Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-11

l8httng CiVti service Relofhi'
1t would ne interesting to know whether
there IS as much hostility to the civil SER
vice law in North Carolina a is in ticated
by the attitude Of Senator Vance and
Representative Bennett Of that state with
regard 20 il. Senator Vance wants the
law repealed at once, and be has prepared
himself to make a speech advocating its
repeal. He introduced bill providing
for lis repeal some time ago, but it having
been pigeon-holed by the committee TO
which it was referred, he introduced
resolution day or two ago requiring the
committee to report it back to the Senate.
+ He will call sp the resolution on the first
favorable opportunity and express MS
views with respect TO the law. If be
+ talks 10 tue Senate az he talks in private
about the law he Will furnish the country
/ vi h some Interesting reading. Doubt
/ less be has collected a good assortment OF
stories with which 10 illustrate his views.
Representative Bennett is In entire har-
mony with Senator Vance in this matter.
lie doesn't like reform of that sort, and he
proposes to make war on it every time an
opportunity presents itself. He intro
duced a bill into the House to repeal tue
civil service law, and, as the Comm ttee on
Civil Service had reported unlayorabiy
similar bill introduced by Representative
seney, OF OHIO. he had his bill referred TO
the Committee on the Revision of the
Laws. Itremains to be seen whether that
committee will take issue with the Com
mIttee on Civil Service. II it does, and
presents a favorable report, there will be
rather unpleasant condition Of affairs
for the majority party in the House.
There is no doubt that there is cOnsid-
cradle hostility to the civil service law in
the Democratic party, but it has not yet
been demonstrated that this opposition is
not confined almost wholly 10 those who
are in some way Interested in getting the
Offices. The great mass OF the people are
pretty well satisfied with the workings of
the law. Although the law has no applI-
cation to the principal Offices, the Presi-
dent has seen II to apply its principles to
hem: but even if these principles should
not be violated in any case, about all the
important Offices will be ia the hands of
the Democrats before the close of the pres
ent Presidential term. Democrats are
appointed to succeed r publicans and
when they are once in they are there to
stay for the term of their appointment.
provided they are competent and honest
even though the next administration
should be Republican.
There is no probability that Congress
will repeal the civil service law, and the
assaults on it by Democrats are, there
tore, only calculated to do the Democratic
party harm. The course of Senator Vance
and Representative Bennett, while it may
strengthen them IN their own State, viii
only furnish the Republican party with
material for the Congressional campaign
next fall. If their movement against the
civil service law were not hopeless their
course might be regarded as, at least, eX-
cusable. Without the least possible
chance for success, however, what is the
use of starting an agitation that may
drive from the party many friends and
will not bring it any supporters?