Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-03-19
SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 1921.
Back to the "spoils System"

hJHf Is Republican party i'll Virginia!
Wy AS often as the question is asked. just
so often does il receive the unvarying re-
sponse-not from Republicans. Of course
that its sole raison detre is TO shake the
plum tree and gather up the ripe fruit in
event OF change in the Federal admins
tration. 1t has accomplished nothing aside
from a seizure OF the spoils in the past |;
there is little likelihood OF it accomplishing
anything further than that in this Demo-
cratic State in the future. Many times the
G. o. p machine in Virginia has seemed
to be fast on the rocks Of an Overwhelming
opposition, bui always the little Old Guard
group has managed somehow 10 maintain a
sufficient organization 10 hold the basket
under the plum tree and dictate the appor-
tionment of The juicy repas;.
Once more tho Old Guard in Virginia is
about to come into its own and reap the re-
ward OF its party .aithfulness. There can
be no particular complaint under our form
of popular government with its "spoils sys-
tenn" but il Is regre;ahle that Virginia. in
common with other Democratic States, is
doomed to lose the services OF many of its
competent Federal officials. rendered eff
fcient ~ their work by long years of train
ing. But, TO the victor. etc." and il is
written i'll the stars that after e!gh, years OF
Office hunger, the e. O. T. is chatting TO be
the legitimate spoils. but OF undong what
ever valuable work was accomplished by the
Democratic administration in getting nway
even measurable distance from the OH
jectiOnahlc system
Bascom Slcmp has been charged with
smaking-up the patronage slate for Virginia
With that compete-and il is presumed
Sthat "old faithful" in the G.. 0. p. will, be
permitted 10 suggest, if not to dictate the
appointments in their own bailiwicks-the
fat jobs will be parcttcd out Men quail
fed only by political afdliaiion will be ush-
erred into the Federal Offices and the trained
9lncnmbents Will join the lame duck
brigade.
II is rotten system, but the people ex
spect 1t and accept it more or less apathet-
aically. They had a right to hone, however
sthat the first. second and third-cass post
ao1hces, removed from the ''spoils system"
by order OF President Wilson, would not he
5eGected. But The G.. o. =. will not permit
these Offices with their rich patronage pos
asibflities 10 remain under the civil scry-
Ice, where Il Democratic administration
7piaced them for the good OF the service.
/ hlchmohd and every other city falling in
sone of these classes must expect soon IN
nave new &. 0. y. Postmaster To excuse
Sthis obnoxious thing of throwing these Of
fees back into the 'spois. the Reprblicnn
sleaders-S Senator Lodge their spokesman
ARE fa!sifying their case They are accus-
Sing Wilson OF having sought to pcrpc,uo,e
tic Democratic incumbents in office while
~ truth is that he did nothing OF the sor,
sAs the Baltimore Sun observes:
~ The fact is that tho .tatilt,-vhirb
sfsfs The existing executive order In no w,v
Essss modifes--distinctiy saws that o..
- cancy exists when "a poytmaytcr,s
~ term expires. II is true TIA, mo IviI
son order does not expressly provide
45sssf1 That postmaSterS coming. ~, FOR re,.,
continent shall! undergo "a new evan
nation bnt there is nothing in il
Es.39 that would prevent President IiarGip,y
a#st&t and the civil Service Commission from
49, requiring every SUCH ofhccholior 10
S show the right 10 retain the Office II,
49, eeo2mr,pe,ition Win any aspirant the
field against him. This IS ih, unvarn-
~ ishcd fact. and there IL not sin,.i.
Ssstr postmaster IN the country today who
is ''perpetuated" IN oihc. by the opcr-
alton of the WILSON order
"a little thing like dsregar,:iug The facts
VIII not deter the administration from al
sf6Mptlng to justify itself before tho public
for Its substitution of "spoils'' for service"
lin the post-oflce system 1t is getting back
Ito "normalcy' at the public expense. and
sthe public should know the truth
The local sales of garden tools arc fairl,
large right now, but nothing like so heay,
as of fishing tackle.
ss Mr.. Coolidge In the Cabinet
M HE country will take a genuine Interest