Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1883-01-19
The Civil Service Law.

At the Democratic reunion held in Indi-
annapolis a short time ago, after the adjourn
ment of the annual meeting Of the Indiana
Democratic editors, Ex-Governor Hendricks
and Mr.. McDonalald paid their respects to
Pendeton's civil service bill, which has
since passed both Houses of Congress. Be-
ing confined to his house by illness, Mr..
Hendricks expressed his views by letter,
concluding as follows
"When / had the honor to address your
association before the election, | said genu-
inc and efficient reform must include vast
reduction in otfice-holding, in official saia-
ri S, and in appropriations. Who, at that
time, thought that law regulating the man
ner OF appointing and removing subordi-
nate officers would accomplish the will and
demands Of the people? But since the cleo
ton all other proportions of reform are ig-
nored by a large class of partisan newspa-
pers, or confused in the clamor for the regu-
lation of official tenure We should not be
msled. The purpose is not to improve the
civil service; it is to save the property from
harm. BY unprecedented majorties and
over vast regions of country the party in
power and its management of public affairs
have been condemned and repudiated; at
such time, and with the popular judgment
unreversed, we are told that it is statesman
ship and an assurance of better government
| TO provide by law that the ofiiceholders, who
have been the party agents and instruments
in maintaining the measures and policies so
condemned, shall be made more permanent
and secure in their offices than ever before.
1--WE know that the struggle for this con-
| rol pft he ,Aotr hoe 6iarnntn1 81 now
erful party, but the people who followed the
banner of reform care naught for that
| They ask for the improvement of the civil
service, not the strengthening of the party.
If partiality and fayoritism have so prevailed
that States and sections are denied their
just proportions of the patronage, let 1t be
regulated by law. II it be found expedi-
ent to appoint examiners, after the manner
OF the school system, let that also be done.
] will have faith in it when | see its fruits.
But when the ofiice-holding class is made
permanent by law, or the removal made
difficult, will expect frauds to become more
secure and reforms more difficult. Changes
in the agents that transact the public bust
ness facilitate the discovery of whatever
ought not to be concealed. To guarantees q
pure Republic do not believe we need tc
establish an office-holding class. During
many administrations by the Democratic
aud Wing parties official frauds were almost
unknown. with the absolute power Of ap
pontment and removal in the hands of the
President and his Secretaries. When Mr.
Guthrie was Secretary of the Treasury j
did not require that he should be stripped
of the power of removal to keep the EN-
ployes Of his department from mis-appro
priating the public money.
n uppaptinu tho nomination nl the ~
! Louis convention for Vice President | saiC
what ] then thought on the subject, AM
what yet believe. For more than twent,
years the Republican party has been il
power. 1t has been proscriptive, exclusiv
I and selfish. From year TO year and fron
9 Administration to Administration 1t has be
come more conspicuously So To provld
places for the increasing demands of th
followers, it has added TO and increased TIL
: number of public offices and employment
until now those engaged in the civil servic
: of the country and paid ont of its Treasur
exceed 100000. In that army of hundre
regiments of officeholders no Democrats al
allowed. Upon the demands of partisa
f hate and greed they are remorselessly ea
q cluded. None but partisans shall stan
+ upon guard has been the watchword, an
: to the victors belong the spoils' has bee
the demand and memorable policy
!. at has served a man nought that he hi
4 been known as honest and faithful. 1t hi
been all the same that he fought for h
country in war, won laurels and sutfere
u wounds. In the distribution of their coui
i try's employments and in the enjoyments
its honors, they are pushed aside, and b
cause they have not served the party and i
!. Managers pushed aside for men lacking the
mart and thar puo
II "The expectation prevails that the Dem
; Gratis will carry the election in 1884. Tn
- expectation may not be realized, but beir
A entertained now, to legislate so as to eXclut
them from the usual control OF public affai
l. could only be justified by a want of con
t. dence, and would be an indignity and I
v insult to the majarty of the people.
= minority defeated at the election have
e right to offer such an insult"
II Ex Senator Mcdonald spoke to about
'e same effect. Abiding to the Pendleton b
If and what he considered its one specially @
jectionabe feature, he said: "a perpetui
in office, such II proposition was anthem
Is cratic in its broadcast sense, and the dire
ic opposition to the republican principles u
ri DERIVING the Government. II that prin
pie of perpetuity in Office is adopted it
simply borrowing from the mother COUNT
A civil service list will follow for supers
rs nuated officers, and there will be list
e, the support OF whom the people will
IS. made to pay. This is u necessary sequenc
nj The speaker illustrated by the custom
ready in force relative to superannuat
IN judges and officers of the army and ma
al and showed what burden would result
he the same was applied to the civil list.
Al his Judgment the principle was obnoSio
~ and, like other Republican reforms, m
nv chm,