The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-09-09
GREAT MEN ALWAYS HAVE
CONDEMNED THE "sPoHLS
SYSTEM"

waterbury, Conn.
September 3, 1896.
Editor, Waterbury Democrat:
1t is very remarkable that the
American people wake up so slowly
to the tremendous cost Of the Spells
System in extravaganza, inefficiency
and corruption. NOne thing that
makes 1t especially remarkable is
the unanimity of the great leaders
of both parties in condemning the
Spells System, root and branch, and
commencing the Merit System. I
should like to give a few samples
|of these,
Going back to a time before the
Merit System had ever been heard
Of, we have James Madison, one Of
the Revolutionary Fathers, the most
important man in the convention
which created our Constitution, and
the fourth president Of the United
States under that Constitution. He
says: 1.-THE principle that offices are
the spells Of victory could not fail
to degrade any administration" Alb
raham Lincoln, the first Republican
President, said: IF ever these free
people-if this government itself is
ever utterly demoralized, 1t will
come from this incessant human
wriggle and struggle for office"
Again, Lincoln says, pointing at a
group Of job-seekers: There you
see something which In the course
of time will become greater danger
to the republic than the rebellion"
Consider that Lincoln was fighting
with his back to the wall for the life
of the republic. One can hardly
think Of o stronger statement than
this.
Coming down to the first demo-
cratic president since the war, we
find Grover Cleveland, perhaps the
bravest Of all the presidents in this
matter. He says: This pernicious
system gives rise to an office-seek-
ing class who in their partisan zeal,
based upon the hope Of personal adj
vantage, arrogate to themselves an
interference with the will Of the
people which results in the SER
wants Of the people debating to their
masters. All this time, like night
mare this dreadful, damnable Of
fice-seeking hangs over me and sur
rounds me-" Again he says: IT the
people OF this country ever submit
to the Punishment Of the underlying
principle Of the Merit System from
the operation Of their government
they will abandon the surest guar
antee of the safety and success Of
American institutions" "A
Theodore Roosevelt says: 1.-THE
man who debauches our public life
by the corrupt use Of the offices as
spoils Is O greater foe to our
we'll being as nation than is even
the defaulting cashier Of q bank or
the betrayer Of @ private trust"
Pretty strong languagel
william H. Taft says: III we Sc
lected employees according to the
length Of their noses, 1t would be
better than the Spells System" The
Tafts all had big Iioseg, and per-
haps there was some bias in this
statement.
Woodrow Wilson says; y am q
hearty believer In the principles Of
civil service reform, and shall take
pleasure at all times In doing what
I can to promote those principles IN
practice" Wilson was the second
democratic president since the war.
Charles Evans Hughes, his opponent
for that office In 1915, says: I'VE
have nothing more important in re-
iation 10 the administration Of gov
eminent than q system-the best
that has yet been devised-of, secur-
ing men Of needed capacity BY COM
petitive examinations whenever such
examinations are practicable. ]
believe IN that, thoroughly endorse
II, and I hope to see Il extend
throughout the Union"
Then listen TO O Enthusiastically
fcrceful statement from AL Smith:
Lets stop al this hot air talk about
reduction OF taxes and the cost Of
government and get down TO the
root Of the evil. There are two
things that don't III tosether-po.
liticai patronage and the reduction
IN the cost Of government" "
Finally, Charles w. Eliot, the great
Harvard President, says; Civil
Service reform y 20 Fundamental
NHt .IfNt Hal tifes Ns tA fi