Evening star., 1939-01-30
Montgomery County
'SpoiIs System Seen
Repeal Of Civil Service Law
BY Democrats Held
Backward Step
TO the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
noticed in the current edition of the
Maryland News, mouthpiece Of the Dem
ocratic organization Of Montgomery
County, that approximately five Of the
eight columns on the editorial page are
devoted to denunciation Of the Mont
gomery County Civic Federation, its
leaders, its policies and to an attempted
Justification of the action Of the Demo-
cratic organization In securing the re-
peal Of the county civil service law.
understand the reason for this attack
by the Maryland News to be its conten-
ton that the Montgomery County Civic
Federation is predominantly Republican
in its composition and, therefore, its
opposition to the spoils system is the re-
suit OF political bias. Irrespective of the
accuracy of this contention, which am
informed is challenged by the leaders of
the federation, it does not constitute q
OCACAloC VI GllC okOAlo OyotCLl W1llCll WOQlu
result from the repeal of the civil service
law. 1t is merely smoke screen, an at
tempt to confuse the issue. Moreover,
there would seem to be no basis In fact
for this claim of Republican domination
because there has been no proposal to
blanket in under civil service the existing
Republican holdovers among the county
employees.
In, 1887 the Democratic organization
through its delegation to the Maryland
Legislature enacted Montgomery Coun-
ty civil service law, agreeing that it
should become effective July l, 1899. The
Democratic organization has just sue
ceeded in securing the repeal of this law
and has assigned as justification OF its
action the fact that the operation of the
law had been held up by litigation in the
courts, and that the repeal was necessary
to make possible the replacement of
county employees appointed by the former
Fusion administration with employees to
be selected by the Democratic organiza-
ton.
The civic federation insists that this
law or some other suitable civil service
measure should be enacted to 90 into
effect July l. 1889, and thereby assure q
merit system for the county from and
after that date. It would appear that
the refusal Of the Democratic organiz-
ton to provide a merit system for the
future has been the cause for the civic
federation to conclude that the position
taken by the Democratic party is wholly
contrary to the public interest.
Every student Of government knows
that merit system is an essential part
OF an efficient form of government. The
Maryland News seeks to justify the DEM
ocratic organizations failure to provide
a county civil service law by claiming
that no major change should be made
IN the governmental setup OF the county
until after the survey of county govern
ment, which Is about to be started by
the Brookings Institution, is completed.
This contention cannot logically apply
to civil service law which was enacted
two years ago.
l believe 1t is in the public interest
that the Montgomery County Civic Fed
Grafton continue to fight for the merit
system and for the enactment of legis-
lation at this session of the Maryland
General Assembly to provide civil serv-
Ice for all non elective employees of Mont
gomery County on and after July 1,
1899. 1t is difficult to understand why
the united Democratic organization, i'm
mediately upon returning to full politi-
cal control of Montgomery County,
should take step that would result in
such widespread opposition among all
citizens including not merely independent
but organization Democrats who are not
actual or prospective jobholders or pre-
cinct workers.
WASHINGTON I. CLEVELAND.
Kensington, Md.
Tov,,