The “spoils systems” was an important part of these political machines, and even the Republican Party U.S. Senator from New York, Roscoe Conkling, supported it. Under the “spoils system” or “patronage system”, the winner of an election gets to hand out government jobs to his supporters. “To the victors go the spoils,” is the famous saying. The “Stalwarts” in the Republican Party favored this system, which insured that holdovers who disagreed with the winner would be fired and everyone in the new administration would agree with the new leader. Against the Stalwarts were moderates who wanted a civil service system where a government employee would keep his job even after a new leader is elected. They sought “reform” of the spoils system. | The “spoils systems” was an important part of these political machines, and even the Republican Party U.S. Senator from New York, Roscoe Conkling, supported it. Under the “spoils system” or “patronage system”, the winner of an election gets to hand out government jobs to his supporters. “To the victors go the spoils,” is the famous saying. The “Stalwarts” in the Republican Party favored this system, which insured that holdovers who disagreed with the winner would be fired and everyone in the new administration would agree with the new leader. Against the Stalwarts were moderates who wanted a civil service system where a government employee would keep his job even after a new leader is elected. They sought “reform” of the spoils system. |