State Service Quotes
“Assessing” did not mean evaluating. It described a process where each civil servamt was “assessed” an amount of money—based on his salary—that was to be paid to the Political Party that appointed him. The specific corrupt process of “assessing” he described well in {629355}. Roosevelt had worked at the local, state and Federal levels of government. All had tolerated a great deal of this form of corruption. At the time this article was written, the Federal reforms had begun to take effect. Some states and local governments followed, but the average level of corruption being most at the local level, next at the state level, and least at the Federal level, as TR observed then was essentially the same into the 21st century. Government corruption was generally less, but relatively it was worst at the local level and least at the Federal level. At the end of the 20th century for example, every Kentucky County Commissioner except 1 was convicted and jailed for taking bribes and kickbacks from highway and road construction contractors. Corruption at the Federal Level was less.
At the time, the well-educated, elite class of Americans would rarely have anything to do with politics or public service towards the end of the 19th century. It was not part of the cultural expectation. Roosevelt was not only one of the rare exceptions, but he argued strongly to his Harvard and other Ivy League associates that they had a duty to become active. Few responded to his appeal but he set a precedent which over the years brought many talented men into politics and civil service.
