Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-07-15
Civil Service Reform.

has not by any means lost its interest. In
fact, the indications are that it Is going
TO attract n good deal OF attention during
the next few months, and that it will be
conducted with vigor, il not with partisan
spirit, as soon as Congress meets.
The Washington Star is authority tor
the statement that several of the Cabinet
officers have been making removals with
out due regard for the principles Of civil
service reform, and that the President has
I put stop to any further removals until
/ he can get the consent OF those who are
authorized to make removals and appoint
ments to appreciate fully his position with
/ regard 10 civil service reform.
There may, or may not, be much truth
in what the star says on this subject.
/ That paper is so thoroughly in sympathy
with the employees Of the government that
it is always trying to give them encour-
agement
1t is a fact, however, that there is a
| lively fight going on between the Repub-
lican members Of the Civil Service Com
mission and four or five of the leading
bureau officers Of the government. 1t is
charged, and apparently with truth, that
the whole aim Of the Republican commits
sioners appears TO be TO keep Republicans
in office and to get other Republicans ap-
pointed
For instance. it is stated that the man
Kellar, about whom so much fuss has
been made, was appointed over the head
Of n Tennessee Democrat who had been
waiting for a place for two years. The
name Of the Tennessee man is Winchester,
and he passed first-class examination at
least year and half before kellar was
examined. Another fact is worthy of
notice. II is that the quota Of ohio is
fun, while that of Tennessee is not. Why,
then, was Winchester ignored and Kellar
favored? Was it not because WInches-
ter is a Democrat? 1t looks very much
as if that were the case.
Other cases Of partisanship are not
wanting. In fact, evidence has been
published lately that Mr.. Gregory, one of
the commissioners is an extreme partisan,
and made very bitter attacks on Mr..
Cleveland during the campaign. II some
of the expressions charged against Mr..
Gregory are his he is certainly a most
offensive partisan" and ought to be in
yited 10 resign.
As the duty Of putting in force the civil
service law deyolyes first upon Demo-
cratic administration a majority of the
Civil Service Commission ought to be
Democrats. There would not then be the
feeling Of hostility between the commits
sion and leading officers of the govern
ment which is now apparent.
Whether the Washington Star is right
or not in its statement that the President
has called halt in appointments it is
certain that he is just as determined to
support civil service reform now as he
was the day he was inaugurated. He is
having pretty hard fight with
the Oticeseekers, but he is bound
to be victorious. A prominent
Southern journal day or two ago
said that the civil service law was passed
before the people were ready tor it. The
statement is hardly correct. 1t would
have been nearer the truth TO have said
that it was passed before the politicians
were ready Tor it. The people have been
ready for it a long time.
@AAC bht HEbtAC upAuAIB lHctbluES any
where to condemn the law? Are they
rushing into print to express their oppo-
sitiOn to it? Nothing OF the kind. The
| only opposition to it comes from the
officeseekers and the politicians because
they cannot get the offices as fast as they
want them. But hostile as the politi-
clans are to the law who OF them
darag ODpnlV IN condemn II That fbov n 70
afraid to say that il is bad law, shows
that they know that 1t has the approval of
the people. But because the law is good
il doesn't follow that it is best to extend
its principles to the offices which are not
embraced in its jurisdiction. Those who
administer the principal offices IN differ
ent parts of the country are part of the
administration, and ought, therefore, TO
be in full sympathy with it.