Chapter 16, The Silver Plated Reform Commissioner Summary and Analysis

The author describes the Washington, D.C. of the late 1800s as a beautiful and idyllic place, where people seemed unbothered by work. However, the city proves to be an expensive place to live, due to its high turnover rate: with each new administration comes an almost entirely new population.

Into such an environment bursts Roosevelt. He accepts the oath of Commissioner with his trademark gusto. The other Commissioners, Lyman and Thompson, Roosevelt thinks, work sluggishly.

Civil Service refers to any federal jobs. Prior to reform, the jobs are assigned by the spoils system, in which the reigning political party awards jobs largely on favoritism, with little regard to qualifications. Also, employees of the former administration lose their jobs with no considerations for performance. Roosevelt seeks immediately to rectify such abuses...