The Press., 1883-12-13
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, D. C.. Dec. sth, 1883

: Oae of the perplexing problems which congress will encouut=r quite early in its session IS the civil service question.
 It will be remembered that Senator Pen dleton was the father of this measure. He took 1t up at time when democratic chanc.s were so very meager and discour- aging that 1t was felt by the leaders of that party that something must be done to throw odium on the republicans. In the whole category of political purposes and schemes there was nothing promising that the republicans had not advocated or adopted. Whether they had done this as & matter of policy or principle was imma- terial, the vital fact being that they meant to serve the public so well, to meet all their reasonable wants and grievances so completely, as to leave nothing for the democrats to use against them. And they had succeeded, as the long line of victorious elections show. Senator Pendleton, and other democratic senators thought they might break this success by getting up tht civil service bill And 1t finally passed
 somewhat changed, but enough like their own, so that they cannot deny its paterni- ty. But the question now comes up, Is 1t not going to plague its inventors serious ly, and what is more important unmask a hollow pretense on the part of the dem- ocrats !? There are very few republicans, in Washington, at least, who believe that the democratic party wants civil service impeachment to its grasp of the offices If it wins the next general election. Office holders believe that if the democrats suc- ceed they will have to walk out of of flee, civil service or no civil service But until this takes place, if it ever does, con- sistency with the Pendleton measure and 1o4f T al ok they should support the civil service idea with zeal and vigor. The house of repre- sentatives is democratic It will have an immediate opportunity to show its belief in the civil service law by making ap pointments to places in the organization of the house through the means of compe- titive examinations. Of course it will not do this. The loaves and fishes will be di- vided in the good old democratic way. If a republican official is retained in the house of representatives it will be because they cannot get along without them. But the republicans think that this fact will disgust the country with the civil service theories of the democrats. They have clamored for it, got their own law, and now the first chance they have to show that they really want civil service sys- tenn, they trample on it completely, and exhibit themselves in the attitude of play ing game to deceive the voters. But however bad the taste may be, the dem- ocrats are preparing to take down this po- itical dose without winking. They have waited too long to get into office, to get Q chance at the government places and emoluments. So 1t may be set down as an assured fact that however the law reads as to the admission of new men into the civil service, there won't be any pretense on the part of the honest democracy that got up the civil service law, to comply with 1t themselves. Democrats don't pro pose to set up as reformers at this late date. "To the victors belong the spells" they say now, as they did under Jackson. The only excuse they find is that the ser vice law does not apply to the legislative branch of the government The incon- sistency of this idea is ridiculous. But it is better than no excuse and so it is offer ed. Nevertheless the appointment of po- itical favorites to government offices shows that the democrats never intend to be handicapped with a civil service law Talking with we'll informed democratic politician, he said, concerning the civil service commission, that its days were practically ended. The democratic house will drop out it's appropriation this winter and that will end it, he said we do not want to be hampered with the question next winter for 1t might be an embarrass- ment to us, just on the verge of presi- dential election, so we will kill it off in the simplest way possible ; no appropriation no civil service, do you see And then no one is to blame for it.