Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1885-07-16
Civil Service Reform.

Congressman Waraer, Of ONO, : excited
over the appointment o: Keller TO clerk
ship and la, fled charges looking 10 kai.er's
removal It wi. be remembered that Keller
was certified by the chi, Service Commits
sion and was refused the appointment BY
Appointment; Clerk Higgins and First Audi
tor Chenoweth on charges made BY Con-
gresham Warner that be was Republican.
He was afterwards appointed by order Of
Secretary Manning on The discovery that a
refusal was likely to lead to trouble with the
Commission.
Congressman Warner, however, proposes
to defy the Commission. He takes the
ground that under Democratic admins
tration. only Democrats should be appoint
ed 10 office, and, by inference. Civil Service
examinations are only open to Democrats.
He expresses determination 10 make il hot,
not only for Keller. but f9r the Commission,
as well. AMI TO bring the matter before Con-
sress on it, assembling next winter Con
gresham Warner may he able to convince
his party that bis Interpretation Of Civil
Service is correct. NJ doubt the party is
more than anxious to b. convinced bat such
an Interpretation viii place our mugwump
friends in an awkward position. to say the
least and viii compel them TO cut loose from
the Democratic party, or swallow it with all
its old stains clingiug to it. Meantime the
mu2wump press Of the country are empty
ing their yiais Of wrath on Messrs. Higgins
and Chenoweth and clamoring for their re-
moval. Particularly. Higgins is accused Of
fllsehood saws the y. J. Tribune. and the
Auditor Of indecent threats. and both of
flat violation of the law for which they ought
to be removed from the public service.
These hysterical outbreaks probably do
not excite Mr.. Higgins or Judge Chenoweth
to any great extent. Those worthless are
aware that they hold office By favor of the
President of the United States, and not BY
favor of any Mugwunlp newspapers. The
President saw fit to appoint them notwIth-
standing full knowledge Of their opinions
and methods. 1t will not be exactly decent
for the President to remove them now for
DONG Just what ne udQ reason 10 expect
them to do when they were appointed.
But all this is in the nature of an evasion
of the main issue. The main question is
whether the Administration as whole is
conducted with any regard whatever for the
law or the spirit of Civil Service reform. The
attempt to make Higgins and Chenoweth
a couple of scapegoats, and thus TO di-
vert attention from the systematic dis
regard of the law by the Administration
generally, will not succeed. The fact
is that these two persons are deing ex-
actly what Mr.. Manning himself is doing
in the Treasury Department, and Mr.. Lamar
in the Interior Department. and Mr.. Gar
land and Mr. Bayard and Mr.. Villas in their
departments, and exactly what the President
himself has been doing. Going little low
or. Higgins is not in the least more often
siye than Black, and Chenoweth's perform
ances are only on level with the search
for charges of offensive partlsanship by the
Post Office Department. Until this Ad-
n,inistration is ready to turn itself out of
Office for violating the Civil Service Act, it
can hardly find an excuse for getting rid of
Higgins and Chenoweth.