Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-10-07
y -
CTYIL SEKYT0N hEF0hM N.
The causes of Existing Prejudice
Against 1t

The Causes of Existing Prejudice
Against II
New YORK World
It is no doubt true that there is a great
deal of prejudice against the civil service
reform Inv iii the Democratic party, not
only among its active workers, but also
among the mass of its voters This pre-
ludlce is due IN part TO three causes-
seitishness, misconception MS to the need
and the operation of the law, and educa-
ton III school of politics which taught
that the Offices are spoils legitimately be-
longing to the vietors in an election, in
stead of business agencies Of the people
to be filled on business principles and
conducted solely for the public good.
The selfish opposition comes either
from men who want to control the an
pointments in the interest of their own
political fortunes or from those who de-
sire to obtain through influence what they
could not perhaps secure upon their
,,'n-''- = + ~ l.sIat tiait selfish pei.
ms sAeEld Z a The offices ut tic people
lsH1 uteEta 3trlh F. ,erl9 t.ttee
with whiel. 10 pay their personal obli0a.
tiuns. Il il not lust, III Democratic
| country, thAt men should obtain by favor
| public positions which should be equally
| open To ali On demonstration of their
fitness 10 ill them.
Tho antagonism of the Ignorant is
aroused by the educational test. And
while the statistics of the examinations
show that large proportion-somethin
| ike 70 per cent-of the successful can
dtdates have received only common
school instruction, which is supplied free
4 IN all nltillraV, -
have not received even this degree of
education, or who have grown rusty in
| what they learned, feel that the educa-
tionAl test tends to bar them out OF the
public service. They fail to see that the
competitive examination of Influence
is more effective in shutting ont deserving
men who do not possess it and cannot oh.
tam It, than the competitive examination
for merit, which is open TO all, can be in
debarrlng those who choose to fit them.
| selves for it.
Hostility to the reform law, which
deals altogether with subordinate posi-
| tons, only some $4,000 In number, has
likewise been engendered by the belief of
needless OF uninformed persons that the
law is responsible for the action Of the
appointing power with reference to the
/ pllASes tuht are beyond Its scope. Some
Republicans have been reappointed to
responsible positions. A very large num-
Der nave been continued in office. In
some states the non partisan idea has
been IN measure respected In others
the offices have been dispensed as patron
sge TO favored politicians. But the re-
form law is not responsible for this. II
Is something quite outside the law.
There is one other cause of Democratic
dissatisfaction, more potent than any Of
the others, and that is the impudent and
cooperating assumption Of the Republic
cans that Civil Service reform consists in
leaving their placemen in office, without
regard TO the manner or motive Of their
| appointment or the use they have made
Of their positions. As the Injustice of q
one sided partisan dynasty Of 25 years
standing is gradually corrected, and the
operations Of tho Inv are seen to conduct
p fair play and economical service as
eeli ~ % the elevation OF politics, the
Ef i'ad Of the honest Democratic
u disappear. The reform revo,
1'i not move backward.