Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1922-04-12
GUSHING ORDER BRINGS CRISIS
Struggle is On Between Civil Service
aud Spots System.

\ dispatch from Washington says:
a crisis has come in the cvcrtasl-
ing struggle between civil service
and the "spoils s%stcm.'
When Attorney General Daughcr-
~ told the house committee on APP
preparations that he frankly favored
filling government Offices with pOliti-
cal appointecs under Il Republican or
Democratic administration, as the
case may be, instead OF with civil
service employees, and argued that
the political selections were the more
efficient, very little Significance was
attached to his observations, which
were regarded for the moment as
more or less academic.
Now, however, the biggest sensa-
ton has developed in the govern
mcnt service since the days when a
disappointed offlce-scckcr assassinat-
cd President Garfield and gave rise
to the civil service system OF to-day
Torn on every side by the demands
OF Office seekers who served The Re-
publican party in the 1920 campaign
and who arc eager to serve # oven
more cUerEGNc0'ty in tho Congress
aiOnol campaign 1922. presidcn;
Hardiur has yielded at least TO the
opportunities ot his political aasocl.
ates.
The axe fell first on the heads Of
twenty-five bureau chiefs and subor-
dinatc officials in the governments S
biggest Jablshment - the Bureau
OF Printing and Engraving where
the stamps. paper money and govern
mcnt bonds are made. Without a
word OF warning. without chance
to defend themselves, these officials
many of whom have been in the bll-
rcau since boyhood days. many OF
whom have never voted or affiliated
with political parties. were east
adrift. and under the law are incli-
Eiblc for government service again.
The whole government personnel
Is disturbed. Hints ore given that
the informal revenue service and the
customs service. the prohibition en-
lCrcemcnt stan and other bureaus
which, like that of Engraving and
PRINTING. come under the Treasury
Department, arc to be the victims OF
political house cleaning. Secretary
Andrew Mellon loathcs politics. He
has declined to interfere with what
has seemed to him an efficient per-
sonnet. Mr.. Harding could not per-
%uadc Mr.. Mellon 10 take deep in
tcrest in party patronage. SO Elmer
Dover, regional director for the Re-
publican party on the Pacific coast,
and one OF the leading Republicans
or the state OF Washington, consent
cd TO become assistant Secretary Of
g Treasury. and has been conduct
ing relentless fight against Demo
cratS still in office. In this he has
we hearty sympathy OF Republican
mcmb"rs Of Congress, who arn not
overly fond Of Secretary Mellon any
WaN--ii iirst, because OF his differences
Win Congress over taxation. and
second, because Of his pronounced
opposition to thc bonus bill. Com
missioner Blair. Of The internal rcyc-
nue., IS already at odds with Mr.. DO
Yer over the matter Of appointments.
1t will be remembered that the in.
tcrnal revenue service praclicallv
grew up under the Wilson admins
1ration, due to the heavy work of
tax collection, and Mr.. Blair is nat
urally unwilling to let go Of rxDcri-
cnccd men when tho res cs,onsibiltv
for the efficiency Of the bureau is
upon his shoulders.
But it Is the uphcaval in the Bu-
reau OF Printing and Engraving
which has for the moment focused
everybody's attention on the drive
being made to abolish the politically
obnoxious phases Of the civil service
system. SO far as is known, Prcsi-