The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1913-05-15

that they are under civil service and
think they are there for life. to loaf
on their Jobs, that is, to give just as
much working service as they think II
Is necessary to give and yet to save
their positions.
Practical knowledge Needles.
Men interested in the safeguarding
of the civil service law say that II
has been shown many times that per-
sons who can pass the best civil serv-
ice examinations do not always make
the best employees. This means. OF
course. that a good many men have
book learning" which enables them
to get into the service by the examlna'
ton route. but when they get in 1t Is
found that their book learning Is
not anywhere near so much service to
the government as practical knowE
edge would be
More and more the civil service
chiefs have attempted to make the
examinations practical. but even the
best tests of practical knowledge fail
at times when they are reduced to
question form
An investigation of the civil service
which 1t is promised will be made,
will go deep into all questions. and 1t
is believed that the committee of con-
gress which will conduct the inquiry
will be able to recommend new legls-
lation when the next session Of con-
gress opens in December President
Wilson, 1t is said, favors an investiga'
ton. AS has been said. 1t Is charged
that a great many employees under the
civil service lose their ambition TO
work as soon as they are covered
by the law" When it comes to a
question Of promotion. political favor
itism still rules in places in the de-
partments, and so frequently a man
who is lazy, II he happens to be
can get promotion, while an ambi-
tious man doing twice as good work
as the other can get no promotion,
This Is a part of the system which
congress says must be changed.
Joys of Official Life.
A United States senator told
me few days ago that out
of his salary of $500 he was able
during the first year of his incum-
bancy to keep for himself only
$4,000. He said that he did not give
the money away. but that he was
Obliged because of the opportunities
OF patronage hunters to spend virtu-
ally all Of his time which was not
spent In the senate chamber. In the
work Of seeing men In authority In
an endeavor to get government places
for constituents who thought they de-
served them, and that this necessi-
tated his paying the greater part OF
his salary for extra clerks. stenog-
raphers and the like In order that the
things could be done
which a senator is supposed ordinar-
lily to do for himself.
This gives some idea OF what a
senator or a member Of the house has
to do when he first comes to Wash
ington. 1t Is especially true just at
the present time. when there has been
a change of administration. 1t ia
no exaggeration to say that
every Democratic senator and every
Democratic member of the house OF
has In his office 1000
applications for places under the gov
eminent. and each maker Of an ap-
plication seemingly believes that he
Is the only proper person to whom
a job should be given.
The patronage business Is driving
some of the members OF congress-
pretty close to the distraction point.
They do not know what to do. They
do not like to offend the place seek
ers. and yet they know that offense In
a majority of cases will be taken,
for, as one senator put 1t. mo man
or woman believes that any other
man or woman should be given the
places which the first man and wom-
an have asked for
Busy Asking for Jobs.
The senator who said that ne was
able to keep less than $4,000 of his
pay for himself declared that from
the day he came to Washington after
the new administration was inaugu
rated he had done little else than
tramp the streets or ride In street
cars from department to department.
asking for a job here and Job there
for this man or for that man. The
senator said: IL am sick unto death
Of 1t and yet can't help myself. nor
Is there, as far as can see, any way
out Of the whole miserable condition
OF things
In about six or eight months 1t 10
probable that most OF the places,
which are now sought by patronage
seekers because OF the change of ad-
ministration, will be filled. and the
senators and representatives will get
some relief. but 1t must be remember.
ed that there are great many ap-
pointive positions under the govern
ment which have definite term OF
years to run, and 80 1t Is that even
after the bulk Of the places have
been filled there still will be postmas-
terships, collectorships and a dozen
or 30 other positions which will come
vacant from time to time, and over
which senator's and representatives
must worry.