The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-01-10
A CIVIL SERVICE REFORM BILL
WITHOUT MUCH REFORM.

we have before said, the bill Is not what
it processes to be. III is not "ciyil ser
vice reform" The title is comprehen-
sible enough; but its provisions are ex-
ceedingly small To borrow from Dick
ens--it is an inn sign-post without any
imam invitation 10 wayfarers to rest
and be thankful, where there is no place
to put up at nothing to be thankful for.
The patriot who is thirsting for the
nourishing bread of civil service reform
gets but a dry stone. The Haunting
/ title holds the word Of promise to the
ear but breaks it to the hope. There
are 10000 federal oiIicC-holders, more
or less The provisions Of the bill apply
after fashion to from five thousand to
ten thousand, and they the occupants OF
the minor offices, not even the big clerk
ships, only the little ones in the depart
ments at Washington. But it makes
even them secure in their places, and
operates only where vacancy occurs
an improbable event, for what Jeller-
son said of otlce-holders is true: "Few
A.. .,,,1 ,,r,,o ro.,;,,p -
The bill applies the test of competitive
examination to the outs and exempts
the ms. What the country wants is a
civil service, which is fair deal all
around, and gives chance for the outs
as well as the ms The observation of Sen
ator Jonas was well made: 81 believe"
said he, "the civil service Of the coun-
try is corrupt and incompetent to
large degree, and | will favor any measure
which proposes an examination into the
competency and character Of the persons
who fill the positions under it. AN Of
the people rho are IN c6ice are to remain.
They are to constitute prjpiieged class,
! il they are not to be subjected to the
same competition which is proposed for
candidates for appointment" The re-
lection of the Pugh amendment requir-
ing that persons who are in position
shall be examined in classes |, 2 and 3, at
intervals, one Immediately, the other in
six months, and the other in twelve
months, by solid Republican vote in
the Senate, shows that the Republicans
we're determined to take care of their
own, come what would.
Senator Coke, Of Texas, stalwart
intellect by the way, said: Taken as q
response to the great public demand for
civil service reform, the bill is utterly
worthless and Intellectual etc. "a
number Of amendments which would
have given it force and vitality, notably,
those of the Senators from Georgia and
Alabama, and the one proposed by my
self subiecting the present incumbents
Of the offices to the conditions prescribed
in the bill, were all voted down" The
amendment of the Georgia Senator re-
quired that both parties should be
recognized in the appointments, but the
Republicans held the fort, and would
not surrender it.
i What is wanted is reform that will
operate impartially; reform that viii
strike the giant oaks as wellas the slen-
der saplings-t that will ascend high and
reach low. The government has be-
come money making machine. Super
numcraries are quartered upon it by the
thousand. Congressman holding the
purse strings Of the government, vote
: subsidies to wealthy corporations
and get rich. Population is the order
Of the day Population in the War de-
partment Population in the Navy de-
partment. POPULATION in the Post Office
department. In the Indian bureau. In
the Internal Revenue business. Pecula-
ton everywhere. With government
money, electioneering partisans are en-
ployed under pretenoe Of rendering Off
eial service. Thousands have been paid
salaries for no work or for unnecessary
work. Supernumeraries without NUM-
Der have been foisted upon the Depart
ments, so that political strikers could be
provided for and the machine kept in
order Offices have been created in the
, shape Of Commissioners with big salaries.
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