Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-10-27
Civil Service Reform.

Civil Service Reform.
A copy of the following circular
letter was addressed to each Of the
candidates for congress in the Third
District of Wisconsin, to-wit: Hon.
E. w. Keyes, Hon. S. d. Hastings,
Burr W. Jones, Esq, Hon. G. c.
Hazelton:
MADISON, Wis, July l, 1852.
SIR: The Civil Service Reform Association Of
Madison is composed of electors in this Congress
sional district. They believe that the public
good would be subServed by the enactment Of
national statutes who should open 10 all persons,
on equal terms, the subordinate executive offices
of government. and require that appointments
thereto should in all cases be made from persons
whose fitness has eenaseertalnedb by eompetetive
examinations, open 10 all applicants, and by
such additional tests as experience may indicate;
and that removals should be made for legitimate
cause only, But NOT FOR POLITICAL OPINION OR
REFUSAL TO RENDER PARTY SERVICE OR To PAY
PARTY ASSESSMENTS. They further believe that
measures looking 10 this end will be laid before
their passage will be of the highest importance
Ia the nation.
Your name has been prominently mentioned
i'll connection with the place of representative i'll
Congress from this district, and by the direction
of the executive committee of this association,
we take the liberty to ask in the event of Your
election as such representative, whether or not
Tor the reform OF the Civil Service as above in
dictated.
viii YOU kindly favor us with reply at your
earliest convenience? We shall have the honor
to lay your answer before the association and the
public ut large. which shares the interest of the
association in this matter. And we remain With
great respect your obdient servants,
J. ii. CARPENTER,
President Madison Civil Ser. Ref. Association,
CHARLES y. GREGORY,
Secretary.
BY order OF the Executive Committee,
No reply whatever has been re-
ceived by the Association from Hon,
E. w. Reyes and Hon. G. c. Hazel
ton, but the following letters were
received from Burr w. Jones, Esq,
and Hon. S. d, Hastings;
MEssRs. ]. II. CARPENTER AND CHARLES y.
GREGORY, President and Secretary of the Mad
isou Civil Service Reform Association;
GENTLEMEN: Your favor asking my views upon
the subject of civil service reform has been re
ceived. At the time of the organization of your
club had the honor to participate in such organ
ization, and have ever since remained member
became a member of the civil service reform
association after some deliberation as to its pur
poses, and in view of what then believed TO be
very grave abuses in the methods of conducting
elections, and of the appointment and removal
of public officers.
Since that time nothing has occurred to change
my views upon this subject. On the contrary
those views have been confirmed by the events
which have since been every day transporting i'll
our own and in other states. In too many such
eases the public have seen the civil service pros
tituted to the personal interests of the candi-
dates.
At the instance of congressman hoping for
reelection, tried and competent officials have
been removed for no other reason than To give
place to more Jealous political workers. large
number of new offices have been lately created
and parceled out among congressman, 10 be be-
slowed where they would be most effective 10
produce favorable results in the caucus and con
Yention.
Public officers whose time belongs to the gov
eminent and 10 the people at large, who are
taxed to pay them, and to no congressman or
party, have given i'll many cases their attention
almost exclusively for weeks and months to-
gether to the packing of caucuses and conven-
lions in the interests of the member TO be
reelected, whose favor they hoped for and
whose enmity they feared. The fact is constantly
brought before the public that large and re-
peated assessments are being made for the pur.
pose of raising vast sums of money to be used in
elections 1t is officially announced, and does
not seem TO be anywhere denied, that such
assessments are not disapproyed of in any de.
partment of the government. | have heretofore
favored civil service reform, hoping that the
movement would tend to correct abuses of this
character, and that movement still has my hearty
sympathy and support am in favor of the
measure known as the Pendleton bill now pend.
ing in congress. 1t may not be the best bin that
could be devised, but it proposes definite action
in what believe to be the right direction, and
in the absence of any better measure it seems 10
me to be entitled to the support of those who be
Ileve that the reform of the civil service is both
necessary and possible.
Very truly yours BURR W. JONES
Hon. J. II. CARPENTER, President and CHARLES
n. GREGORY ESQ. Secretary, Madison Civil
Service Reform Association:
GENTLEMEN; ! ain just now in receipt of your
circular i'll which you give statement of the
views entertained, and the objects contemplated
to be secured by your association, and you ask me
in the event of my election TO congress, whether
or not would urge and support legislation look
ing to the reform OF the civil service as indicated
in your circular.
In response to your inquiry would say that /
am in most hearty sympathy with the views and
objects Of your association, and that i'll the event
Of my election TO congress, the legislation you
indicate would receive my most cordial support
As further expression of my own views and
of those have the honor to represent, allow me
10 lay before you the following plank III the
platform, which was unanimously adopted by
the convention which placed me in nomination
the same having been penned by me as mem
Der of the platform committee:
THAT we are in favor of the abolition of ex-
executive, legislative and judicial patronage
Everything that fayors reform in our civil ser
vice; everything that fayors the abolition of the
corrupt and demoralizing practice of raising
funds for party purposes by assessments upon
officers and employees of the government indie
pendent of partisan politics and dependent upon
character and fitness, impartially ascertained,
for the duties of the positions 10 be Aled receive
our most hearty endorsement and support.
have the honor to be gentlemen, with great
respect, Your obedient servant,
SAMUEL d. HASTINGS.
A meeting of the civil service re-
form association was held at the
supreme court room at the capitol,
on the evening of October II, 1882;
President J. Ii. Carpenter in the
chair:
Secretary Charles \. Gregory re-
ported correspondence with congress
sional candidates and their replies ::
J. NJ. Olin offered the following
resolutions
WHEREAS Under tie direction Of the exeeu-
tive committee Of this association, letters Of in
quiIy we're addressed TO Hon. Z. ". Keyes, Hon.
G. c. Hazelton, Hon. s, D. Hastings and Burr W.
Jones, Esq, candidates for congress in the Third
congressional district of Wisconsin recitiDg that
district and courteously requesting their several
yiews in regard 70 measures OF civil service re-
form and
received from Hon 6. d. Hastings and Burr W.
Jones, Esq, which are entirely satisfactory TO
this association, and which pledge those gentle
men TO the support of such measures Of reform
as said association has heretofore advocated and
now deems Of the highest Importance and
WHEREAS, Hon. Z w. Keyes, and Hon. G. c.
Hazelton have wholly failed 70 reply 10 the polite
and decorous letter OF this association and By
such neglect and By the methods In which they
are conducting the present campaign, have
shown their entire disregard of the principles
advocated BY the association and which IL deems
essential in public men, and which form prom
inenf portions Of the national platform Of l67E
and isso, Of the party which they represent now
therefore, be t.
RESOLVED, That the election Of Hon. Z ".
Reyes or Hon g. G Hazeiton y eongres- would
be detrimental % the cause Of civil service re-
form, and that all members Of this association
and all friends Of said reform are requested -
abstain from voting for either Of them. and
further that they urged 70 all lawful and
honorable means to secure their defeat 81 the
rolls.
Prof. ". F. Allen seconded the
same and they were unanimously
adopted by a rising vote. Prof. |
Allen then moved that the CORES
pondence of the association with the
candidates for congress and the
above resolution be printed for dis