The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-02-14
= si.i;s-;s.- - rHE PENDLEroN BTEL.
| Was there Demand for Its Passage by the
Democracy and the PeoPlsP


on Civil Service Reform, and that in
their platforms they have not only taken
Grounds in favor of changes in the Ser
vice as provided for in the PendletOn
bill, but have gone still further in de-
manding more radical changes
changes that would involve the amend
ing of the constitution. Yet in the
face of this record of the Democracy IL
has been claimed by few of the Oppo-
nents Of the measure, that there was no
call for the bill, and that Mr.. PendletOn
worked for its passage merely of his
own VOlitiOn. Was that the case? Was
there or was there not a demand for il
IL there was demand for IL did that de-
mand come from the DemOeracyp We
have not the platforms of all the Demo-
cratic State Conventions, neither have
we the records or letters of all the
Democratic Congressman elected at the
last election. Yet we have more than
sufficient to answer the questions pro-
pounded above, and in this article we
propose to quote from few of the planks
and letters, that our readers may judge
for themselves.
Now, while Ohio endorsed Civil Ser
vice Reform in its platform in 1882, and
the people expressed themselves strong
ly at the ballot box against the practices
of the Republican party, some of which
practices the bill endeaVOTs to stop, yet
the PendletOn bill by name did not en-
ter to very large extent into the cam
paign In, this State last fall. While this
was the case ia Ohio it was not the case
throughout the country. All the State
Conventions, so far as we have heard,
condemned the practices of the Repub-
lican party and demanded reform, to a
greater or less extent, as for instance
the following from the platform of the
Michigan Democratic State Convention I:
"We also demand that federal subOr-
dinate officers shall not be appointed OF
removed because of political belief, nor
appointed until their ability and merit
have been proved by open, public ex-
animation. and competition; and that
political assessments or forced cOntFi-
buttons from public officers should be
made felony by law"
We would like TO know how much
further than that the PendletOn bill
goes.
But the demand Tor Civil Service Re-
form did not stop there, some Democratic
State Conventions not only demand re-
form, but they endorse the PendletOn
bill by name, as for instance the follow
ing from the New Hampshire State plat
form:
ave demand a complete reform of the
civil service, as contemplated by the
PendletOn bill, or an. y.measure.that will
accomplish the same result.
The Democratic Convention of Massa-
chusetts declared:
I'VE favor the principles Of the PEN
dletOn bill in regard TO appointments in
the civil service, and the Willis bill in
regard to assessments of federal office
holders"
The State Convention Of California,
where the Democrats made clean
sweep, endorsed the Pendle;On bill be
name.
Outside of the State platforms the
civil service reform and the PendletOn
bill were made a direct issue in some
States and in many Congressional Dis
tricts.
We have 40 copy of the platform of
the New York Democracy, and so cannot
say as to Just what IL says upon the sub
iect, but this is what Grover Cleveland,
Democratic candidate for Governor. said
in letter dated October %, 1882, prior
to the election:
Il have no objection in saying that 1
fully approve the principles embodied
in the PendletOn bill relating to tue sub
Ject lciyil service reforml, and that
should be glad to aid in any political
Legislation which would give them a
place in the management of the affairs
of the State and municipalities so far as
they can be made applicable thereto"
Our readers will no doubt remember
that he was elected by nearly 100000
majority.
OF the Democratic candidates for Con-
gress in New York. nearly, and perhaps
all announcer themselves in favor of the
Pendleton bill.
The Democratic candidate for Con
nN L. IN,
SlOcum, wrote under date of October %,
1882:
II am in sympathy with the objects
sought to be accomplished by the Civil |
Service Reform Association, and, If |
elected to Congress, | shall support any
proper measure tending to reform the |
method of selecting federal officers in |
The civil service, and shall favor any
measure calculated to prevent the pTae- |
ice Of assessing the agents of the gov
srnment for the benefit of political |
Darty."
Abram s. Hewitt wrote:
81 shall advocate the passage of both |
# the measures referred to [the Pendle- |
on bill. and the House bill prohibiting
upon office holders for the /
purpose of creating partisan election /
und' and go further and say that, un-
ess the system which now prevails Of |
to office, and of Organi-
ing the Office holders into a ring for
,eeping themselves in Office shall be re-
ormed, our system Of free government
will be destroyed, ana the generation
which permits such calamity to occur
will prove that IL is unworthy OF the
'riVileRes which II received from the
athers of the Republic"
W. E. Robinson wrote:
''I am in favor of 1.-THE Senate bill to
egulate and improve the civil service
I the United States, and have been and
hall be the inyeterate foe of all attempts
o create a partisan election fund by
eYying assessments on the salaries of
flee holders"
VIM. DOrshelmer wrote:
81 have read the Senate bill entitled
A bill to regolate and improve the civil
erYice of the United States and / think
ts provisions may be usefuIIy applied
o large part of the public service. II
am elected to Congress, it, or some
quivalent measure, will have my active
Perry Belmont endorsed Grover Cleye.
and's admirable letter" on the subject.
We have seen no letter from s. s. Cox,
ut he evidently endorsed the PendIeton
ill, as he helped to pass IL at this ses-
inn nf Con orouo