Evening star., 1925-07-28
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

pointment belonged to Tammany. The
Tammany man efficient? OF course
he swung 10 wards-and-oh, yes, he
knew several Indian languages, and
could exclaim How in almost any
patois. Tammany dictated the ap-
pOintment-
That was not the beginning Of the
spoils system. 1t dated back to 1920,
when Congress passed a law establish
ing the four-year tenure of office, coin
Gliding with the four-year presidential
term. That law was construed
though not intended-to mean that
there should be a new set of officials
appointed from top 10 bottom by each
incoming Observation-Disclosures incIud-
ing the case Of a President succeed
ing himself with a second term. ITO
the victor belongs the spoils!" was
the Jacksonian cry.
x y x
During the first 40 years after the
adoption of the Constitution it was
the practice to permit Government
officials below cabinet secretaries to
hold office during good behavior.
That policy was clearly approved by
President Washington. Fitness, abiI-
ity, was the only question in Wash
ington's mind when approving an ap.
pointment. Presidents following him
accepted his policy in that regard up
to Andrew Jackson, who formulated
in his first message the phrase: Turn
the rascals outr' From that time un-
til Lincoln'S administration partisan
ship alone ruled in filling appointive
places.
1t is recorded that in those old days
it was a common practice-no longer
prevailing-for a political appointee
to collect his legal salary from the
Government, without ever appearing
personally to do any work: he would
hire a substitute, perhaps at half the
pay, and would pocket the "spoils"
for being a good party man. It was
this sort of corrupt practice which
caused Lincoln to declare: There,
you see something which in course of
time will become a greater danger TO
the republic than the rebellion itself"
1t was the nucleus of a bureaucracy
which in time would have killed de-
the class, for the class and by the
class.
Lincoln said most seriously to Carl
Schurz, concerning the spoils system:
Il am afraid this thing is going to
ruin the Government"
In 1864 the movement toward civil
service reform began, but it was bit
ter fight, eliminating in the assassina-
ton of President Garfield in 1881, by
a disappointed Office seeker.
Two years later, the civil service
bill was introduced by Senator George
H. Pendleton of Ohio. 1t was passed
by a majority of both parties.
x x
While we, today, have a reformed
civil service requiring examination fort
fitness, it does not assure permanent
employment to any one. The head Of
bureau is held responsible for the
efficiency of every one under him, yet
he cannot make arbitrary discharges.
He must file complaint and recon-
mendation for discharge with the Sec
retary of the department. He must
produce evidence convincing that head
that his recommendation is not due
to personal spite, but is for the good
of the service"
Under present circumstances, with
pressure from the White House to
cut down unnecessary pay rolls, the
chances of convincing a Secretary of
the department of the advisability of
| letting any one go whom the head of
the bureau so recommends are said
to be much greater than in ordinary
times, and under usual conditions Of
political expediency, when every en-
ploye could rally to his defense the
support of at least a congressman or
two. The best defense against radical
discharges is such efficiency as %
demonstrate indispensability, even
when all departments are reorganized.
declares a leading official.
Copyright, 1925 by Paul v. CoIiins.S