Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-09-10
"ANOTHER GOOD MAN, ETC"

In the face OF all the blow and brag
about Civil Service rules being applied to
holders of Government Offices, and the
laboured utterances of the Republican
press, to show that the Administration
tramples on the rules of that service in
ousting Republican hold-overs, the fol-
lowing Washington special to the Cleve-
land Plain Dealer is quite refreshing:
There is a probability that the next ses-
sion of Congress will investigate the Gov
ernment printing Office. ALI of the stories
now heard emanating from men in fear of
losing their places, and from men who have
kept these alleged irregulations secret for
months, in fairness demand careful sitting.
But there is enough beyond dispute to
justify uncovering the whole partisan insti-
tuition. Mr.. Rounds came here bankrupt
from Chicago, and on a $4,000 salary
for four years, has bought a house
and an Omaha newspaper. An in
sinuation is not intended, as Sen
ator Sherman found the Washington
climate even more glorious. One reasonably
substantiated sample of work at the Office
relates to the job departments where Brock,
OF Maine, whom Blaine got appointed fore
man, presides. He wrote the great appeal
TO union men to vote for Blaine.
He is said to have never worked at Job print
ing in his life. Just before Cleveland came
in, the Postofice Department ordered bull
letins announcing the reduction of news
paper postage from 2 cents to l. Eight
thousand reams of bond paper, the costliest
of all paper, we're used. The presses ran ten
days and ten nights, that time including also
the trimming and folding. There were
l,O6O,O copies. The cost at low estimate
on Government wholesale rates is $1,000.
Through the Ignorance of the foreman a
vital error was left uncorrected, and the
whole issue disappeared. 1t was not sold
for old paper, but cast as bunch into the
furnace, and four men who knew about it
pledged to secrecy.
When the casual reader finds such
matter, and the Chicago postoffice rob-
berry, and the bulldozing tactics of the
postal clerks, in his daily batch of news,
it must strike him that Civil Service
Reform was very lame chicken while
under Republican rule 1t is probable
Mr. Rounds knew nothing OF this mat
ter, just as the Chicago Postmaster knew
nothing Of the dishonesty OF his hold
over subordinates, but does it not give
renewed force to our cry OF 'fire them all
out, body and bones?' Ii all this and
more is proven true, will not the Presi-
dent be held responsible by his
party for continuing such people in office,
only because they were good
servants under Republican rule
and have turned their opportunities into
deadly stab at the Administration 4
subscriber addressed us recently, saying
we were too sweeping in our article on
this subject, published some time since.
This may change his mind, and when a
keen search shall have been made
through the thousand channels in which
the work of the Government flows, no
doubt startling showing will be made.
Again we say, ii the Democratic party is
to be held responsible for petty thieving
and fraud on the part OF its employees.
do the party justice by having it known
TO be among its ranks, or hold
IL olameless for such crimes. In
such an army of men as is re-
4uired to transact the public business
It is more than likely that scoundrels will
be included, and that theft and other
crimes will be committed, but it is not
lair to hold the party in power response
ole for crime committed by holdovers i
who are kept in place through Difference
% false notion of the needs Of the Civil |
Service. That service is to-day, honey
;ombed with men who are known to
'ntagonize the party in power, and any
lay, the country is liable to learn of new
traceable to them, and for all
II which the party will be held response
Die by the people. The only safeguard
to fire them out, body and bones.