Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-02
BY DONALD A. CRAIG.


gusto, has been relegated that once pop
ular American political principle--to
the victors belong the spoils.
The spoils system was once a recog-
nized part of our political system. 1t
is no longer so, and has not been for
many years. There are traces of 1t left
and eternal vigilance Is necessary TO
/ keep il from developing under cover
again. But the laws of Congress. en-
/ acted for the express purpose of stamp
ing out this practice and protecting the
! Government employee in his Job are
being executed by men thoroughly ia
mliar with the subject and capable Of
carrying out the laws intent.
Employees Cautioned.
The subject Is one of special interest
/ to the great army of Government EN-
/ ployes in Washington and in the field.
It is unusual interest in this presi-
Dental year. This campaign is de-
/ veloping considerable heat and is likely
| TO develop more. Managers of both
/ parties will endeavor to take to the
! polls every possible voter Party
J workers will be in greater demand than
I ever
I Government employees who would
/ obey the law have been cautioned this
| year to watch their steps with care
| Neither Congress, nor the Civil Serv-
/ ice Commission. which administers this
| particular law, desires to interfere with
| harmless discussions of political subjects
| by Government employees, whose right
to take sides and vote--if they are for
| tunate enough to have a vote-for any
one they please is fully recognized. 1t
/ is only "pernicious" political activity
| that Is prohibited
! The Civil Service Commission has re.
| Gently printed and posted in prominent
/ places, where 1t will be seen by CLASH
| fed employees, warning against GER
tain kinds of political activity on TIT
/! part of employees. 1t embodies principle!
/ laid down in the civil service law ant
| the criminal code Postmaster Genera
New has also issued an order of eau
ton to poStmasters
These warnings are similar to thos
issued in other recent campaigns and m
new significance attaches to them a
this time Many Government employe
and others. however. do not know wi1a
is back of them--why they are nov
considered so necessary. when once the
were unheard of
Change in Morals.
- dUuIludIIt BFIQSIEE bIbd
people differ widely regarding som
kinds of evolution, but most person
will admit readily that there has BEEF
in comparatively recent years an evoiu
ton. almost a revolution, In publ
morals in this country Political practice
that were considered to be generally ad
/ MISSILE half century or more agl
are regarded as corrupt now
It used to be the accepted thing tina
when a new party came into power tn
old party "rascals" must be turned out
The workers of the incoming party mus
have the Jobs as rewards of victory
One day in 1882 the famous Henri,
Clay of Kentucky charged the poll
ticians of New York State with resort
ing to corrupt methods. Senator Mar
cy of New York, Jackson Democrat
| answering Clay. defended the system II
| these memorable words:
when they 1.-THE New York poll
| ticians) are contending for victory. the!
avow the intention of enjoying TIL
! fruits of It, If they are defeated the,
expect to retire from office. If they arr
| successful. they claim, as matter o
| right the advantages of success. They
see nothing wrong in the rule that Il
| the victor belong the spells of th'
| enemy"
/ 1ncfe has Dtcu Il kEtdt IlihklkE II
| political thought. big advance IN pub
| lie morals. since that statement wa!
made on the floor of the United State:
| Senate.
| The spoiis system, which has nov
practically disappeared In this country
| at least so far as 1t affects the grea
| body of Federal workers, was not borr
| with the American Government. 1
came afterward. In the first SO years
| of the history of the Government, uI
| to 1929. the six men who in that
period occupied the office of President
made only liz removals and they were
| all for reasonable cause. None OF THESE
| first Presidents considered that party
service was reason for public appoint"
| ment.
Grew Under Jackson.
The spoiis system came into full
operation with the election OF Andrew
| Jackson to the presidency, although the
| foundation for it's introduction was
| undesignedly laid when the First Con-
gress decided that the sole power OF
removal rested with the President. This
placed almost every Government posi-
| ton at the pleasure of the President.
| That decision was favored by President
| Madison Fifty years later Daniel Web
| ster took the opposite view.
| But in 1920, under the influence OF
| Secretary of the Treasury Crawford,
| Congress passed the four-year law,
which was decisive triumph for the
| fast~arriving Spoils system. Under ms
| law terms of office were limited TO four
| years. John Quincy Adams said the
law was enacted SO that Crawford. who
was n candidate for President, might
If "a holders
influence. When President jackson
came to the White House In 1929 the
spoils system was more firmly eStah-
lished
without interruption, though against
some protest, IL prevailed for more than
80 years. In 1867 agitation for reform
began. 1t was led IN Congress by Rep
reSentative Thomas A. JenckeS of
Rhode Island. President Grant APP
pointed Civil Service Commission, and
It's head. George William Curtis, in q
report in 1871 called public attention
torcibly to the need of reform. Presi-
dents Grant and Hayes both favored
this reform. but Congress was apathetic
and failed to make appropriations to
sustain the Civil Service Commission,
Stirred by Garfield Death.
Quarreis in New York in 1891 be-
tween "StalwartS" and Half Breeds"
over political patronage and finally the
assassination Of President Garfield by q
disappointed Office seeker so aroused
public sentiment in favor Of the reform
that Congress yielded to the demand
and the Pendleton civil service reform
law was enacted in 1888 Ever since
that time civil service reform has
steadily advanced though all Presidents
have made some appointments and re-
movals for which they have been criti-
cized by the opposition,
Every Senator and Representative
who voted for the bill Of 1883 was him.
self the product and beneficiary Of the
spoiis system The bill was approved
only after long and full debate, 1t was
studied and perfected paragraph by
paragraph and passed over vigorous as,-
position Since then the new system
- Afa Aa4a a. ri