In the discussion on the scrutin, de liste, M. Gambetta
said that one of his main reasons for proposing it was to break the power of influential constituencies to besiege their Deputies for appointments. He considered the demands of the Depu- ties for patronage directly injurious to administrative 'efficiency. This appears to be one of M. Gambetta's fixed ideas, as is also his belief that Deputies and Senators should not be directors of public companies ; and his new Minister of the Interior, M. Waldeck-Rousseau, has already issued a Circular to the Prefects, declaring that they alone can recommend appointments and promotions in the 'Civil Service. Requests involving patronage, forwarded to the Ministry by unauthorised persons, will be returned unanswered. This is a severe blow at a rampant evil; but M. Gambetta, if be is in earnest, will have to go farther than this. All experi- ence shows that as long as it is possible to make appointments by mere fiat, Ministers will yield to political pressure. It will be needful either to insist on competitive examination for the Civil Service, or to punish solicitation as a form of bribery. Even with competitive examinations, the Prefects, who must promote, -will be besieged by the Deputies.
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