The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1885-11-26


were mingled. aud the Legislative dOml
mated the executive. The effect upon
the civil service was natural. With no
sufficient test OF capacity, with no re-
gard for efficiency OF labor, there result
cd service, needlessly large, and not
always effective. The remedial power
OF dismissal was obstructed by the same
influences which coerced the original se-
lection. The whole subordinate civil
service became the pleasant retreat In
which politicians could install their ia.
VOIites. The spoils system at the zenith
Of its progress Ia not oyerdrawn In this
p0rtraiture, The government would pro-
caed, II may be said. There were many
honest and capable employees. Yes. Bu,
there was reckless Expenditure OF money
In employment Of incapable and needless
clerks.
At last came the protest Of the people,
The storm Of disapproyal had been gath
ering for Years. l. burst into full fury
In 1882, though II had had brief mani
fesaliOns before. Tbls popular demand
for sOme Improvement In administrative
methods compelled the enactment OF the
Pendlet0n law. The change wrought was
radical In the Senate ita passage was
stubboInly contested. All manner OF
objection was urged. Its conf OF with
the constitution, In that II infringed
upon the executive prerogative, WAS az
serted. " was sought 10 excite national
prejudice against II, because II repro
ducsd the scheme prevalent In mon
archlcal cOuatry. There was ridlcule
OF its examination features, because u
interjected pedagoglsm into official cir
cles. II withst0Od the brnnt OF every
attack, and In January, 1883, became a
statute OF the United States, Now what
Ia ths Pendleton lawp What remedy
does II propose for the evils that had
grown into cohesive system OF public
disgracep
The fundamental change was from
spOils method OF all0ting clerkships, TO
a merit system, The central and con-
trolling principle OF the new procedure
was that the civil service Of this govern
Ilent IL q vast agency, which performs
certain, definitely prescribed duties, and
not haven OF delight wherein each
Congressman could anchor some ser
yiceable iayorite. The routine 0ccupa'
tion OF the employees controlled by this
law we're non political In their charac
ter, wsre distinct from those positions
| 10 which Ia attached the trust OF execut-
ing O party policy, Hence the conline'
ment OF these positions 10 persons OF the
dominant party was relegated TO the
| limbo OF bad governmental methods,
| The new service was TO be non. partisan.
| To prevent the obtrusion OF Incapable
servants, under the auspices Of unpatrl
otic and selfish men, the examination
was In erted into the scheme. And that
the beat Of competing merit might be
obtained, these examinations we're made
not merely TO sub serve tests Of c0mpet'
ency, but by a method Of grading, the
highest merit Ia to win. These are the
broad outlines Of the new departure.
Now examine, II you will, briefly, tho
practical details OF the law. A commits
sion Is appointed. The scope OF the law
is restricted In Its control 10
the departmental service at
Washington, 10 the customs and
postal seryl o at Offices where the en-
plOyees number aa many as nifty. In
short, lifteen thousand OF one hundred
aui ten thousand federal places are un'
der its operation. But In the customs
Offices governed by II over ninety per
cent. OF the customs revenue IL collect
ed. Forty per cent. Of the employees In
the postal service are embraced within
its provisions. Persons desiring TO on
ter the service thus classified by the law
send 10 the commission an application
prepared under instructions. Answers In
this application are required as 10 any
former service In government places
aud The reasons for retirement there
from; answers AZ TO employment for 1--WE
preceding years, age, aud character o.
education attained. The endorsement
OF four reputable cltizene are required
as to the truthfulness OF these answers
The speaker then proceeded 10 explain
the clyl service examinations, the sp
polntments and the results attained.
Such In brief outline Ia the new eya
TEN. Now what have been the objec
tions advanced against this lawp Le
us omit none. Is II un.American, d0eI
II import an arletocratic and kiDglJ
scheme into free and representative
goyernmentp II 10 true that elnco 1871
the British Empire has conducted III
civil service under a similar law. Bu
its Anal passage was not royal victory
II was the grand triumph OF popular 70
form, II came hand In hand with th'
free sct ool system In that country. WHIT
has not marked tho upheayals In thl
Kingdoms OF another hemisphere
Their peoples are rapidly advancing
toward the realization OF tho idea o.
freedom which Tor century has hat
full fruition on our shores. The Ameri
can ayetem was no original, sudden con
ception OF government. In its germ Il
was borrowed scheme, From the 0t
pamphlet writer's OF tho regicido day
came the embryonic ideas OF the Docla
ration Of Independence. Our babeaI
corpus statute IL Englieh. Our Jury trla
IL English. Aud the arst series o
amendments TO the Constitution, whicl
the early Democrats demanded, were al
old In idea as the Magma Charta OF kinf
John. What force IL there then In IN,
taunt that the civil service procedure II
| " glIshp II In that leland lts adoption
was dlstlDctiyely popular victory, whl
should not this spark OF free human
nature make Americans ana Englieh
men akinY
Doos II tend 10 create an arlstocroc!
OF oillceholdersp The evils In the Britiel
governmental service were more per
niclous and revolving than they hal
ever become here. Offices were not onl!
bartered by kings, but they were createt
by royal decree that the anctlonee
might nud mems 10 Ill the Golfers 0
the palace. Noble blood was tho requl
elte FOR entrance into the service, or I
precocty In vicious and eervile poll
tics. In England, today, the poorea
youth may essay the competition for OF
Ace, and through oil tho yiclssitudes o
cabinet change, his merit will maintain
him IN place. Is this arietocracyp Wha
follv moreover In America 10 II to do
claim Of an arlstocracy arising among al
agency of clerks, drawing NJ tho hlghoa
| A II. al hal