Page:The Wisconsin idea (IA cu31924032449252).pdf/199

 service law, members from the German districts upheld it strongly. One of the assemblymen from Milwaukee said, "We Germans believe in civil service; we believe in merit and fitness; we believe that men should be educated for administrative duties; we do not like 'pull' in state business." There is no doubt but that the German prefers attaining public office under civil service to any other method. It is strange but true, that in the German state of Wisconsin, a German governor has never been elected, as the old German stock in general dislikes political strife and wire pulling. The German believes that public officials should be educated so we have a great basis for civil service principles in the temperament of the state.

The power of the commissions as herein outlined must seem to the reader to be fraught with danger. Centralized machinery has been dangerous in the past and continues to be so unless the temptation for political juggling is removed. Such concentration of power should not take place without the addition of the non-partisan spirit and an efficient civil service. Any state which may wish to follow Wisconsin by adopting its highly centralized plan is hereby warned in order that they may have proper conditions in which to establish a scheme which gives so much power into the hands of a few experts. Suppose after having planned these elaborate laws calling for statisticians, accountants, actuarial