The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-02-06
The Civil Service Bill.

A few days ago occurred the first an
niver>ary of the passage of the first at
# the National Legislature having as
is purpose the'inauguration Of reform
n the Civil S rvice Of the Nation. 1t is
remarkable fact that the day
passed without note or comment
IN the part OF the Democratic jour
nails of this Country. although eight
cen months ago their columns were
crammed with editorials demand
ing that the Republican party be o.
PEELED from power because it did not
reform the Civil Service 1t is now
very apparent to the public, and pain
fully SO to the Democratic brethren,
that the reform in the Civil Service
which they meant was not so much the
retention Of efficient help and the eleva-
ton of the service. as the removal of
Republican otfice-holders to make place
for Democrats The Republican party
is the only political organization known
to the history of the United States which
ever made any effort TO reform the adj
ministration of the Civil Service, which
had been debauched by its Democratic
predecessors and bequeathed to it at a
time Of great National distress and ex-
citement.
Ever since 1929, when President
jackson removed over seven hundred
ofiice-holders to give emphasis to his
original Democratic doctrine that ITO
the victors belong the spoils," that
maxim was the Shibboleth Of the Dem
ocratic party. Such was the condition
Of the public mind, educated to accept
and perpetuate this doctrine, when the
Republican party in 1861 came in pos
session Of the machinery of Govern
ment. Certainly the doctrine accom-
plished one good result as it insured at
that time the removal, more or less
gradually, Of great many corrupt
Democratic office-holders and their re-
placement by efficient, honorable and
patriotic Republicans, the effect of
the change be ng visible in most
marked manner in the financial record
of the country since that date, as com
pared with the same showing for the
previous period, the percentage of
losses under Republican Adminstra-
tions being vastly less than had
ever been known under Demo-
cratic regime After nearly twenty-five
years of hungry waiting outside, the
Democratic party, despairing of gain
ing admission to the confidence of the
people and the control of the Govern
ment by an open advocacy OF Its
known views, complained that the Re-
publicans were administering the af-
fairs of the Government upon the old
Jacksonian doctrine. In order to give
emphasis to the hypocritical demand Of
the Democrats for n Civil-Service Re.
form, which was intended merely tC
catch the public ear, win public ap'
plause and aid in Democratic success
but which IL was never intended by the
Democrats to enforce AS a measure oi
public policy, Mr.. Pendleton introduced
his famous bill before Congress tc
reform the Civil Service, and much u
his surprise and the disgust of the
Democratic party in general, Repub
lican Congress accepted the movement
in good faith, and passed the bill ant
put it into actual operation. And nov
a year later on the anniversary of thu
birth Of this prodigy so loudly clamoreC
for by the Democratic throats, its birth
day is allowed by the Democratic breth
rem 10 pass in solemn silence and with
out an indication of their approval Of ,
measure adopted at their request orig
mated by one Of their own number
adopted by Republican Congress ant
enforced by Republican Executive.
We are sorry for our Democrat,
friends, sorry that they are not satisfied
with having what they asked for, anC
can offer them but one consoling rehec
ton. The Civil-service bill and its op
Grafton will make very little diiferenc,
TO them, as in any event there would b,
! no opportunity for the advent of Demo
cratic statesmen in 1885. II the coun
try has gained anything by the reform
inaugurated in the Civil Service it ha
not been at the expense OF the Democ
racy, for the Democracy had nothing
even in expectancy, to ose.-B~iingtoI
. HdWkeye.