The Spoils system
The spoils system was started by President Andrew Jackson as a tool for strengthening the base of his political party. But, for much of the 19th century, some (not all) elected officials gave unqualified friends and supporters government jobs. So, basically people who didn't really deserve to or have a job that dealt with government got the job anyway just because they were friends with other people who worked there. That's where the saying, " To the victors goes the spoils" comes from. This wasn't fair to other people who wanted the government jobs and the people who actually deserved it. American voters weren't being represented as they should. Finally, there had to be an end to this Spoils System. President Chester Arthur and the congress made the spoils system illegal by creating the Pendleton Civil Service Act. It mandates that all government employees take a test prior to working for the government. If they passed the tests, then it showed that they are qualified enough to work for the government.
http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Spoils_system.html (go to this website for more info on the spoils system)
http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Spoils_system.html (go to this website for more info on the spoils system)