The Topeka state journal., 1913-08-25
Republicans Find Breach for
Campaign Fight.
THE HUNGRY Who CLAMOR
They Are Being Fed Quietly at
the Pie Counter.
But There Is Protest From All
Friends Civil Service.

Washington, u. -, aug 20 sen
ate Republicans will take advantage
of the discussion of the income tax
feature of the tariff bill to assail the
Democrats for violations of the in
tent and spirit of the civil service
laws The debate on the income tax
In the senate premises to be a fea-
ture Of the discussion of the tariff
measure. 1t is likely to occupy a
week more
Collection of the income tax will re-
ouire a large additional force in the
internal revenue service, ana the
Democratic leaders in congress, mar
ried and pressed for jobs for their
constituents intend TO leave these ad-
ditional employees outside the pale of
the civil service. They see in it an
excellent opportunity to give places
to hungry Democrats who have been
clamoring at their heels for appoint
ments ever since November.
This letting down of the civil ser
vice bars already has caused strong
protest from exponents of civil ser
vice reform all over the country The
protest is the mere vigorous because
the Wilson administration was eX-
pected to insist on the most rigorous
adherence to the civil service laws.
Senate Republicans plan, not mere
ly to criticise the feature of the in
come tax measure, which would open
Lne way 10 1ODS IOr a lot OF DeIO-
cratic place hunters, but to charge
the Democrats with something like a
general disposition to break down the
civil service law. They will hold up
before the country the contrast be-
tween the rigid attitude of Grover
Cleveland in support of the civil SER
vice and the present attitude.
The chief basis of the Republican
complaint is that the postoffice de-
partment is quietly working Democrat s
ri q a n. 4
doing it while seeming to comply with
the spirit of the civil service law. Re-
publican senators aver that a small
army of postoffice inspectors is kept
ITsy among the fourth class postof-
fees, as well as other offices, trying
to find reasons for complaint against
Republican postmasters in order that
they may be displaced and Democrats
put in. 1t is also charged that in sub
cecting fourth class postmaSters to
civil service examinations the plan Is
followed of taking advantage of the
civil service law provision for the GER
tificatiOn of the names of three eligi-
bleS to the appointing officer in sucn
f. shion that the Republican incumbent
finds himself showed aside, regardless
II his fitness, by Democrat
IL a young man, entering the en-
Ticy of the government, desires to ad-
vance rapidly and be free from the
vaccinations of politicians let him
equip himself with a trade or profess
sion. AS a rule, the only man for
whom there is any future in the gov
crnment service is the one who is able
TO specialize. He is the sort that
Uncle Sam is beckoning to: the one
who is not caring how hard a patron
age cyclone may hit him.
Thousands have already besiegel
the new administration leaders for
$obs of every description. They are
going after all the places in sight,
from elevator conductor to xyIotomist
at the agricultural department. but
even after these hungry officeseeka IS |
have combed the field over there will
be room, as there always is for =
capable man with a specially.
For instance. right now the civil
service commission is sending out a
hurry call for male stenograp pliers.
good men to supply the demand of the
great government departments The
commission has experienced difficulty
in the past to maintain a sufficient
male stenographer and typewriter reg
lister to meet the requirements of the
service Qualified persons are urged TO
enter this eXamina tion. which presents
perhaps the best opportunity for ap-
pointment in the general clerical grade.
Persons appointed from this class NAV
be promoted to the highest positions. |
The entrance salaries range from sS4O
to 81. 200 year.
Progressives of the house of repre-
sentatives are busy planning to meet
the activity of the Democrats in Nari-
Gus congressional districts of Maine
and West Virginia, in which special
elections are about to be held Con
gressman Vic Murdock of Kansas will
be one of the Progressive spea kers in
both these states.
With the Kansas contingent of Dem
ocratic office seekers only big jobs are
being sought. and these are generally
of official nature. So far Kansas
has landed but few jobs as compared
with the recognition of other states
during the past seven months of
Democracy.