The Washington critic., 1886-03-11
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
How the House Committee stand In
Regard to the Existing Law.

tultINlll anu lnHluiDuoil oBiNth
through the country charging Speaker
Carlisle with having appointed Com
mittee on Civil Service Reform that
was opposed TO the reform. The
diflusors of this tale went on to assert
that the committee would bring in a
bill either to repeal the civil service
law altogether or TO seriously cripple
it. As the committee yesterday re-
ported adversely to the repeal of the
law, all such reports may he con. !.
sidered as amply refuted. A CRITic'
representative who interviewed the
members of the committee has OBJ
tained the following opinions:
The Hon. ii. j. Spooner of Rhode
Island (Republcan) said: "The civil
service law as IL stands docs not cover
as much rs it ought, but as far as il
goes 1t is working very well. The
Civil-Service Commissioners appear to
be performing their duties in thor
oughly non partisan way. Their only
object seems to be to carry out the law
effectively in letter and spirit.
"Thc present law Is only an expert
ment, and Is, OF course, imperfect. II is
new field for legislation, and progress
is best made by proceeding deliberately.
Many members of Congress are anxious
rather to secure appointments for their
localities than TO obtain the best service.
This makes the task of properly exc
cutting the law more difficult.
Understand me, do not think and
have never thought that the Admins
tration of the Government was liable to
Just censurc because of the way in
which II has been carried on, more es-
pecially during the long and splendid
administration of the Republican
party"
The Hon. J. B. Storm of Pennsyl-
vania DemocraD said: "No changes In
the present law will be recommended.
A majority of the committee have con-
ferred together and have decided on
this. The present law is general in its
terms, and places much power in the
hands of the Commissioners. They
can make the law respected or they can
render it ridiculous. The present law
Is imperfect, all admit, and, while the
country would resent its repeal, the
feeling of the two parties in Congress
Is such that nothing can be done at
this time to improve and strengthen 1t"
The Hon. j. v l.. Findlay of Balti.
more DcmocraD said: II heartily favor
the maintenance of the civil-service
law, and want TO see IL enforced in let
ter and spirit"
1t will be recollected that Mr.. Find
lay opposed the regular or ring
municipal ticket in Baltimore last fall.
For this display of independence and
attempt at reform he is in danger of
being boycotted by the workers" of
the party.
The Hon. C. i. Mitchell of Connccti.
cut DemocraD said: II indorse every
word said by General Cox in his late
interview. support civi.scrvice re-
form"
The Hon. w. r. Cox of North Caro-.
lima DemocraD chairman of the commit
| tee, in recent interview, took strong
and high grounds in favor of civil.scr-
vice reform and the present law until
better one could be had.
The Hon. II. NJ. Bayne of Pennsyl,
vania Republicam said: 81 am heartily
in favor of this policy. l want to see
the present law executed in letter and
spirit, and shall favor at every oppor-
tunity / have the extension of the
measure over classes of Government
employees not now embraced by it, but
which would naturally fall within
the easy scope of the policy. Civil
service reform has come to stay. |
am not new convert, but an old be.
lever who stood by the plan of con.
ducting the business affairs of the Gov
ernment on business principles long be.
fore the present law was enacted"
The Hon. John Little of Ohio, (Re.
publican), said: ~ shall oppose with
all my strength the proposed repeal sup.
the present law. regard the present
law as an excellent one, and shall op.
port it. and, if given chance, vote to
improve it,"
The Hon. ]. M. Farquhar of New
York (Rcpublcan), Said "Thc present
law will answer, but could be i'm.
proved. However, there will probably
be no change whatever in the law a
this session."
The Hon. w. j. Stone of Missouri
DemocraD said: 81 am not u lover OF
the civil service law. If it came up as
a new scheme l would vote against it
am partisan and believer in the
theory that the Government should b(
administered in all its branches by
those in political accord and sympathy
with the party in power. l do no,
believe in the establishment of system
which gives the incumbent of an Office
a life tenure--a kind of property righ
to the place. The appointing powe
the head of Department or bureau
is in my opinion as capable of choos
ing competent employees by persona
intercourse and examination as are til,
Civil Service Commissioners after thei
schoolboy examination. l think th'
law ought to be repealed, but | do no
think that it will be.
ut ought to be amended. Til,
civil.service ought to be classified from
top to bottom, not according
to salary but according to TIL
work done. Each Department shoul,
make its own classification. The ey
aminations should be practical, re
garding only the work to be done. TIL,
ratio going to the States should be sub
divided by the Congressional Districts
to secure a general and equitable repre-
scntation. The clerks and other EN-
J ployes now in the service should be ex
amined, when not appointed under th
present law. If qualified they woult
hold ON and be credited to their propc
, State and district. Let our vil.servic
system, whatever It may be, be thor
ough and impartial"
1t is understood that Mr. Clement
holds very much the same views a
Mr.. Stone. OF the Other members o
the committee not quoted above MI
9 Blanchard is thought to favor the law
Mr.. Lchlbach is known to favor it, an
Mr.. Pulitzers ideas are those of th