The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-11-11

majority gifts members should be those who
are in political accord with him. The former
Commission was doubtless composed oil
gentlemen fully qualified to discharge the
important duties devolving upon them,
but their sympathies were, BIS they natur.
| ally should be, with the Republican party.
It is all well enough for the friends of those
supposed to be political martyrs to eulo.
gize and laud them to the skies. This has
been lone to perfection in the case of Mr..
Arthur's commission. The gentlemen them.
| selves, in rendering their designations to
Mr.. Cleveland, made no complaint what.
ever, nor can it be inferred from what they
said that they feared any danger Of being
decapitated by a political gui]lotine, but
upon the contrary they exhibited a proper
sense Of the delicacy they experienced in
being politically adverse to the President,
| and they were honorable enough to admit
that the commission should be in political
accord with the President. just here the
matter ought to rest, but the Republicans,
having controlled the Administration for
nearly a quarter of q century, and conse-
quently have, during that time, dictated it's
every movement, are now, notwithstand-
ing they AVE been left out in the cold, ats
loss to know why they should not still o m
tinue to influence the President. But they
might just as we'll desist in their efforts, for
there is nothing more certain than the fact
that Mr.. Cleveland will administer the Gov
eminent according to the best OF his judy
ment, without any regard to their wishes.
They ought to know that. as he is underno
obligations to them, he will not heed
their counsels, nor ask them to consent to
or approve his public acts.
Under the Act authorizing the Civil Ser
vice Commission it would be folly to say
that it can be anything else than political.
The very fact of giving the President power
to remove and appoint it's members at will,
and specif, ing that only a majority of
them shall belong to any political party,
shows very clearly the intention of Con-
gress to have been to make it partisan.
Has, or has it not, been partisan since it
was first organized? This question is ans
wered in the affirmative by it's course in
executing the law in the interests of the
Republican party. If it had been impair
tial there would have been Just as many
Democrats appointed to Office through it's
recommendation, as Republicans. It is
safe to say that at all OF the biennial ex-
aminations held under it's auspices, in every
State and Territory, that the parties were
equally represented; that there were as
many OF one party as the other who passed
creditable examinations, but the appoint
ments fail to show any Democ Gratis among
the fortunate ones.
Among the principal provisions OF the
civil service law that ought to have been
rigidly enforced, but which appear to have
been entirely neglected, are those contained
sections IL, ~, 10. IA and Is of the act
Of January 16, 1883. These relate to as
'essments, subscriptions or contributions
or political purposes, upon or by en-
their immunity from prescription
IN account OF politics; the penalty for Civ.
ng of money directly or indirectly by a
Jerk or other subordinate to any Senator,
or delegate on account OF, or to be
applied for any political purpose whatever.
lave these provisions been enforced? If
o, when, where and how? It may be as
erted that there is not a solitary instance
N record of the violation of these proyis-
ons. This may be true only because no ef-
ort has been made by Republican superiors
o enforce the law against their subordi-
Iates for violating it in the interest of their
'arty. Hundreds OF thousands of dollars
ave been extorted from or i~nvoluntarily
by those holding Federal
fices, from the highest to the lowest, for
olitical purposes. There has not been a
ingle State election held since the passage
! the act, and, in fact, scarcely a local one
a large city, that the campaign commit
ees ave not solicited contributions from
UGH officers in the Government employ as
to such States or cities. Clerks {
Others upon receiving such solicita-
lons have generally promptly responded, {
they felt that a refusal to con. I
ribute would cause their removal. {
Hundreds OF them, receiving limited SAL {
ries, have large families to care for, feel j
g secure under the Civil Service act, I
'und to their sorrow that their dismissal {
public employment was attributed l
to Withholding contributions from !
smpaign funds. The people now have the ]
ssurance that the law will no longer be a (
Utility, but that it will be rigidly enforced,
President Cleveland, ever since he /
as first elected to public Office, has shown 8
y his acts that his first and only duty was t
, faithfully execute the trusts confded to {
i'm. In the performance of his exalted and 9
sponsible duties, every reasonable, un. '
man will admit, it is highly i'm. q
ortant that he should be heartily sup. q
orted by his subordinates, and it is there +
re essential that the chiefs as well as the /
erks in all the departments should be in t
accord with him. Under the Civil q
'rvice law this can only be brought about :
adually, but with a new commission, the b
OF whom areDemocrats, this r
ultimately be accomplished. II