The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-12-22
TAFT URGES CIVIL SERVICE AS MEANS
 TO REAL REFORMS.
Former President Is Chief Speaker at Annual Banquet
 of Association Here.
Annual Election Results in Se- lection of Two Bridge
 pOrters.

Ex-President William H. Taft spoke at a. banquet of the Connecticut Civi1 Service Reform association at the Ho- tel StratfeId last night, at which nearly three hundred enthusiastic members and friends attended.
 Ex-President Taft spoke with great force and with that ease and fiuency
 which has made his speeches so ac- ceptable. He spoke on the applica- ton and results of civil service.
 Other speakers were Governor-e1e Marcus Fl. Holcomb, Lieut.. Governor elect Clifford B. Wilson, Charles G. Morris, president Of the State Civil Service Reform association, and Ar thur Reed Kimbau of Waterbury, who presided
 After a complimentary introduction in which the former president was of fered as the most expert of experts on civil service reform, Prof. Taft said in part:
 I'm getting tired of reform that isn't practical. Most. reforms are prac- tical only for getting votes. There are three distinct fields for the merit sys- tenn These are the federal state and municipal.
 Governor Holeomb says that he doesn't want his appointments cur tailed. but think before his term is ended he will change his mind. He says he has 100 applications for posi- tions on the barbers' commission It seems to me that there is a good chance for a civil service application to eliminate a bad shave and pre- dict that good many Of the 100 can didates would disappear
 Municipal government comes clos est to the citizen. Streets, water and light all interest him vitally Public health is affected. The kind of mix is affected. The regulation of the cor ner saloon falls in the same class The temptations of our boys and girls sand places where there is a. chance of giving us the kind of government we ought to have. .
 Now. is there any reason why we as Americans should not introduce such methods into the greatest br1si- ness we have, government, as have been found successful in private bus cannot adopt civil service for all Iln11- nicipaI corporations.
 However, I am in favor of getting the reform in any way. Get your foot in the door and you can accom- plish something more in the end. The law will not be enforced at first but later parties will clash and the law will gradually go into operation
 There is a lot of hypocricy in civil, service laws which are often drafted so they may be evaded. The enemies Of the system invent questions which they say are asked by examiners but which really are not asked at all.
 My first experience with civil ser vice was in the Philippines Reforms often come from the colonies The spells system was in vogue and was perhaps responsible for the issues of the American revolution. King George was a spoiIsnan all the way through
 
 in India and came back from there to England where today there is per- haps the finest civil service system in the world. Most of English appoint ments are made through civil service.
 s'In the Philippines we felt the need of a severe system and established it. It worked admirably. Ultimately we got it down to where it worked eff ciently. I am sorry that under the present administration 13 years of work are not appreciated and many valuable servants have been lost to the service.
 s@The only sad part about these men is that when they get to old to be efn- eient, there is no provision made for l pensioning them. Congress is opposed 1 to civil pensions and the result is that 1 we have heads of departments certi-. flying to lies to keep the old servants | in office.
 We admit that we are a great peo- pie. That we have the greatest gov- in existence is our boast. The 1 truth is that we have a great deal better, government than we should have under the conditions but this is | no reason why we should not use logic
 Civil service reform is rolling on- ward and even though hypocrites are