The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-09-01
TRIBUTE PAID TO FITZ. PATRICK COURAGE IN OPPOSING MERIT
 aY9TEM

SYSTEM
 August sl, 1887, MT. James William Fitzpatrick, Waterbury Democrat,
 Waterbury, Conn.
 Dear MT. FitSpatrick;-
 Thank you very much for the in- terest you :iave taken in the Merit System, and in me In particular, 0S evidenced In your column BY WAY or NO AARM," appearing in the Waterbury Democrat August 2Tth.
 Ido of course feel honored to have my name braeketed in tho same col- urnn with that of the great Amer- iean leader, Alfred Emanuel Smith, It was he, you may recall, who II, speaking before the New York Real- ty Board In loSl, made this state- ment: Let's stop all this hot air talk about Q reduction of taxes and the costs of government, and get down to tho ROOT of the evil. There are two things that don't At together political patronage and the reduc- ton in tho costs of government"
 While on tAS subject, you may Do interested in the statement of the Honorable Thomas J. spellaey, May or of Hartford, Issued April 2i, 1887:
 "Any one conversant with State and Municipal affairs realizes the necessity for an adequate Merit 9ys- tenn in appointments to public oiiiee, No reform In government is ever accomplished without public support, That support can only be obtained by educating the public. This pros cess has been and h being done by the Connecticut Merit System Assoc ciAtion. It costs money; hence the public appeal. It has been Q pieas- ure for mo to contribute, and I ap- peal to our citizens to do likewise"
 wish also to thank you for the tribute you have paid the thou- sands of Connecticut citiEens whose eagerness for better government Ad- nainistration through the Merit Sys- tenn, has prompted them to join our association. It Is, indeed, Ito boost their project" that I am "being paid . salary" aS you so deiicately sug- gest. Incidentally, why gre you op. posing tho Merit gystem9
 It s very diflieuit for me to tn. derstand why you, ''as c citizen oi Waterbury and Q taxpayer, like my family years before me-" do mol ask for the best that the public ser' vice can offer. We have the best country in the. world, we are accus' toned to the best things In life, cer' tainly we should Do entitled to thC best service that may Dc offered II public employment. Surely we Shoule Soe that everyone, regardless Of hL political afiiilations, b offered or equal opportunity to serve the pub ilc in his chosen field. It seems K me that "the equality of opportun' ity" s tho basic American principle
 After ell, the Merit System prin' ciple h recognisea universally. Tht State, for example, does not permit you or me to drive an automobile unless we prove by test and writer examination, and physical exaillila' ton our ability to do 90. A doctol iA not permitted by the State tk practice unless he has proven pS test and examination that he is ca' pablo Of doing 50. That cltizeni wish to prove their ability to serve tho State h damonstFated by thu number of people who come to oui Waterbury, oface, ct il East Mair street, daily, to seek information on examinations now open for state DO sltions. Generally speaking. then comment k to this affect: i've a. ways wanted to work in the etatt Service but l never had c chance pe' fore" And, "Wouidn't it Dc swell I we had something like this in Wa' terbuTy."
 It il encouraging to note that you have taken the trouble to check tht date Of the passage Of the 5tatl Merit system Law, namely, May l2 i0sT. 1t b, however, your apparent inability to coFTelate detail that ' most gdisconcertlng. Therefore, axnialn that heeailse the Hefsoufio