The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-07-25
A VULNERABLE sP0r.


One OF the exceedingly vulnerable
spots in the national Democratic ad-
ministration u tts marked tendency to
sacrifice the civil service ON the altar
Of party and political expectancy.
Although President Wilson has re-
peatedly gone on record a. being in
sympathy with the principles Of the
civil service system. he has exhibited
little or no reluctance to turn the
patronage OF the governmental de-
partments over to the spoi1smen In
his party. and he has signed more
than one measure creating numerous
positions in tho public service that at
the Same time exempt these places
from the civil service laws.
These almost countless new ofhces
haye been created. by the way. in tho
face of the pronouncement in the
Democratic national platform that
reads: 1--WE demand q return to that
simplicity and economy which bents
a Democratic government and re-
duction of the number Of useless Of
fees, the salaries Of which drain the
substance Of the people"
OF course. the Democrats may ar
kuC tndt lue Olx1Co8 lAGy AA8VS OAOO9As>
into being are OF the needed variety.
But there is little record as yet that
they have taken any action towards
eliminating a.ly Of tho useless" Of
fees. Indeed, their interest In the
public offices appears in the main to
be confined to eliminating the tncum-
bents in them wherever possible ana
putting in their places men whose
chief qualification is that they are
Democrats.
Incidents Of this in the distribution
Of presidential patronage in Kansas
and the ousting Of meritorious OF
ficials to be replaced by unknowns has
been significant as to call down even
Democratic criticism.
Much Of the severest criticism that
has been .leveled 1T the Democrats for
their assaults on the civil service has
come from the newspapers ana the
politicians who are afiliated with the
Progressive party. They have been
violent in their condemnation OF See
rotary Of State 9ryan's activities that
have resulted in the practical destruc-
ton of the civil service rule rs applied
to the consular service. They have
been equally severe in their criticism
OF the way that the president has
pandered to his party in giving his
assent to its raids on the govern
ment's patronage. But all Of this
criticism from Progressive sources can
be raked with q fne-tooth comb and
not a word will be found in 1t a. to
who was responsible for establishing
the civil service system In the CON-
sular service and in the other branches
Of government.
This may be due to the fact that
the answer ia rather self-evident. The
Republican party was the agency that
brought order out OF chaos In the
federal service. 1t was the Republic
can party that recognized the fact that
the highest efficiency in the public
service could only be attained by turn
! ing a deaf ear 20 the spoilsmen- and
recognizing experience, fitness and
merit a. the best qualifications for
appointment and promotion to the
great multitude Of government Offices.
1t il true that Grover Cleveland was
one Of the earliest champions Of this
reform. but he did not get very far
with it, and his sympathy for 1t was
one Of the chief causes for his getting
at losgerheads with his own party.
The civil service system did not gain
much Of a foothold until the Mckinley
regime, and its development was rapid
under Roosevelt and unusually pro-
nounced during the Taft administra-
ton that was SO roughly and unjustly
abused.
Indeed. tho establishment Of the
civil service system that IL now being
shattered by the Democrats, II one Of
the largest accomplishments Of the
Republican party. and significant
piece of testimony that it is a party
| Of progress, in the development of
righteous methods Of governmental
adminfst ton.