The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1916-05-12
BITTER REBUKR HANDED DEMO
Gratis ON POINT OF CIVIL
SERVICE REFORM

president, Hon. Jonathan Bourne, Jro
gives out the following statement a:
its Washington headquarters:
Much OF the extravaganza and
most of the lnefflciency Of the public
service under the present admins.
tration, is due to violation Of the prin-
oiple OF civil service reform and dis
regard of the spirit and letter of the
classified civil service law.
Although the Democratic party
was pledged in its platform TO main
tenance Of the merit system in gov
eminent service, and although Pres
ident Wilson, as a former officer Of
the Civil Service Reform League, was
pledged to the practice of the princi-
pies he had professed, yet from the
day of It's Inauguration, this admins
tration ignored its pledges on this
subject, and has been utterly obliv-
GUS to the demoralizing effect Of It's
policy upon government employees and
government service.
AT every opportunity the Demo-
cratic Congress has set aside the pro-
visions of the classified civil service
law and filled government positions in
accordance with the theory that to
the victors belong the spoils.'
} "The first act passed by the new
administration was at a special ses-
sion called for the revision of the tariff
and that law, the Democratic party ex-
empted from the civil service regula-
lions the deputy collectors to be EN-
ployed in the collection of the new
internal revenue taxes.
I'm the first general deficiency bill a
provision was inserted exempting
from the classified service the en-
ployecs OF Customs Collectors and
United States Marshals
THE Federal Reserve Bank Law
provided that appointees of the board
should be exempt from the classified
INOihptlilNo 'tSt.
similar provisions were made re-
garding the Federal Trade Commits
sion, and commercial attaches, and
presumably will be In the case of
tariff commission IL such body shall
be created by this administration.
I'm classifying $4,000 fourth-class
postofiices, this administration pre-
tended to make appointments as the
result of a competitive test; and nu-
merous appointments have been made
in the rural delivery service, purport-
ing to be conducted in accordance with
the spirit Of the civil service law, but
the fact that the list of eligibles was
submitted to Democratic Congress
men or others holding partisan posi-
tons, together with the fact that the
Department declines to permit inspec-
ton of the records, leaves no room
for doubt that craftsmanship rather
than merit has been the controlling
factor in determining appointments,
Every postotlice inspector appointed
by this administration is a Democrat
In the last administration such ex-
elusive partisanship in the postal SER
vice did not prevail. Where four-class
postofiices had been placed in the clas-
sitied service under the Republican
administration, the highest man on the
eligible list after examination was
given the appointment. even to the
extent of appointing as postmaster a
man who was chairman of the Demo
cratic central county committee. The
man who is today General Superin-
.cndent of the Railway Mail Service,
Is Democrat and was a postotiice in
spector in charge Of a division under
ne Republican administration. The
present chief inspector of the Post
l.ilCc Department Is Democrat and
was chief OF the division of Salaries
and Allowances under the last ad-
| uIinistr0tion. Many other Democrats
were given positions of responsibility
under the Republican administration
Not on OF the heads OF bureaus in
the postoffice department under the
present administration had a days ex-
perience in the postal service prior TO
the Inauguration OF Woodrow Wilson
This overthrow of the merit sys-
TEN has given US the poorest mail SER
vice within the recollection Of this
generation. Delay in transmission and
delivery OF mail has been embarrass-
ing to business men in all parts of the
United States Postal employees have
naturally lost interest In their work
at the same time that they have be-
come convinced that their superiors
are more interested in the Distribution
OF political rewards than they are in
the maintenance Of high standard OF
service.
while Il is probable that the ad-
ministration will ultimately pose as
convert 10 the principle Of civil serv-
ice reform, just as il has posed as a
convert TO preparedness, TO a tariff
commission, aud various other poll
cies, and will endeavor TO cover up its