Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1936-03-26
Machine Methods
Or Civil Service

Civil service in governmental posi-
tions, national, state, city, and other
subdivisions of government, has been
discussed pro and con for many years.
There are arguments for and against
it.
In the country of England, the gov
eminent has set up far more civil
service than we enjoy here in Amer
lea. Campaigns by the various 20
litical parties are conducted on prin-
ciples and issues. Officials and heads
of departments are changed with the
election of a new administration.
Those heads direct the policy of the
administration, but the actual work
performed in the various offices goes
on through the efforts of men and
women who have passed civil service
examinations and who continue their
work from one administration to an
other.
The old saying in political circles
is that Ito the victor belongs the
spoils." That may be good and it
may be bad. In fact it may bring
on many evils. A new adminiStra-
tion must have men and women in its
employ who will cooperate and en-
deavor to carry through the program
of the political party in power. But
patronage can easily be abused and
the pages of history clearly reveal
that it has been abused.
There is much civil service in the
administration of city government in
the twin cities of St. Paul and Mime
apolis. 1t has been said time and
again that the city councils in those
municipalities could go on junket
trip to Mexico or go fishing for
weeks, and the governmental services
would go on just the same.
When a man, for instance, has gone
through high school, college and uni
versity, and has spent years in train
ing himself for a life's vocation, it is
wrong if he is thrown out of employ
ment just because another political
party has taken over the reins. As
Stunning that he is a road engineer,
criminologist, accountant, or has some
other type of technical employment
and is efficient and renders honest
service, it seems only reasonable that
he should be allowed to stay on the
job, though there be change of pO-
litical administration.
1t would be different matter, of
course, if the man took decided in
terest in politics and was out to knife
the party by whom he was employed,
but assuming that he takes only a
nominal interest in politics, like the
average citizen, and performs his
civic duty in going to the polls and
registering his views at elections, he
should be free to continue his employ
ment under civil service rules, as long
as he is rendering good and efficient
service. In positions of that charac-
ter, civil service would be a decided
improvement over political patronage.
The principles and fine ideal and
pioneering spirit of liberal movements
is not enhanced by political patron
age. Any political party that res OTIS
chiefly to steamroller tactics and
patronage is doomed to failure, sooner
or later. Our sincerity of purpose is
laid open to attack Immediately if we
must rely on job seekers, rather than
on convinced believers in the need of
better social and economic opportuni-
ty for ALL
Speaking of patronage and civil
service reform, the great progressive
leader, the late Senator Robert M
LaFollette, Sr., of Wisconsin, wrote
in his autobiography:
Never in my political life have
derived benefit from the two sources
of power by which machine politics
thrives-I mean patronage, the con
use of large sums of money in organ
ization. During my fight in Wisconsin
the old machine used it's power o
dispensing patronage to the utmos
against me. When | became COVER
nor l appointed supporters of the Pro
gressive movement to offices wheneve
there were appointments to make
These men did all in their power TO
the success of our campaigns. Blu
such service is always criticized by thu
opposition, and discounted by the pub
lie because of the self interest of thu
officials, and does as much harm a
good AS soon as l had the Legisla
ture with me in 1905, l secured tn
passage of the strongest Civil Servic
law that could be framed, wiping GU
the spoils system in state offices.
"In general it can be said of al
the group known as insurgents or pro