Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-11-17
Verbatim Topographic report of Mr.
Blaine's remarks On Civil Service Al
Huntington, Pennsylvania.

Huntington, Pennsylvania.
We were told for years before the demo-
Gratis were called upon to administer the Gov
ernment that we did not have a good civil
service, and the gentlemen who went out
from us and joined the democracy charged
that the republican administration did not
maintain q good civil service. Whether or
not they were sincere in tina; it does not be-
come me to say. With faulty which was
incomprehensible to US, they assumed to be-
lieve that the democratic party would Civ"
them an improvement. Our reply WAS. 81 We
hare the best civil service that has erer been
hnoWn IN any country. but lre will continue
to tmprore 1t, and ee PROMISED to make pro
gress IN the Way of inteil,gent and practical
improvement. "Oh no." they protested ;
eve want to have civil service patterned
after that of England. Give US a civil SER
vice such as the English have" they per-
sisted, 'in which you can not interpose poiti-
cal consideration and where every office
holder is secure in his place for life if he
behaves himself" Occasionally a British
member of Parliament would drift to
this side of the water and would delight those
gentleman by declaring that he had no more
power to secure the appointment or removal
of a civil officer than had the servant who
time when an American Congressman wonld
be equally powerless to make appointments
or removals. Thus for years there was held
up to as AS pattern for our imitation the
English Civil Service.
Within the last few days have read a
most significant dispatch from the pen of one
of the most conspicuous members of the
school of Civil Service advocates to whom
have referred. | allude to Mr.. George w.
Smalley of the New York Tribune. The
dispatch is, | think, in itself far better
speech on the subject than any that l could
make, and therefore give it to you without
comment, as It needs none. 1t was wri ten
since the access to power of the present
British ministry. 1t is as follows:
Lord Randolh Oh ,rchill's Civil Service Commits.
sion is reckoned great coup for the Government 1t
means not hing less than complete overhaulirg of
ali the chief departments of State In spite of cuH
service reform the condition Of the departments is
6eHeued to be far ioorse than il Dds forty years ago.
The cost of administration has enormously in
creased 1t is doubtful whether the efficiency of the
d. partments has not constantly diminished. High
salaries. short hours, excessive stofs. ertravagan
pensions, imperfect supervision, operirdUn
counts, dntiquated methods Of business and general
incompetency and mismdndgemeRt, scch a'e ONE
OF the charges now brought against the existing
SYSTEM and Lord Randolph Churchill aims al
sweeping reforms, increased economy and increased
efficiency"
Well we have the truth at last. Universal
merriment and cheers This is the standard
of Civil Service Il, form which the Civil
Service Reform Club (and l might use that
word club in a double sense here) has
held over our heads in the Republican party
for the last ten years, declaring that If we
did not reform our Civil Service and put it
practically on The basis of the English Civil
Service they would have no more of US. Well,
gentlemen, they have placed the Civil Service
under the control of the Democratic party,
and all around in various parts of the country
yeu see the visible improveme Just as
they have visibly improved it on this side of
the water we get tn Illuminating, but honest,
confession in regard to the Civil Service OF
England that that service is rotten to the
core and must be torn up by tho roots.
Cheering