The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1922-08-16
ter pay than they Acre receiving when

ter pay thar they \. ere receiving when
dismissed.
Undoubtedly the appointment Of
Dover as an assistant secretary of the
treasury with the understanding In
certain quarters that he was to find
places In the Treasury Department for
several hundred deserving party work.
ers, was q part Of the general scheme
which called first Of ali for the dis
missal Of the bureau chiefs.
Dover for a few months after his APP
pointment was the most popular office
holder In Washington. Republican
senator's and representatives believed
that they had In him a faithful friend.
Members of the Republican national
committee heralded the fact that at
last there was one man connected with
the administration who was in favor
of putting out Democrats, even though
they were In the classified service.
Some of the high-up Republicans
were so enthusiastic at that particular
time as to believe that sooner or later
Dover would succeed Mellon as secre-
tdi1 vi tA0 tAtocoA thC III
triguing was going on, Secretary Mel
lon remained silent. When 1t came
time for him to take a stand he sim
ply said that the politicians could moi
run the treasury department, and that
so long as he was SECRETARY they would
not be permitted to have any hand
whatever In the administrator Of the
department. In the end, the President
had to choose between Mellon and
Dover. Although he had appointed
Dover at the solicitation Of the Repub-
lican politicians, he could not afford
to let a satisfactory secretary Of the
treasury go In order that he might
keep a man who was in great favor
with the spoilsmen. And so after near
ly three months Of turmoil Dover de-
cided to get out.
Professional Politicians Vexed.
The professional politicians are very
much distressed over the Dover res.
ignation. They feel that the President
| has to some extent gone back on them.
| With Dover out there Is no one In the
service Of the government In an I'M
portant capacity to whom they car
turn with confidence. Newly appoint
ed cabinet officers, whatever their per-
sonal inclinations may be, soon learn
that they cannot permit the political
| spoilsmen to interfere with the gov
ernment's business. Three or four
members Of the present cabinet are
not welded to civil service, but not one
Of them Is willing to take on himself
the responsibility Of tearing down the
merit system in his department. I'm
questionably the civil service law needs
revision, but every welLinformed per-
son realizes that the merit system is
here to stay. The system has at least
two ardent supporters in the cabinet.
These are Charles Evans Hughes, Sec
rotary of state, and Herbert Hoover,
secretary of commerce. Neither of
these men has given the slightest con-
sideration of politics in making ap-
peintments In his department.
1t is true that Republican politicians
have been appointed to the diplomatic
service since Mr.. Hughes became sec
rotary of state, but they are without
exception personal appointees of the
President. The one question Secretary
Hoover asks Of an applicant for a
place in his department is "Have you
any special qualifications for this par
ticular placer"