the boss and the machine-第28章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
political manager during Grant's two terms disgusted the
thoughtful citizen。
The first attempts to apply efficiency to the civil service had
been made when pass examinations were used for sifting candidates
for clerkships in the Treasury Department in 1853； when such
tests were prescribed by law for the lowest grade of clerkships。
The head of the department was given complete control over the
examinations； and they were not exacting。 In 1864 Senator Sumner
introduced a bill 〃to provide for the greater efficiency of the
civil service。〃 It was considered chimerical and dropped。
Meanwhile； a steadfast and able champion of reform appeared in
the House； Thomas A。 Jenckes； a prominent lawyer of Rhode Island。
A bill which he introduced in December； 1865； received no
hearing。 But in the following year a select joint committee was
charged to examine the whole question of appointments；
dismissals； and patronage。 Mr。 Jenckes presented an elaborate
report in May； 1868； explaining the civil service of other
countries。 This report； which is the corner stone of American
civil service reform； provided the material for congressional
debate and threw the whole subject into the public arena。 Jenckes
in the House and Carl Schurz in the Senate saw to it that ardent
and convincing defense of reform was not wanting。 In compliance
with President Grant's request for a law to 〃govern not the
tenure； but the manner of making all appointments；〃 a rider was
attached to the appropriation bill in 1870； asking the President
〃to prescribe such rules and regulations〃 as he saw fit； and 〃to
employ suitable persons to conduct〃 inquiries into the best
method for admitting persons into the civil service。 A commission
of which George William Curtis was chairman made recommendations；
but they were not adopted and Curtis resigned。 The New York Civil
Service Reform Association was organized in 1877； and the
National League； organized in 1881； soon had flourishing branches
in most of the large cities。 The battle was largely between the
President and Congress。 Each succeeding President signified his
adherence to reform； but neutralized his words by sanctioning
vast changes in the service。 Finally； under circumstances already
described； on January 16； 1883； the Civil Service Act was passed。
This law had a stimulating effect upon state and municipal civil
service。 New York passed a law the same year； patterned after the
federal act。 Massachusetts followed in 1884； and within a few
years many of the States had adopted some sort of civil service
reform； and the large cities were experimenting with the merit
system。 It was not； however； until the rapid expansion of the
functions of government and the consequent transformation in the
nature of public duties that civil service reform made notable
headway。 When the Government assumed the duties of health
officer； forester； statistician； and numerous other highly
specialized functions； the presence of the scientific expert
became imperative； and vast undertakings； like the building of
the Panama Canal and the enormous irrigation projects of the
West； could not be entrusted to the spoilsman and his minions。
The war has accustomed us to the commandeering of utilities； of
science； and of skill upon a colossal scale。 From this height of
public devotion it is improbable that we shall decline； after the
national peril has passed； into the depths of administrative
incompetency which our Republic； and all its parts； occupied for
so many years。 The need for an efficient and highly complex State
has been driven home to the consciousness of the average citizen。
And this foretokens the permanent enlistment of talent in the
public service to the end that democracy may provide that
effective nationalism imposed by the new era of world
competition。
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
There is no collected material of the literature of exposure。 It
is found in the official reports of investigating committees；
such as the Lexow； Mazet； and Fassett committees in New York； and
the report on campaign contributions by the Senate Committee on
Privileges and Elections （1913）。 The muckraker has scattered such
indiscriminate charges that great caution is necessary to
discover the truth。 Only testimony taken under oath can be relied
upon。 And for local exposes the official court records must be
sought。
The annual proceedings of the National Municipal League contain a
great deal of useful material on municipal politics。 The reports
of local organizations； such as the New York Bureau of Municipal
Research and the Pittsburgh Voters' League； are invaluable； as
are the reports of occasional bodies； like the Philadelphia
Committee of Fifty。
Personal touches can be gleaned from the autobiographies of such
public men as Platt； Foraker； Weed； La Follette； and in such
biographies as Croly's 〃M。 A。 Hanna。〃
On Municipal Conditions：
W。 B。 Munro； 〃The Government of American Cities〃 （1913）。 An
authoritative and concise account of the development of American
city government。 Chapter VII deals with municipal politics。
J。 J。 Hamilton； 〃Dethronement of the City Boss〃 （1910）。 A
description of the operation of commission government。
E。 S。 Bradford； 〃Commission Government in American Cities〃
（1911）。 A careful study of the commission plan。
H。 Bruere； 〃New City Government〃 （1912）。 An interesting account
of the new municipal regime。
Lincoln Steffens； 〃The Shame of the Cities〃 and 〃The Struggle for
Self…Government〃 （1906）。 The Prince of the Muckrakers'
contribution to the literature of awakening。
On State Conditions：
There is an oppressive barrenness of material on this subject。
P。 S。 Reinsch； 〃American Legislatures and Legislative Methods 〃
（1907）。 A brilliant exposition of the legislatures' activities。
E。 L。 Godkin； 〃Unforeseen Tendencies in Democracy〃 contains a
thoughtful essay on 〃The Decline of Legislatures。〃
On Political Parties and Machines：
M。 Ostrogorski； 〃Democracy and the Organization of Political
Parties；〃 2 vols。 （1902）。 The second volume contains a
comprehensive and able survey of the American party system。 It
has been abridged into a single volume edition called 〃Democracy
and the Party System in the United States〃 （1910）。
James Bryce； 〃The American Commonwealth；〃 2 vols。 Volume II
contains a noteworthy account of our political system。
Jesse Macy； 〃Party Organization and Machinery〃 （1912）。 A succinct
account of party machinery。
J。 A。 Woodburn； 〃Political Parties and Party Problems 〃（1906）。 A
sane account of our political task。
P。 O。 Ray； 〃An Introduction to Political Parties and Practical
Politics 〃 （1913）。 Valuable for its copious references to current
literature on political subjects。
Theodore Roosevelt； 〃Essays on Practical Politics〃 （1888）。
Vigorous description of machine methods。
G。 M。 Gregory； 〃The Corrupt Use of Money in Politics and Laws for
its Prevention〃 （1893）。 Written before the later exposes； it
nevertheless gives a clear view of the problem。
W。 M。 Ivins； 〃Machine Politics〃 （1897）。 In New York Cityby a
keen observer。
George Vickers； 〃The Fall of Bossism〃 （1883）。 On the overthrow of
the Philadelphia Gas Ring。
Gustavus Myers； 〃History of Tammany Hall〃 （1901； revised 1917）。
The best book on the subject。
E。 C。 Griffith； 〃The Ripe and Development of the Gerrymander〃
（1907）。
Historical：
H。 J。 Ford； 〃Rise and Growth of American Politics〃 （1898）。 One of
the earliest and one of the best accounts of the development of
American politics。
Alexander Johnston and J。 A。 Woodburn； 〃American Political
History；〃 2 vols。 （1905）。 A brilliant recital of American party
history。 The most satisfactory book on the subject。
W。 M。 Sloane； 〃Party Government in the United States〃 （1914）。 A
concise and convenient recital。 Brings our party history to date。
J。 B。 McMaster； 〃With the Fathers〃 （1896）。 A volume of delightful
historical essays； including one on 〃The Political Depravity of
the Fathers。〃
On Nominations：
F。 W。 Dallinger； 〃Nominations for Elective Office in the United
States〃 （1897）。 The most thorough work on the subject； describing
the development of our nominating systems。
