The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-12-09
selves to the test of merit, COM
pann eenea test

mon sense test.
81 remember once in Washington,
when the merit system was first be-
ing applied, there was wanted car
penter in the treasury department
John G. Carlisle told me this story:
They asked the commission to submit
the eligible list, and it developed that
there were no eligibles An exam
ination was held for carpenters, and,
unfortunately for the examiners,
there was an Irishman who took the
test One question was, How many
Hessians did the British send over
here during the Revolutionary war?
i The Irishman's reply was, "A d
sight more than they sent back
Now the point is this, the mans
efficiency as a carpenter could have
been, and should have been, ascer-
tanned in another way You should
know whether the assessors are equip
ped with information with reference
to farms, property, etc.; you should
know what their general equipment
/ is. The Ohio law, applying the quail
! ification test, is common sense af-
fair, and said by experts to be the
best in the states. 1t undertakes in
! practical method to determine the
ability of the applicant to do efficient
ly what he desires to do in behalf of
/ the public service. Just as soon as
you are clothed with responsibility
you are going to understand the
meaning of the merit system. So we
surrender cheerfully, from con-
scientious sense of duty, absolutely
all of this patronage in order that no
man in Ohio can charge that the ad
ministration of this great law will
bear any relation whatsoever to poll
tics. We are approaching the re-
sponsibility of establishing honesty
and fairness in taxation, and it must
not be embroiled in politics.
Best Services Wanted.
81 assume that every man here rec
ognizes his responsibility-that in his
hands is placed the demonstration OF
an equitable principle Of government
that law has been passed based
upon the fundamental justice that
every man should pay his share for
the support of the government under
which he lives. You will have enough
work to keep you busy, and If there
is man here who has the slightest
doubt in his mind about his giving
he must, in conscience, be frank with
the state tax commission. We want
your best service. And we want, gen
: tlemen, all of your time. ask yon
to work no longer than | myself am
working in the state house.
"With reference to economy:
} There is no doubt but what you
J gentlemen can submit a result
| which ! am going to ask Of you.
7 All we demand is this, will put
1t in few words-the duplicate
made up at less cost than last
year, and we want it tremendous
. ly increased on intangible prop
erty without offensive inquisition.
That is perfectly simple, isn't it?
| "Now, in some of the smaller coun
ties 1t may be difficult to make the
r administration of this law much
{ cheaper than it was under the ole
D system. / have here some figures
. which will demonstrate the matter
3 clearly. have already indicated tC
{ you how industrious the taxing Off
Y cials have been in Hamilton county
and that order of efficiency, my
! friends, must entail large expense
e The cost down there was S129,695
r The cost in Preble county was $4,000
4 / mention Preble because 1t now en-
4 joys an economic association with
g Hamilton county. The cost in Bel
Y mont, believe there is an economic
( association there too, was but $14,669
e The cost In these counties is based
q of course, on the employment of as
S SCISSORS and of making the quadren
n nial appraisement, divided by four
which would, of course, give to us thu
annual expense.
Il believe that there should be com
- petent assessors everywhere. Ther'
:, should be neither friendship nor pc
litical debts recognized. You men hav'
the opportunity to associate YOU
names with reform which will live.