Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1888-10-17
CLEVELAND is EXPOSED
BY THE SENATE COMMITTEES
ON CIVIL SERVICE.
The Spells System Under q Democratic
Administration - Taxing Federal
Employes-A General Sum-
mary of the Damag.
ing Report.

WASHINGTON, d. G., Oct. Ex-senator
Hale to-day submitted to the Senate q
report from the special committee to ex.
anime into the present condition of the
civil service. The report makes printed
document of fifty pages. 1t discusses
deliberately the testimony taken in New
York, Pennsylvania and elsewhere, and
concludes with the following general
summary:
The Investigations made by the committee
and the facts therein brought forth establish
these things beyond controversy:
l. That partisan changes have been made in
the federal offices in a wholesale way under nc
pretense that the good of the public service de-
stances, as in Philadelphia, Baltimore, In
dianapolis and New York these changes
have been followed by scandals in the public ser
vice which has been rendered less efficient by rea
son of the changes
2 That Federal officials throughout the coun-
try, contrary to the directions of the President,
found in his letter of July IA, 1885, have freely
and openly participated in political conventions
and primary elections movements, using their
official influence.
In Pennsylvania the entire machinery of the
Federal service was put in operation for the
purpose of controlling the Democratic organiza-
ton in the state in the interests of the admins
tratOns force as against the friends of Mr.. Ran
DALI The state conventions were dominated
and controlled by the Federal officials and the
chairmansh1p of the state committee was Sc
cured by the Offices bestowed by the administra-
ton upon members of the committee who
changed their allegiance from Mr.. Randall to the
President.
In no case does the committee ind that any
federal officer has been disciplined for such in
reference in politics, but on the other hand such
interference has been repeatedly recognized and
rewarded. This interference in some cases. not
ably at Binghamton, N. Y. was most offensive to
the people and amounted to q conspiracy to
thwart and defeat the popular will.
hat he of lnyy md
ments upon federal office-nolders for political
purposes has continued without interruption
since the administration came into place.
The committee Is persuaded that at present
throughout the country Office holders are being
generally assessed and called upon to contribute
from their salaries to swell the campaign funds
of the Democratic party. While these assess.
ments, so generally made and responded to, are
in violation of the repeated declarations
principles of civil service reform, the committee
hardly feels warranted in severely an1madvert-
ing upon the conduct of these suboidinates tor
violating the policy announced by the President,
in view of the fact that that policy has been de-
parted from and grossly violated by the Presi-
dent and members of his cabinet in their alleged
and uncontradieted subscriptions of large sums
TO the Democratic National Committee.
It is not to be expected that subordinates will
feel justified in considering as sincere declara-
tions of policy which are so palpably repudiared
by their author, and the fact that the President
of the United States, in campaign in which he
has so great personal interest, contributed, no.
OBVIOUSLY. OQ6-QILn OF year salary LOT
use, is fairly to be taken by those who depend
upon him tor their tenure of office as not simply
an Invitation, but command TO do likewise.
While perhaps not strictly the functions of this
committee it may not be improper for it to COM
mend to the consideration OF the legal adviser of
the President the inquiry whether such sub
scr1ptions as made, were not in direct violation
OF the provision ms OF the law. (The provisions of
law are here citedl So
All these things are contrary to the pledges re-
peatedly made by the President both before his
election and since in his letters and well anthem
ticated interviews. se -
The report here makes quotations
from the first letter of acceptance of
President Cleveland; from his letter of
December 25,a 1884, to George William
Curtis; from his inaugural address;
from his first annual message,
and from Iris letter of Septem-
Der IL, 1885, to Civil Service
Commissioner Eaton, condemnatory
of the spoils system and enunciating the
Presidents views on civil service re-
form. 1t says the Investigations made
affairs as Numerically opposed to what
the President has promised, as it would
be possible to imagine"
To show chow these promises have
been kept the committee quotes the
concluding paragraphs of the report of
the civil service reform association of
Indiana, composed largely of gentle
men who supported the president in
1854" commenting GA which the COM
mittee saws: "The committee can ap-
preciate the condition of mind in which