River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-08-02
clvIL-sERvlcE HuMBuo.
Few Words About Cleveland's Latest
Hypoeritical Message.


CIvIL-SERviCE HUMBu0.
Few Words About Cleveland's Latest
Hypoeritical Message.
The President has transmitted 20
Congress the fourth report of the
United States Civil-Service Commits
ion, and after stating its contents in
iulges in one of those highly moral
addresses to the American people for
which he Is so famous. The address
s in the nature of a plaintiye wall be-
cause SO many people fail to appre-
slate his efforts TO reform the civil
service. He says in this connections:
The path OF Ciyil-Seryiee reform has not at
all times been pleasant nor easy, the scope
and purpose OF the reform having been much
nisapprehended; and this has not only given
Use TO strong opposition, but has led to It's in
vocation by its friends to compass objects not
n the least related 20 IL. Thus partisans of
he patronage system have naturally con-
iemned IL. Those who do not understand its
meaning either mistrust Ii, or, when dsap-
pointed, because in its present shape IL is not
applied to every real or imaginary i'll, accuse
this Administration, charged with It's enforce
ment with faithlessness 10 civil Service re-
form. Its Importance has frequently been I'M
anu bhc SuppOih VI bopu Hcu nus
thus been lost by their lack OF interest in its
success Besides all these diniculties, those
responsible for the administration OF the Gov.
srnment In its executive branches have bsen
md still are often annoyed by the disloyslty
20 the service and the insoleuce OF employees
who remain in place as the oenenciaries ana
The relics or reminders of the vic Gus system OF
appointment which Civil-SerVice reform was
Intended TO displace.
Perhaps the people would have APP
preciated his efforts to reform the
civil service if he had set them forth
in detail. He might have told them,
for instance, that he himself had
strongly denounced the ambition for
second term of the Presidency and
warned the country of its dangers and
then took a personal part in laying
the wires to secure a denomination. He
might have told how he has person
ally interfered in the politics of New
York State by debating what candidates
he desired to be elected, and he might
have pointed out the disastrous re-
suits of this interference, as in the case
of District Attorney Fellows, for in
stance. He might have told the peo-
pie how regularly and persistently
and deliantly his postmasters, collect
ors and other officehOlders have run
primaries, caucuses and conventions
Notwithstanding his instructions, and
that not one Of them has ever been re-
buked by him. He might have told
them that he has appointed dishonest
and corrupt men to office after he had
been officially notified of their char
acter He might have told them of the
fragrant violation of nearly every rule
of the civil service in the post-offices
and custom-houses of almost every
city in the country. He might have
told them of the corrupt operations
of Higgins, Thomas and their
gang in the Maryland elections, and
that when the Civil-Service Reform
Association, of Baltimore, furnished
him with the proofs of their
misconduct, he paid no attention
to it, He might have told them
OF the prostitution of public Of
flee in Washington, of the electioneer-
ing bureaus set up in his own Cabinet,
of the manner in which the Govern
ment machinery has been subsidized
for campaign purposes right before his
eyes, without word of protest from
him. He might have called attention
to the removal of thousands of Repub-
licans without cause and without a
hearing when they asked for it, not
withstanding his declaration in his let
ter to the Executive Committee of the
National Civil-Service Reform League
that "due regard for the peoples in
terests does not permit faithful party
work to be always rewarded by APP
pointments to Office" and his sugges-
ton in his letter of acceptance that
a. the selection and retention of sub
ordinates in Government employment
should depend upon their ascertained
fitness and the value of their work,
and they should be neither expected
nor allowed to do party service" II
the President had called attention to
these and numerous other efforts he
has made to enforce the reform of the
civil service the people, perhaps,
would have appreciated his herculean
attempt in this direction! - Chicago
Tribune.