpps e
selves appointed under the spoiis avs
tenn ana anxious. directly OF indirect
~ 4" break down the merit system and
I" pay their own political debts 10y al
lolhttnE their henchmen and support
tlr 10 "a" positions under them. Oc-
casioualiy these men acted with omen
and naked brutality. ordinarily theV
sought 10y cunning 20 evade IL. Law
~" i'il service kcformers. on the
"th"r hand. were IN most cases not
mu,H used I" practical politics. and
were often we'l-niph helpless when
hlltei AGAINST veteran professional poll
ti'lans. Ia consequence I found at the
teginuug 81 my experiences thn'
thrfe were MANY office In which the
execution or the law Wa q sham This
waS very damaging. hecauSr o. On
outraged the politicians To- assault tn.
,aM rtrt Mn"t'- ami. on the other
haud. made g"ud pr"pl. ieei mat the
law Wa not worth while Defending
The Fight For Enforcement of the Law.
t." INST sffpTt of MYSELF aud INV coll
i"asu"s Ms To- >-rufr the genuine en-
'"f,"r'u "' IT, law. Ia this Ne ~ur-
'"~d"d Hft-i number of lively ng.Is Tiuf
81 r"ui~~ in these ilg. Its W. were obliged
20 STRIKE laf rs- nun - irflrr.r.f .l f,DIt-
ii,iars some ~ tenn iU sonLrr~- some
"I tr"u tie ipi'"rt~Is sud ba, iJ-rS 81
..'h " h" w"r" 200 ."ugrs~- A.. ur,liuEly
81" ~'iUn found ourselves engaged a. A
- "i '"nt~~i~ "itH Prominent SELL
ai"i~ Hrd '"tET sS~ffs.u. ". .r. We're "a
number uf senators and .,t..f..-.-.,
men lfh- t"ngr"SSUIau afterwards S.H-
.turI o. o. l..tgr. ~ Na=Sa,. .7-,tts
sofa. senator Or,iiie ~. Piait o.. Ion.
uerti'ut. Senator t'o-kr~iI or NI.ss.,rtri
gresham 'dfterW atds President Me
NNuleH. "f -. fec. AMI congress man ilar-
IT," business 81 he suoIl<man vino Ell
,itnilN aud r~soiut,l, ,Iawpiorrd the
% ""i- l"t'iu would tefta4vlr nave
l".te". l'ut trer- were plenty 81 1T. ....
~'ha '"f- AMI 'uUErcs. men vr.." hated the
.."ie frf"rtn and et~r.fl!ng ruure.-..i
with 70 and ever, hu.I, Who .b,frt.i..,,,,i
~. AMI -umrtiUc~. 90 use q legal f,rrasa
!. "lr ."tred was Tor cause. AMI some
liih'- tN" comm S@Ior futsrfered win
tN"ir most efficient. aud iurid. ntAIl- most
"Tiurt HrI un~' rurrIuus. suppnrterS.
"h" al otter times. where there vas ~
h"d an innat" dislike ~ an,tiinE tIat
zen i"d 2" d"cen't tn government. III ESQ
U'" We" aiwHfs 81" King war against
u.s. .thd fIeN usually Na. tie moro or loss
"l"i support "f more cog Joss certain
ilif''l -. g"f"ruutut officials. from
cabinet officers down. The -eutfors ami
'"rE' sm"r ln question oprouef us fr
mtuy different WAYS Sometime ~
instance. tF"F lad Fuu~Iit'ee- aufp,Irto.i
n" invest gate uS during rrv .rbI.
'dre"r without arI within ori.o 2 grew
a'. ustur..l 2. ACCEPT apu.tr.r.... b.f.r,
ir'' s'iEafifg committee o. part of ~.
natural "rI-r ~ things. Sometimes 80
til-d {" 'rt on o." appropriation for O..
"fufuI-%iuU
The Opposition.
ODE ae ."uaitt "a" wpThl ir.rr 90 fo-t..s
LI"-" senators or .prrr.-..ern.u vy Cd,
]" ~ ~. '"'rtlie-fHu ut o." simple sV-
r"Iieuf ~ not Iutdtrg nominations ga
i""ir D - tfe Tubs O.. wr.s hrurrarr
frantic appeals from t'sf- ,ors'i'u.rf-
"ii - would explain f'uf unfortunately
f.r appruprI Ifiefs ..,.f f...f. ...f .,. t..,..
rs" fFNII rot .".i 'N%uIfr. f4.r- Boo a.ert
1.-frt. o. HUI f.If nItt luUe.. v.. t....II f...f.
N' i"f fn" I.-tfI't- 90 ."-~ ..ugress-
fFi "." Pool eyed bon ff reform and