New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-15
Spells System FOstered by
Riders to AdminiStra-
ton Measures.
1000 POSITIONS
NON-COMPETITIVE
Waste of $10,000,000 Is Involved,
Says r. w. BeICher-POStal
System Badly Affected.

-Four OF the great bills OF tho present
urgent deficiency. postofice appropriation
and the income taX. contain riders eX-
cmptlng more than 1909 government en-
ployes from competitive civil service OK
aminatons. The result. as Robert W.
Belcher. secretary OF the National civil
Service Reform League. pointed out YES
torday. is waste In salaries and Ell
nciencv Of service Of Slo,01O01 and the
transfer OF important government ser
vices from the non-politicsl to the po-
litiCal sphere.
There could he no more serious men
acc to the new banking system hc con-
tinucd. than its injection into politics.
and the currcncv' bill rider by taking the
subordinate servants Of the Federal Re
serve Board out Of tho civil service re-
duiremcnts throws them into politics.
The responsibilities which attach TO their
position are thus in a measure handed
over To the political boss who secured
their appointment and who can effect
their dismissal and this will inevitably
depress the business confidence Of the
country
The Democratic majority is robbinS
the country for motives Of political ca
pediency. They are undoiug the work
which has So far been accomplished i'm
civil service reform. do not think the
President has any sympathy with their
attitude in this matter but merely that
he has been willing TO placate them To the
extent Of sacrificing the service in the
interest OF important legislation.
The rider in the postofilce appropria-
ton bill. which removes assistant post
masters OF the first and second class from
the competitive service will do grave
damage 10 the service. II will open the
400 assistant postmastershipS 10 the
spells system p a time when the develop
ment OF the postal savings banks and the
parcels post requires the most efficient
service available. Nothing short Of the
merit system can meet the demands OF
the situation: q trained expert force rs
absolutely necessary. and this can only
he obtained with the entire force appoint
ed on a merit basis. and the classification
Of the assistant postmasters gives every
subordinate a chance 10 rise TO high place
by merit and thus acts as An incentive
10 better work and draws better men 70
the service
The league has sent letter 10 TINS
effect 10 every member OF the House,
Drying the elimination Of the rider in the
bill and contrasting it with President
Taft's recommendation that all postmas-
tiers be classified and with PostmasterGen-
eral Burleson's statement that he hopes
TO have all second and third class post
masters put on a competitive basis. The
letter calls the rider "A slap in the face
Of the officials responsible for the man
aeement OF the department and concludes
BY calling attention to the pledges Of all
political parties in the last campaign,
that they believed in the proper enforce
ment OF the civil service law. The rider
will be recognized it says as a plain
attempt to get 24oo valuable jobs TO paw
political debts and as an utter disregard
Of public interest"
Mr. Belcher said yesterday that putting
postrnasters in the classified service
would so increase the efhciency OF
their work that assistant postmasters
could be done away with entirely. THE
salaries OF postmasters could be raised -
per cent were this done he said. and
at the same time $i.50ocoo saved to the
country in salaries alone.
The number OF employees affected by the
riders i'm the four bills is a little more
than 1900. divided approximately as FOL
lows: Two thousand four hundred assistant
postmasters ]. 30 deputy collectors of in
ternal revenue, 2o0 deputy United States
marshals and 800 income tax collectors.
Their exemption, said Mr. Belcher, was
"a ruthless violation Of the sentiment OF
the country and would have disastrous
results.
THE political motive back OF these
riders is plain enough, when you remem-
Der that the President made no effort 10
alter or get rid of them though We urged
him 10 do So"