theodore roosevelt-第17章
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A still more distinguished personage fell before the enthusiastic Commissioner。 This was Arthur Pue Gorman； a Senator from Maryland； a Democrat； one of the most pertinacious agents of the Big Interests in the United States Congress。 Evidently； also； he served them well； as they kept him in the Senate for nearly twenty…five years； until his death。 They employed Democrats as well as Republicans； just as they subscribed to both Democratic and Republican campaign funds。 For； 〃in politics there is no politics。〃 Gorman； who knew that the Spoils System was almost indispensable to the running of a political machine； waited for a chance to attack the Civil Service Commission。 Thinking that the propitious moment had come； he inveighed against it in the Senate。 He 〃described with moving pathos；〃 as Roosevelt tells the story； 〃how a friend of his； 'a bright young man from Baltimore；' a Sunday…School scholar； well recommended by his pastor； wished to be a letter…carrier；〃 but the cruel examiners floored him by asking the shortest route from Baltimore to China； to which he replied that； as he never wished to go to China； he hadn't looked up the route。 Then； Senator Gorman asserted； the examiners quizzed him about all the steamship lines from the United States to Europe； branched off into geology and chemistry； and 〃turned him down。〃
Gorman was unaware that the Commissioners kept records of all their examinations； and when Roosevelt wrote him a polite note inquiring the name of the 〃bright young man from Baltimore；〃 Gorman did not reply。 Roosevelt also asked him； in case he shrank from giving the name of his informant； to give the date when the alleged examination took place。 He even offered to open the files to any representative the Senator chose to send。 Gorman； however； 〃not hitherto known as a sensitive soul；〃 as Roosevelt remarks； 〃expressed himself as so shocked at the thought that the veracity of the bright young man should be doubted； that he could not bring himself to answer my letter。〃 Accordingly； Roosevelt made a public statement that the Commissioners had never asked the questions which Gorman alleged。 Gorman waited until the next session of Congress and then； in a speech before the Senate； complained that he had received a very 〃impudent〃 letter from Commissioner Roosevelt 〃cruelly〃 calling him to account； when he was simply endeavoring to right a great wrong which the Commission had committed。 But neither then nor afterwards did he furnish 〃any clue to the identity of that child of his fondest fancy； the bright young man without a name。〃
Roosevelt must have chuckled with a righteous exultation at such evidence as this that the Lord had delivered the Philistines into his hands； and his abomination of the Spoils System must have deepened when he saw its Grosvenors and its Gormans brazen out the lies he caught them telling。
When the spoilsmen failed to get rid of the Commission by ridicule and by open attack； they resorted to the trick of not appropriating money for it in this or that district。 But this did not succeed； for the Commission； owing to lack of funds； held no examinations in those districts； and therefore no candidates from them could get offices。 This made the politicians unpopular with the hungry office…seekers whom they deprived of their food at the public trough。
The Commission had to struggle； however； not only to keep unfit candidates out of office； but to keep in office those who discharged their duty honestly and zealously。 After every election there came a rush of Congressmen and others； to turn out the tried and trusty employees and to put in their own applicants。 Such an overturn was of course detrimental to the service； first； because it substituted greenhorns for trained employees； and next； because it introduced the haphazard of politicians' whims for a just scheme of promotion and retention in office。 Roosevelt lamented bitterly over the injustice and he denounced the waste。 Many cases of grievous hardship came to his notice。 Widows； whose only means of support for themselves and their little children was their salary； were thrown upon the street in order that rapacious politicians might secure places for their henchmen。 Roosevelt might plead； but the politician remained obdurate。 What was the tragic lot of a widow and starving children compared with keeping promises with greedy 〃heelers〃？ Roosevelt saw that there was no redress except through the extension of the classified service。 This he urged at all times； and ten years later； when he was himself President； he added more than fifty thousand offices to the list of those which the spoilsmen could not clutch。
He served six years as Civil Service Commissioner； being reappointed in 1892 by President Cleveland。 The overturn in parties which made Cleveland President for the second time； enabled Roosevelt to watch more closely the working of the Reform System and he did what he could to safeguard those Government employees who were Republicans from being ousted for the benefit of Democrats。 In general； he believed in laying down certain principles on the tenure of office and in standing resolutely by them。 Thus； in 1891； under Harrison； on being urged to retain General Corse； the excellent Democratic Postmaster of Boston； he replied to his friend Curtis Guild that Corse ought to be continued as a matter of principle and not because Cleveland； several years before； had retained Pearson； the Republican Postmaster of New York； as an exception。
At the end of six years； Roosevelt felt that he had worked on the Commission long enough to let the American people understand how necessary it was to maintain and extend the Merit System in the Civil Service。 A sudden access of virtue had just cast out the Tammany Ring in New York City and set up Mr。 Strong； a Reformer； as Mayor。 He wished to secure Roosevelt's help and Roosevelt was eager to give it。 The Mayor offered him the headship of the Street Cleaning Department； but this he declined； not because he thought the place beneath him； but because he lacked the necessary scientific qualifications； and Mayor Strong； was lucky in finding for it the best man in the country； Colonel George E。 Waring。 Accordingly； the Mayor ap pointed Roosevelt President of the Board of Police Commissioners； and he accepted。
The Police System in New York City in 1895； when Roosevelt took control； was a monstrosity which； in almost every respect； did exactly the opposite from what the Police System is organized to do。 Moral values had been so perverted that it took a strong man to hold fast to the rudimentary distinctions between Good and Evil。 The Police existed； in theory； to protect the lives and property of respectable citizens； to catch law…breakers and hand them over to the courts for punishment； to hunt down gamblers； swindlers； and all the other various criminals and purveyors of vice。 In reality； the Police under Tammany abetted crime and protected the vicious。 This they did； not because they had any special hostility to Virtuethey probably knew too little about it to form a dispassionate opinion any waybut because Vice paid better。 They held the cynical view that human nature will always breed a great many persons having a propensity to licentious or violent habits； that laws were made to check and punish these persons； and that they might go their pernicious ways unmolested if the Police took no notice of them。 So the Police established a system of immunity which anybody could enjoy by paying the price。 Notorious gambling…hells 〃ran wide open〃 after handing the required sum to the high police official who extorted it。 Hundreds of houses of ill…fame carried on their hideous traffic undisturbed； so long as the Police Captain of the district received his weekly bribe。 Gangs of roughs； toughs； and gunmen pursued their piratical business without thinking of the law； for they shared their spoils with the supposed officers of the law。 And there were more degenerate miscreants still； who connived with the Police and went unscathed。 As if the vast sums collected from these willing bribers were not enough； the Police added a system of blackmail to be levied on those who were not deliberately vicious； but who sought convenie
