The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-01-10
THREE TO ONE FOR REFORM.

The Civil Service bill only requires
the signature of the President to be-
come a law, and as it is the first re-
spouse TO his request Tor similar
1881, the fact of the Dill is not doubt
Jul. The bill will become a law
within few days, and its provisions
will be complied with by the Presi-
dent so far as they relate to Execu-
tive action. This measure was IN
lroduced by Senator Pendleton a
year ago, and was made a special
order iii the Senate early in the ses
sion. 1t has been materially amend
ed, and in some respects improved,
and as 1t left the Senate 1t has pass
ed the House. The fact that not an
amendment was strenuously urged
in the House may excite surprise.
he fact explanatory is that the mea-
sure passed. practically, though not
technical Y, under the gag.
But though the previous question
was moved and the bill passed under
its operation the House forced the
motion upon Mr.. Kasson, who re-
ported the bill to the House. The
reason for this enormous self-sacri-
flee on the part of the gentlemen who
delight to hear themselves talk lay
in the reluctance felt by Democrats
to trust their tongues i'll speaking to
an amendment. They were practi-
cally in a corner, and very generally
opposed to the bill, but the force of
public opinion rca all factious
opposition, The bill passed by a
vote OF 155 to AZ, or by IA majority of
more than three to one. or the 155
affirmative votes the Republicans
cast 10o and the Democrats AZ. OF
the AZ negative votes 40 were cast by
the Democrats and 7 by Republi
cans. AS in the Senate every mega
tive vote was cast by a Democrat, so
the Democrats cast forty forty-sev-
enths of the negative votes against
the bill in the House. These facts
are of considerable significance, and
their significance will appear about
two years hence, when the Demo
Gratis will prance before the people,
rs they did last year, as the real
original, old DR.. Jacob Townshend,
inventors, owners, and operators of
civil service reform.
Ga that occasion We who survive
will see the Democratic editor and
orator red hot for a nOn-partisan,
non-political and reward -of-merit
reform of the civil service. He will
claim for his party the credit for
every step toward such reform. And
should any corrupt Republican ed
itor or orator bring to his attention
the fact that the only civil service
reform legislation ever had in this
country was proposed by a Repub-
lican President ard enacted b. a
Republican Congress, the fact will
be waived aside with a grand ar,
and the unfortunate Republican will
be dismissed as a partisan bigot.
When Some Republican refreshes
the memory of the Democratic editor
or orator with the fact that every
vote III the Senate cast against the
bill just passed was cast by a Demo-
crat, and that the opposition to it
during It's passage was by Democrat
ic Senators ; and when the Demo
Gratis are asked to take notice that
forty forty-sevenths of the negative
vote in the House on the final pas
sage of the bill was cast by Demo
crats-the answer will be that the
bill is a mockery and a delusion.
But the facts will remain of record,
and the record will be kept before
the people of the United States.
Meanwhile, while a Republican
Congressi is respondingto the demand
for civil service reform, a Democrat
ic Legislature is called to wrestle
with a like question in Harrisburg.
That Legislature went up to Harris
burgh with loud protestations of its
will to abolish sinecures and its
power to enforce its will. Its first
discovery was that certain men held
positions of no utility, but that they
held under legal tenure. This was
a poser. 1t was most astonishing.
And the first thought of this Gid
q
cons band of Democrats was that
they must obey the law and maintain
the %sinecures. 1t was a dreadful al
tentative for a Democratic body to
meet red handed. but it was thought
that if Democratic strikers were not
appointed, Republican bummers
wouldhold over. They never thought
of putting out the bummers and re-
fnsjng to put in the strikers. Such
IL Democratic reverence for law
North american.