The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1937-01-20
United States Seeks Re-
turn of Principle of PO=
litical Equality

we and our descendants will gain,
little by little that reality of po-
litical freedom which was heed
for when each of the great his
torical steps toward actual human
freedom has been accomplished.
After Magma Charter there was
at least in theory, political free
dom for the kings peers: After
the Protectorate it was political
freedom of conscience; After the
Revolution 1t was political free
dom of white males: After the
Civil War it was political freedom
regardless of color: After the
Nineteenth Amendment it was
political freedom regardless of
sex. But milestones do not mark
every step that a traveller takes.
Behind and between each of these
notable marks of accomplishment
stand many years of public edu-
cation and toll and many minor
struggles towardr the desired
end.
Civil Service
After the assassination of Gar
field, at the hands of a claimant
for spoils, civil service reform as
sociations were formed and began
to attack the root of the evil.
They urged the logical merit sys-
tenn under which appointment to
and retention in public office de-
pend on proved capacity to per-
form the duties of the position,
as against the cynical and illogi-
cal spoils system where anyone
Is good enough for any job he can
get" While Garfield's death was
fresh in the public mind, civil
service laws were passed by Con-
gress and by some Legislatures.
Then. as the public forgot the
sensational political murder. their
ardor cooled and the untitled
lords and barons reveled in the
spoils, untroubled except here and
there where their excuses pro-
duced spasms of resentment from
people who still priced the reality :,
and substance of political liberty
and were ready to fight to keep 1t.
Lcthargy
Twenty years later Connecticut
folk flared up and passed State
Civil Service Law, then went into
political sleep and permitted the
spoilsmen to repeal it. A few citi-
zens were not content. They con-
tinued together as the Connect
cut Civil Service Reform ASsocia-
ton for a while, but the name
was too cumbersome to long out
last the Victorian era. They
shortened the name to Connect
cut Civic Association but that was
too indefinite. Once again they
changed their name, following the
worthy example of our spoilsmen
who no longer call themselves
lords and barons and knights"
but adopt the simpler names Of
leaders and chairmen and COM
mitteemen. The Association IS
now the Connecticut Merit SyS-
tenn Association. The name is
still too long. Anybody who joins
the Association is at liberty TO
propose a better name. The num-
Der of members, which has in
creased many fold in this last
year. Is an index of popular in
terest. The battle will not be as
bloody as those that won Magma
Charta, the Protectorate, the fiji
tenth Amendment.
Battle Waging
1t will be a battle between those
who believe that ito the Victors
belong the spoils" and those who
believe that political spoils are out
of place in government of, by
and for the people. This Is just
one more battle in the never end
ing war between those who seek
political spoils and those who seek
equality before the law. That wa.
will not be ended by the mere
passage of a Flaw" by putting
words on paper. Paper laws are
Just as valuable or Just as worth
less as paper profits,-useful only
when they have been realized. A
sound law is, however, an essen
tial foundation for orderly estab-
lishment OF the Merit System in
any government. The Legislature
must set up the necessary ma
chinery consisting partly of-O
A non partisan commission. (O
trained, non-partisan director,
and 80 1t must prescribe the Sc
lection of all public employees ex-
cept those whose duties are the
formation Of governmental pol
icy, on the basis of their proved
fitness to perform the duties of
their employment. The Policy
forming officers of a popular gov
crnment must properly be chosen
either by ballot or by appointment,
on account Of their political views.
The rest Of our public employees
will perform the same duties con-