The Coolidge examiner., 1941-01-17
GOVERNORS PROPOSAL WOULD
TEAR DOWN BARRIERS TO SPOILS
SYSTEM
SYSTEM


for harmony in state government, has
asked for the resignation of the various
heads of state departments, delivering
an ultimatum with a deadline of Tues
day afternoon.
The governor could hardly have eX-
pected to obtain the designations he
sought. Naturally, he was in position to
demand, and get the designations of
those officials whose terms are CO.
terminous with that of the governor.
Harmony or no harmony, he has no rea-
son to expect, under Arizona laws, to
receive the resignation of officials whose
appointments are for terms of years
which do not expire with that of the
governor, and have not expired.
AS a matter of fact, the 18th legisla,
ture, when it enacted its law reorganiz
ing the state highway department, in
tended to defeat just such a move as the
governor proposes to make. 1t intended
to keep the highway department from
becoming a patronage machine, and the
chances are that, unless the highway
commissioners are disposed to resign, II
accomplished just that.
What course Governor Osborn pro-
poses to follow in the event that depart
ment heads do not resign in a matter of
some doubt. If a man is serving in
public office an unexpired term, it
would appear that it is impossible to re-
move him except by custer. The custer
method has not proved advantageous in
years past.
1t is not hard to believe the governors
statement that harmony is needed ih
government. After watching two gov
ernorS assume the office and attempts
the administration of the state for single
terms, we believe him. On the other
hand, it is certainly not to the advantage
of the taxpayers to run the highway de
partment for the primary purpose of
furnishing jobs for members of a poll
teal machine-any political machine.
That single thought was foremost in
the minds of legislators who reorganiz-
ed the department two years ago. To
prevent such system, the law now pro-
vides that only one position on the high
way commission becomes vacant at a
time; that the men must be appointed
from particular area
Since that time, the highway depart
ment has functioned in much better
style, and in future years will, if the
system is permitted to endure, pay more
attention to building highways and less
to politics. And we have a suspicion
that no governor would find it hard to
get along with department heads if he
didn't expect them to clean house and
permit him to make new appointments
at the time the governor assumes office.
The harmony should be for the best
interests of the people, which are not
served by discharging complete staff
of employees who should be competent
and experienced and putting complete
ly new staff at work.
Two years ago, Governor Osborn
campaigned on pledge of civil service.
Elected, he proposes a complete patron
age haul. The people of Arizona
demonstrated that they are willing to
back the new governor in reforms which
will eliminate the waste which has cost,
and is costing, much. But we doubt if
anyone except the job seekers want to
see the downfall of the barriers which
have been erected to forestall such a
division of the spoils. The spoils system
itself is responsible for the great part of
the waste and extravaganza.