Evening star., 1933-01-15
A Golden Anniversary.

A Democratic Senator informed ar
oftice-seeker the other day that, unfor-
tunately, there appear to be more
victors than there are spoils."
The relative dearth in the supply OF
spoils available after March is due
to "an act to regulate and improve the
civil service of the United States
which, fifty years ago tomorrow. was
signed by President Arthur. The act
brought into being the first independent
Government agency created in this
country-the United States Civil Service
Commission.
Fifty years ago lean and hungry
host OF Democrats had been heartened
by the party's success in the congress
sional elections Of the previous Fall.
The Democrats had been denied the
spoils Of victory for twenty years and
were wetting their tongues over the
prospect should fortune smile on them
In the presidential election of 1884.
But along with the acute hunger de-
veloped by continued party famine
there had been steadily rising public
sentiment protesting the vicious aspects
of a spoils system which, since jackson,
had continued Increasingly to manifest
its evils. In 1883 Democrats, as well
rs hesitant Republicans, passed by good
margins in both Houses the civil service
act. As an editorial, reproduced on this
page today under the caption FIFTY
Years Ago In The Star" notes, neither
the Democrats nor the Republicans
voted with any great enthusiasm for the
bill But each knew that the party
responsible for its defeat would be
embarrassed by such responsibility in
the Forthcoming presidential campaign.
The Law was srudgtngly and doubtingly
enacted.
Behind 1t was a public demand
famed to something approaching pas
sion by the assassination Of President
Garfield by a disappointed ofice-seeker.
The act served TO symbolic some Of the
poisonous fruits Of the spoils system
The people were from bitter experience
coming to regard that system as one
which made public ONCE the private
property Of parties and politicians. And
the time was coming when. instead OF
the system controlling the spoils, the
spoils would control the system.
The Democrats have been out in the
cold for twelve long years. The last
four years have become progressively
leaner and hungrier. To the profess
sional politicians who hunt jobs as q
matter Of course has been added q new
army Of the deserving, but jobless. The
pressure upon the victors Is already ire
mendous and by March it would be
capable of causing a violent explo-
sion, suficient to wreck and paralyze
the Government machine were it not
Dor the safety valve that lies in the
Civil Service Commission. On this
flftteth anniversary of its creation more
than 100000 positions, or about II per
cent Of all those in the Federal execu-
tive eHl service, are classified and filled
only through open competitive exami-
nations. The incumbents of these posi-
tons are removable only for cause.
Efforts are now being made by the
victors. not to break down the civil
service regulations, but TO scan their
protecting bulwarks with microscopic
care for possible loopholes. In fifty
years loophole after loophole has been
plugged. The protection and integrity
afforded by the civil service have grown
One Of its strong safeguards is that the
members Of Congress, as well as the
taxpayers, enjoy its protection against
Mrs. Seaton's throng Of strangers which
without it would now swarm like the
locusts Of Egypt in our houses, our
beds and our kneading- -troughs"