The Portland daily press., 1883-01-19
DEERING CIVIL SERVICE AssoC1A.
TON.
Addresses by W. a. Looney and A. F.
a Moulton.

The Deering Civil Service Reform Associa-
tion was addressed last evening by VIM. H.
Looney, Esq, and A. F. Moulton, ESQ, in
Lewis Hall. Mr. E. II. Elwell, Esq, editor
OF the Transcript presided and made the oper-
ing address congratulating the association up
on the passage of the Pendleton bill and the
interest manifested in the movement all over
the country. He introduced as the first
speaker Mr.. W. II. Looney who spoke SUBJ
stantially as follows:
Mr.. Looney commenced his remarks bv saw
ing that although the lurid lieht of Guitean's
pistol exposed the "horrid deformities'' of the
spoil system, the true cause of the action of
the present Congress with reference to civil
service reform was the action of the people at
over the spirit of the dreams of our Congress-
men on thus subject. The scales had fallen
from their eyes, and new light had burst nm
on their path showing that they were walking
in the path of error.
He then discussed the origin of the snoil svs
TEN saying that it came into existence during
tne administration of Andrew jackson and
was epitomized and formulated by one Of the
party chieitains OF that period into the phrase
Ito the victor belongs the spoils" Candor com
pels me to state that this vicious system has
Deen adopted By all parties since that time and
IS to-day vigorously maintained by partisans
VINO Imagine that they are the leaders of both
parties. The dry rot of this system has eaten
into the very core of the public service and has
even touched the body polite. The trainers of
the constitution doubtless intended that the
officer appointed to the civil service like him
appointed to the military should be retained in
service Tor lie and removed only in case OF
maiieasance and inefficency. That Hamilton
held this view his own words attest Madison
who advocated the act of 1883 by which the
r!esioent was empowered to make removals
wlthont the consent of the Senate declared
tnat the president who exercised this power
Tor othor reasons than the good of the public
service ought to be impeached. The law of
l6zO which provided that the commissions of
ah-olnces should expire at the end of four
years, proved be s.hhe Pandora's box of our
political sys'em it has corrupted the evil SER
vice, tainted and debauched the patriotism
OF the people. During the first ten Presiden-
tai terms from Washington to the younger
ADAMS inclusive only eighty removals were
made from all departments of the civil service,
while Andrew jackson made over two thou
sand removals during his single administration.
Mr.. Looney here described the effect of the
methods employed by Gen. jackson upon the
CIVIL service. By the partisan crowd who
fought political campaigns as mercenary SCI
dlers IN barbarous ages fought battles for plum
der, country was lost sight of in party, and
patriotlsm gave way to personal greed. 1t
celminated IN the transferring of the functions
OF appointment which by the constitution are
conferred upon the Executive, to the Congress
men OF the dominant party Congressmen
parcelled out the offices as reward for party
service, which in turn came TO mean personal
service to the Senator or Representative con-
ferring them The disastrous effects of this
system upon the public service and upon the
public mind was then discussed This mischief
OF ONCE seeking has filled the country with a
herd of idlers and time servers who are a dead
weight ana dead loss upon the productive
energies of the country. Under it Congress-
men naturally select men who are most efficient
In promoting their personal ends. So long as
the spoil system exists economy in the manage
ment and purity in public affairs is absolutely |
impossible for the reason that Senators and Rep-
resentatlYeS who obtain and hold their posi- |
tions by dispensing public offices cannot be ex-
pected TO enact laws which will diminish the
number of their retainers or reduce their re ve-
nue.. 1t is system which is not only subyers-
i've OF the constitution but prolific source of
extravaganza and corruption. What is the
remedy? Mr.. Looney considered the Pendle-
ton oill only an entering, wedge. The true
Presidential term. I'd. The utter exclusion
OF congressman from exercising the executive
functions OF making appointments to the civil
service even In the remotest degree 3d. Com
petltiye examinations in all cases where possi-
ble,and an immediate return to the practices of
the Fathers of the Republic.
The rescue OF the civil service from the mire
through which the spoilers have dragged it is
now the foremost question in American poll
upas which poisons the republic. Stripped Of
all DISCUSSES the contest is between the people |
tor the privilege of self.government and a |
privileged few who constitute as selfish and as |
dictatorial governing class as ever devoured |
the substance of free people. There should |
be no hesitancy as to the position which all |
patriotic men should take.
Mr.. Looney was followed by A. f. Moulton, |
Esq, who spoke substantially as follows:
Mr.. Moulton began by alluding to the fact |
that this was the anniversary of the birth of |
Daniel Webster, and on that account fitting |
time to consider questions relating to the rin- |
derlYing principles of our Government. Web |
ster when the system of wholesale removals |
from office first began raised his voice against |
1t. The evils which the expounder of the |
constitution foresaw have been more than |
means clean sweep. Questions of govern |
mental policy are lost sight of in a general |
scramble for office. This has demoraliziug /
influence both upon the officeholders and upon |
those who wish to push them out and get their
places.
He then spoke of the effect of change OF ad- |
minisLration. The competent and incom-
petent all go out alike; no distinction is made, |
and he cited examples where administrations
have changed. Some may say keep one party /
in power all the time and you will save this /
trouble. 1t is not So There are faction fights /
within the parties, and the scramble gees on /
there. More than that, II is wrong in principle |
to keep nearly one-half of our citizens ostra-
cized and utterly ineligible for any position |
under the government A man of the opposi- |
tion now has no more right than an alien /
or pauper. Party government is a good /
thing. An administration should have men in |
accord with its principles; but to do this it is |
not necessary to chang the postmasters ON the |
cross roads, the keepers of light houses and the |
managers of soldiers homes. The great /
majority of positions are outside the domain OF |
party politics; they belong to the country, and |
their occupants should feel that while they |
serve their country well they are not liable to
be turned out in the midst of the term for |
which they are appointed
Mr.. Smart moved vote of thanks to the
speakers. Carried.
Discussion followed participated in by Messrs. |
Elwell, T.. B. Denrett, Smart, Moulton, Black
stone and Looney, after which the meeting ad- |
journed.
The next meeting will be addressed by A.
A. Strout, ESQ.