But whether appointed or elected, they are selected chiefly for partisan service.

They hold office only for a few years.

They rarely have any particular qualification for their work.
They cannot be expected either to take very much interest in their official duties or use their powers in an efficient manner.

To give such temporary officeholders a large measure of authority over their subordinates would mean in the long run that such authority would be used chiefly for political purposes.

Administrative efficiency, consequently, can only be secured by the adoption of a method of selecting departmental chiefs which will tend to make them expert public servants rather than politicians.