Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-07-03
The KeIIar Case.

The keilar Case.
II appears from our dispatches this
morning that Secretary Manning has APP
/ pointed Owen Kellar, OF Ohio, TO the place
in the Treasury Department for which
the Civil Service Commission recon-
mended him. BY this act MIR. Manning
has shown that he is a man of sound
common sense and excellent judgment.
There are men who, to crafty feeling of
spite or malice, or 20 secure little per-
sonal advantage, would sacrifice the
interests of great party. Mr.. Manning
is clearly not that kind Of man.
The purpose of the Democratic party is
to keep control Of the government for a
, longer period than four years. 1t will not
be able 10 accomplish it's purpose, how
ever, if the small politicians OF the party
are permitted TO take control.
This kellar case shows pretty clearly
the danger there is in permitting thought
less men TO speak ard act for the party. .
Owen Kellar was recommended for
$1,000 clerkship in that branch of the
public service of which Auditor Cheno-
worth is chief. He was recommended
because his examination and his place on
the list Of those who have an examination
entitled him to the place. He closed up
his business affairs in Ohio and appeared
in Washington to receive his appointment.
He was told by Auditor Cheneworth that
he was politically offensive, and there
fore could not have the clerkship. It
seems Representative Warner, of Ohio,
had objected to Kellar's appointment be-
cause Kellar had worked and voted
against him for Congress. The gist of OPP
position TO kellar, therefore, was that he
had opposed Mr.. Warmers election.
1t is apparent that if person who has
been recommended by the Civil Service
Commission is refused place under the
government because he has been an ac-
tive Republican or an active Democrat it
will be utterly impossible TO carry out the
civil service law, or to have anything
like civil service reform.
Both of the great parties are
pledged to support civil service reform.
The Democratic party has control of the
government and is on trial. The people
are watching it's course with very criti-
cal eye. There is not a thing that il does
that is not published in every part of
every State. Both parties pledged them
selves TO give civil service reform an
earnest support because they knew that
the country demanded that reform.
If Auditor Chenoworth had been sus-
tanned it would have been said with some
degree of truth that the Democratic party
was not keeping its pledges, and that it
10, . .
render the civil service law imperative.
The Republican leaders would have said,
every time the opportunity presented it
SELF just what Senator Logan SAID in mis-
speech at Boston few days ago, that
civil service reform was in a very preca-
rious condition, and that its death was
only a matter OF a short time.
Nothing would give the Republican
press and leaders greater pleasure than
! TO be able to say that the Democratic par
! ty had violated its pledges, and had re-
1 fused to support a reform that had been
! demanded by the whole country. They
1 would not want any better campaign ma
terial.
The term offensive partisan" was not
invented to reach that class of Office
holders Of which the Civil Service Com
mission has jurisdiction. II was in
tended only for those who hold places of
responsibility and Influence, and who
| look directly either TO the President or
some Of the Cabinet officers for their ap-
pointments. AS soon as it begins to be
applied to small clerks, such as Auditor
Chenoworth and Representative Warner
wanted to apply it to, there need
no longer be any occasion
Tor assuming that the party is still sup
porting civil service reform. The country
will understand that that reform has
been abandoned. The Democratic party
cannot afford 10 give the country ground
for such an understanding even If it were
opposed to civil service reform, and that
Mr.. Manning very well knows.