The Marietta journal and courier. (Marietta, Ga.) 1909-1918, 1913-04-04
WASHINGTON LETTER
Washington City,
March 81.

L he Olu uueSJlOu Vi WHAT Will nap
pen when an irresistible force comes
in contact with an immovable oh
ject is a live problem in Washington
Just now. Politicians are wondering
over the prospect of a collision be-
tween the irresistible Office seekers
and the immovable Republicans.
These are sad times with Demo
Gratis who want to serve their coun-
try. Wilson is not turning the ras-
Gals out worth cent.
1t is a low estimate to say that
two thousand Georgians have filed
applications for Office here, not
counting postmastership down
bone. 1t would be almost an exag-
geration to say that there are two
dOzen places that will be available
FOR this army of Office seekers. for
there are just as many in proportion
FOR other states as there are for
Georgia.
The trouble is with the Civil Ser
vice. Under this system those who
wish to enter the Government SER
vice are required to stand an exam
ination. The various positions are
classified, each special line of work
being in a class to itself. These
start with the ordinary clerical posi-
tions, and extend to stenographers
and ali sorts of expert work.
Each president since the law was
enacted has spread it further and
further by Executive order until in
II now covers everything from the
Consular Service to ordinary labor
ers. A negro came into my Office a
Pew days ago and showed me his
rating where he had stood a Civil
Service examination to pack boxes.
Recently it was found that the
Chief Forester was under the Civil
Service. All the postoffice employ
60, railway mail clerks etc, are in the
Classified Service.
When a collector of Internal Rev
enue is appointed for Georgia he will
not be able to select single one of
his Office force or Deputies except
from those who have taken the ex-
animation and even then he is re-
CURED to take one of the three high
est on the list and the names are
handed back to him as long as there
is vacancy. In the Marshals of
flee only the raiding deputies are
not in the Classified Service.
Roosevelt got as many as possible
Of his friends in Office and then ex.
tended the Civil Service to cover
them. Taft did the same thing and
went so far as to extend the Civil
Service just before he retired from
office to cover thirty odd thousand
fourth class poStmasters.
One stunt of the last week of
Taft's administration was to consol-
idate the Customs districts so as to
abolish one hundred Offices that Will
son would have filled and to nut
many places under Civil Service,
The Office of the Surveyor of tho
Port of Atlanta and similar offices
at Brunswick and St Mary's were
abolished and Deputy Collectors -
who are under the Civil Service were
put in charge. Thus, so far as the
Customs service is concerned in
Georgia there is but one appointive
piace-the collector of the port of
savannah.
a&
Wherever they turn the demo-
rrats are up against solid
wall of entrenched Office holders.
1t does not stop there.
President Wilson is too CLOSELY
occupied with the great questions of
government, the tariff revision which
rs just ahead and the currency cues
tlon which will soon follow. to de-
vote himself to changes in minor Of
fees.
In that he is acting for the coun-
try's good. It is much more import
ant that. matters of governmental
policy should be wisely settled and
all the people receive benefit than
that few should be hurried into
Office. hope. however, that as he
gets time for that phase of the sit
uation he will put in Office every
Democrat for whom a place can be
found If Democratic principles are
right they can never be strengthen
ed by giving all the Offices to those
who advocate Republican principles.
Wilson is not spokesman but he
cannot expect the support from Re-