The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-02
A DESERVING OFFICER.
auditor Day Clearly Earns the Silver Pitcher
for Which He Appiied.

auditor Day Clearly Earns the Silver Pitcher
for Which He Applied.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal,
WASHINGTON, Aug. 1.-Two things have been
demonstrated very effectualiy to Secretary Man
| ming and to the civil-service reform association
during the past week. The first is that it has
been proved beyond doubt that Auditor Day is
entitled to the silver pitcher which he desired on
longer has the mud on his heels which Secretary
Manning considered a drawback when he DAY
applied for the pitcher.
The second proposition is related to the first
Mr. Day is the key by which it is demonstrated
that the Democratic party takes its dose of civil
service reform only under protest, and that it
does not swallow any more of it than it is COM
PEELED to. On Thursday last Mr.. Day notified
seven chiefs of divisions in his office that ne
desired their resignation. Of course they were
forthcoming Being asked why he took this
step, and whether these men who were removed
were incompetent, he replied:
mo; but they are Republicans"
"Can you fill the places with better men?" was
asked.
eyes. 1 think can" he replied, land with
better Democrats"
"What will you do with those who have handed
in their designations"
They will probably be reduced to lower grade
clerkships, as they are good men, and it would be
unwise to let them go entirely
'Then do you intend to keep those places as
rewards for political friends?"
WELL was the reply, that is question on
which there may be difference of opinion. Ido
not intend that the boys should be entirely left
if I can help it,"
This is very ingenious plan invented for the
purpose of evading the civil service law, and
thereby obtaining places in the civil list for party
workers and political friends, 1t is the intention
of the Democrats who hold official position to
remove every Republican who has by meritori-
GUS conduct climbed up from thousand dollar
cerkship to be chief of division, and to fill his
place not by promotion from the ranks, but by
calling in outsiders who have no knowledge what
ever Of the workings of the Office. Never in
the history Of the Republican administrations
was it the custom to make wholesale changes in
these division chiefs with the intention of filling
their places with outside men, On the contrary,
the places have always, or nearly always been
filled by promotion from the lower grades. If
the Democratic party really had the faintest
shadow OF belief in civil-service REFORM per Sc,
they would not strike such covert blow as this
at the system. If civil service reform means
anything, it means system of promotions,
based on merit, and if the higher places
those first outside the pale of the
iaw-are to be filled only as political rewards,
the incentive to honest work is removed, and
the expressions of friendship to the reform idea
are proven absolute farce.
There is another plan by which it is thought
that great many Democrats can be selected
from the Civil service Commission. The Cheno-
weth- Higgins plan was not successful. It was
nipped in the bud too soon by the President and
Secretary Manning. Now it is proposed that
whenever there Is vacancy that
be filled only through application
to the commission, a certifcation shall be asked
only when there are men from the South Oh the
list 1t is believed that since the election the
number of Southern Democrats who will apply,
and have applied for positions is very much
larger than it was during the last administration,
and that Republicans from the South who are
eligible are extremely scarce. By this means it
is thought that a number of good Southern
Democrats can be rung in without violating the
law. In the North the plan is little
different, and it is due somewhat to
Postmaster Judd, of Chicago, that it has been
adopted, Mr.. Judd's plan is to hold new civil
service examinations from this time on, and
whenever it is necessary to select some one for
place in his Office he will give preference to the
new rather then the old list. Theoretically he
will have no knowledge of the politics of those
who successfully pass the second examination,
but he expects that the number of Demo
Gratis who apply will be as FIVE to one of
Republicans, since the former have found
that there is some hope for them to get
within the civil service. The ability with which
Democratic officials find new ways of evading
the civil-service law would entitle them to
credit If their energies were turned in another
direction One of the most common plans is to
appoint good Democrats to places that are out
side the list, such stenographers, telegraphers
ETC., and after they are in to assign them to
other duties. They are borne on the rolls as
experts. but in many instances they know no
more about the profession which secured them
an entry into departmental service than boot
black knows of theology.