The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-15
And Makes an Effort to Show that the Sup
porters of Andrew Jackson We're the
Genuine Civil-Seryice Reformers.
How the New York Customs Authorities
Make Elder Down Appear as Fur.
The Reasons Which Impelled Inspector George
to Resign the Same Day He Received
His AppOintment-Capital Notes.
COMMISSIONERS THOMAN.
The Andrew jackson Democracy Were the
Original Civil-Service Reformers.

The Andrew jackson Democracy Were the
Original Civil-Service Reformers.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, June 14-Commissioner Tho
man. the Democratic member of the Civil
service Commission, is just back from trip
through the West. To the question, What are
the people saying about the administration and
civil service reformF he replied: II find the
great mass expressing approval of BOTH There
are few importunate Democrats who appear to
have the tenure of Office act and the civilservice
law badly confused in their minds. These few
betray in their heated conversations an ignor
ance> of the provisions of the latter law, and
ascribe to it all the alleged delay and reten-
tions in Office which cause their resentment
OF course it should be plain that the civil-s
ice law does not relate to executive appointments
to which the tenure of-ofice act applies; but ap-
parently it is not But this opposition to the
reform on the part of the few discloses for
getfulness of the very party doctrines TO which
they claim allegiance They congratulate them
selves on being jackson Democrats, with the in
scription on their gonfalon, To the victor belongs
the spoils But they are oblivious to the fact
that right here in the city of Washington, on
approve General Jacksons denomination, a
national Democratic platform was adopted, and
this was its third plank:
Resolved That the indiscr,rninate removal of
public officers for mere difference of political opin
ion is gross abuse of power aud that the doctrine
lately boldly predicated in the United States Senate
that To the victors belong the spois of the van
quished is detrimental to the interests, corrrpting
to the morals, and dangerous to the liberties of the
country.
'The Democratic party re elected jackson on
that platform. Go to the records and verify the
fact if you will. And now again these Jack
sonians, who assume that there was an essential
difference between Jefferson's test and Jackson's
alleged motto, forget the Democratic national
platform of 1872 1t declared
1.-THE civilservice of the government has become q
mere instrument of partisan tyranny and personal
ami biton. and object of selfish greed it is scandal
and reproach upon free institutions, and breeds
decentralization dangerous to the perpetufty of repub
lican government. We, therefore, regard thorough
reform of the civil service of the most pressing
necessities of the hour; that honesty and capacity
and finelty constitute the only valid claims to public
employnent that the offices of the government cease
to be- matter of arbitrary favoritsm and patronage,
and that public station shall again become post of
honor"
"How about the platform of 1S76!7
"That was the grandest declaration of party
less to quote its decisive clause referring to
civil-service reform. In it occurs the phrase,
that Public Office is public trust, made famous
by our President during the last campaign. The
records are against the pretensons of the few
who boast of traditions and favor distribution of
the spoils. If the party books of faith and the
canons of the various councils be consulted,
the spoilsmen are apostates and the civil-service
reformer is the representative of the true and
venerable doctrine"
''Are there any objections to cvil-service re-
form on the ground that it creates an Office
holding aristocracyf"
II hear that objection occasionally, but it is
not well founded. If you will look up the records
of the public men with whom the idea first
originated you will find them conspicuous in
history as the most typical of Americans and the
broadest and stanchest in their genuine de-
rnocrapvD