The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-10-28
THE REAL RECORD.

=
securing and publishing large collec-
ton of statistics as to the changes
which have been made in the various
executive departments since the new
Administration came in year ago
last spring. The lack of such data
hitherto has prevented any thing like
a comprehensive exposition of the
facts, and it has consequently been
impossible to show with any approach
to exactness the real state of the case.
The Records tables enable Us to get at
the truth, and the showing is full Of
interest.
The first thing which strikes one is
the evidence that the CIvil-Scrvice law
has been strictly enforced. which is
furnished by the table of removals in
the s'class fled service" which is the
term adopted to designate that part OF
the service subject to the law of 1883.
There are about $3.50 such places in
the departments at Washington, and
under the Old spOils system or a ''clean
sweep upon a change OF National Adj
min siratiOn this army of clerks APP
pointed under Republican rule would
have been discharged in short order.
In point of fact, between March I,
1855, and June I6, 1856 (since which
latter date very few changes have been
madc), the whole number OF remOv-
ais aggregated but j5S. or only one
in every fifteen persons. and thirteen
of these were on account of reduction
Of force. In some departments the
reasons for discharges are furnished in
every case, and it is evident that they
were made solely for the good of the
service. Thus in the War Department
siXty-One persons were removed during
this period, and Secretary EndicOtt
gives these as the causes: Reduction
of appropriations, 10: services no longer
required. -; to accept appointments in
other departments, ?; inattcntion to
duty, 2; for intemperance, Z; absence
without leave, 8; ine.liciency, 10; mis-
conduct, S; political, l. Ten persons
in the classified service in the Post
office Department were removed, and
the cause in each case is recorded, as
drinking to excess" "abSent from
duty without permission" etc. 1t thus
clearly appears that the Civil-Servicc
law intcrpOseS no obstacle to removals
for the good of the service. while the
impossibiIity of filling vacancies except
upon proved merit, as established by
competitive examinations, removes the
motive for dischar@ing efficient en-
p!oyes to make room for personal or
political favoritcs.
The moderation OF the Administra-
ton in the use of the removing power
is also Shown by the record as to
changes in the uncla~siied service, to
which tie law-does not apply. The
detailed statistics rs to these are given
in the ease of the Interior Department.
and they show that out of about l.0S)
such employees only 223, or onc-ifth,
We're removed The 10j designations
doubtless inclHde a large number OF
persons who would have been removed
had they not voluntarily taken them
selves ont of the way; but even lump
inc ali the removals and designations
together rs forced. they amount to only
thirty per cent. of the whole number
who might have been Summarily got
rid of without any violation of law.
Even in the Department of Justice.
among the Territorial Judges. the
United States Attorneys. MarshalS, etc,
only tWO-thirdS of the whole number
have been changed. and or readers
have doubtless noticed That one OF the
Federal attorneys whose resignation
has Just been demanded. because he
has been nominated for another Office
by his party, Is an Ohio Republican.
The showing as to the diplomatic
couraming, since this branch of the
Government has long been the refuge
of brokcn-down party hacks. The
changes made in this service since Mr..
Bayard became Secretary of State,
counting every thing. from an Envoy
Extraordinary and Minister Plenipo-
tertiary down to an interpreter, aggre-
gate only IA out of }27 such officers
ia the service of the United States. or
only fOrty-four per cent. The Admin
istratiOn at Washington has changed
from one party to another for the first
time in Il quarter of century, and
list compiled in the second wear of
that Administration shows that. in
stead of the old-faShioned ''clean
sweep" abroad. much less than half
Of the representatives of this Govern
mcnt in foreign lands have been
changed. To understand what this
really means. one should contrast this
record with that made when four years
before there was not change
OF parties but only of representatives
of the same party in the Executive De-
partments. When Mr.. Garfield be-
came President and made Mr. Blaine
s 1, ] Il, !.
matte service filed with men APP
pointed by Republicans. vet during the
four months between March t, 1881.
and the day of the Guiteau tragedy.
no less than % changes were made
in Il total number of Offices then
but little exceeding 500. In other
words, changes We're made in IS per
cent. of the diplomatic offices within
four months by Mr.. Blaine us Il Repub-
ID lean Secretary of State. against only
Al per cent. in more than a year by
Mr.. Bavard rs 4 Democratic Secretary.
although the change of parties pre-
scented the strongest temptations and
excuses for Wholesale changes in the
latter case.
Such figures as these are full OF en-
enlargement to the friends of Civil
Service reform. They show that the
system of treating public offices as pub
lie trusts is steadily making Roadway;
indeed, that it has already become toe
thoroughly entrenehed ever to be over
thrown by the spoilSmen--N 7. Post
BOYCOTTlNG A DEPARTMENT.
In ml i'm fl-R nd rfn Ia
of the shin Ru;lderS Who Formerly