8o REFORM AND DEMOCRACY 



the civil service of the National Government. 

 Many influences united, of course, in producing 

 this result. What never failed to win support 

 for the system, however, was the contention 

 that it was democratic that it was based on 

 the idea that where equality was the order of 

 the day there must be no permanent tenure, 

 no monopoly, in the service of the people, but 

 every individual must be presumed equally 

 qualified for the service, every one must have 

 the chance in rotation to perform the duties of 

 office. Just as the business of banking was to 

 be open to all without restriction, so the offices 

 of the government must be open to all. And 

 no safer test was available of the people s will 

 as to the tenant of appointive office at any par 

 ticular time than the result of a contest for 

 the great elective offices. The voice of the 

 successful party was the voice of the people, 

 and the choice of the party leader was the 

 sufficient index in any particular case of the 

 party s wish as to the tenant of an office. In 

 vain was it pointed out by the well-informed 

 that patronage of this type was a conspicuous 

 feature of the British governmental system and 

 a mainstay of aristocratic ascendancy. Amer 

 ican public opinion was incredulous or un- 



