The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1885-11-26
+ CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
Lecture OF Hon. L. 0. ThOman on this I'm.
pOrtant Subject
At the Tabernacle List wednesday Even
ing---An Interesting Qurstlon
Treated Ia AN Able aud In-
tsresting Manner.

-
Following Ia the complete report OF
the lecture on Civil STvice Reform de-
liyered at the Tabernacle Wednesday
evening by Hon. l., ID Th0man, ex-Clyll
Service Commissioner:
II Wish to gIveyou ihe data which will
enable you 10 reason NJ reason II you
deem me- right, by which you may cor
rect me II 60 astray, aud from which
you may condemn me II y1u iind me
dealing unfairly with my subject"
The ince4sant discussion OF Civil ser-
vice II form, and the belt methods OF iIs
accom- lishment, must denote an awak-
ened public Interest In this theme, Surh
constant debate cannot be bellttled az
tho mere hubbub OF Office brokers, nor
| the ethereal psalmOdy OF theorists, A ,
important alteration Ia q mode OF gov
prnmental administration has been
wrought, q new institution haa been In.
troduced ~ an executive method, even
before the people OF this nation gave
thoughtful attention TO its essential
features and Its real scope. IL has
passed lts tentative stages, II has
become permanent. And now there Ia
laundering Ia the appendix. The whole
suhj ,ct OF reform methods Ia reOp led.
The public voice Ia variant. II Ia heard
Ia argument OF every detail. Such O
condition OF public thought should Orlng
qualification TO the citlzen, who has the
Nest interest OF his country at heart.
II ,ir and full discussion Ia OF the essence
of success In any amendment OF gov
ernmental system.
The sturdy opposition 10, and the
warm advocacy OF, the reform procedure
In the Federal Civil Service, both In
VOlVe characteristics OF the American
cltlzan The revolutionary sentiment
OF independence, OF representative and
free sovereignty OF the people, was given
impprlshable expression In c0nstitu
tlOn. An idea OF freedom, triumphant
In battle, Inspired the American scheme
OF government. In the wonderful sym
metry Of our organic law popular SOW
ereignty IL the 0mnlpresent spirit. The
contrast with mOnarchical rule Ia
abrupt. Aud yet how persistent, how
stable, have been the forms OF our gov
ernment. Tor the sixty one years inter
vening 1904 and 1865, not an amend
ment was proposed 10 the constitution
and who, glancing down the Vista OF the
future, con now f0resee any great ma
tional episode which would demand ad
dltions to the present charter. Here is
q conservatism as cautious, as healtant
aud alugglsh. M that which IL crudely
assigned to the etiete dynasties OF Other
continents. This careful scrutiny OF
proposed improvements In admlnistra
tiv methods, even though not requiring
amendment TO the organic law, Ia The
phase OF American thought, suggested
by the opponents OF the civil Service
r. form law. The necessity OF better
modes OF regulating appointments u
on Q Ia an almost universal c0dcesSl0n
Bu, there isa conservative, doubling, re
luctant, disposition DISPLAYED toward
the positive departure from the old wayI
signal I'D by the enactment OF the Pen
dleton law, The other characteristic 0
our national way Of thinking Ia ahowI
by those who espouse this reform. II II
American TO demand, and 10 be Willing
TO maintain, fair play. II Ia typicall!
American TO want the best horse to win
the beat man TO eucceed. This nati0na
trait is the inspiration, the basic prlnci
pie OF the reform law. II opposes favor
ltism. 1T seeks TO lessen the spurn
which patient merit OF the unw0rth!
takes" Though the ambitious be no
sprung from an arlstocratlc family
though IN has not been the henchmaI
Of u po itlcian, this reform announce
that q mans u man for oil that. To hin
In given an equal chance with ever!
competitor, under qualifications tina
rightly concern the position to which h
a apirea, and under no factitious condl
tions, which wou d unfairly exclude
him from the contest.
With these statements OF the dlstinc
tive lines OF thought which innnenc
antagonists aud advocates, the tubjec
OF Civil Service Reform may be treated
In all ita proper details. II will reqnir
but brief allnsiOn TO the old system o
distributing positions In the Civil Ser
vice TO summon back to memory oil th
pernicious evils connected with II. TheI
| shall invite your attention to q plalI
explanation OF the new procedure.
shall endeayOr TO discuss fairly oil th
objections urged against II, and lnall.
TO present some facts which may be do
claiye OF Its practlcability,
In the constitution there IN no pr0yi
sion respecting term or tenure OF ofllc
for subordinate employees. DurinI
good behavior" was the accepted ten
ure. II was consistent with the hlgl
notions OF Official trust then obtNnlop v
and lug adherence TO lts practice eeeme
10 corroborate the presumption that thl
was the Intent Of the fran ors Of the con
stitution. For years, In the initial an,
crucial period OF tho new scheme OF rep
resentaly government, removals o
eubord late employees we're few, an,
always based upon reasons not political
But In 1920, the entering wedge for th
establishment OF the spOils system wa
inserted. To advance the Presidential
designe OF n q orgla candidate, an 40
was passed, attaching the four yea
term TO certain offices. II was extendel
In its application later, 40 that the high
or grade postOnlces came under II
operation. In this Interval, like
barnacle TO n ship, became attached Il
the administrative procedure, the doc
trine OF patronage ~ political reward
II was an excreacenco. IL had no legit
innate origin, Its nourlahment was par
asitical. But II deepened aud broadene,
its hold until II dominated party praoti
ces. Men like Calhoun, b 'nton, Web
ster and Clay essoyod TO destroy tho dan
gerous principle, aud revive tho bette
6ortrine OF the past. In Jackson's d.
Of honest and fofcible administration
Senator Marcy gave the sentiment :
this ractice: ITO the ylctors belong IN
spoi 81 II Ia foreign TO my purpose (
compare the attitude Of nrlitical partle
TO the spoils d,ctline VIII ,teyer nigh
he the platform Of denunCiatlons Of |
by any patty, until 1883 u wa' pr ictIce
by whichever political organization
, chanced to reach power. II II originate
under "A Democratic administration,
was fostered for thirty years each b
and uuI Nan, la. n.. a a.