Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-01-12
THE CAPITAL.
RI THLESS UNMASKING OF THE
CIVIL SERVICE FRAUD.
The Battle-Flag Inquiry Railroad
Tax Cases-Tbe Benson Case
Invalid Pensions.
ESPECIAL DISPATCHES TO THE REooRD-usIos.l
CONGRESSIONAL rnocErp,Nes.
The Senate.

Senate salisbury presented a Joint resolu-
| ton declaring that no further effort can be
properly made by the United States 10
obtain the cooperation of the European
Governments in establishing a common
ratio of values between silver and gold as
| money. Laid on the table.
Hoar offered resolution requesting the
President TO transmit to Congress the re-
port of the Pacific Railroad Commission.
! Adopted.
The resolution offered by Hale, on the
18th of December, for a select committee to
| examine fully into the present condition
of the civil service was taken up, and Hale
addressed the Senate in explanation and
advocacy of it. He declared that his OBJ
| ect in offering it was to secure an inyestiga-
| ton with the sincere purpose of bringing be-
| fore Congress the present actual condition
OF the civil service of the country, and also
| the performances of certain high and low
officials of the Government. At the COM
meDcement of Lincolns administration the
| public officers were filled with the adher-
ents of that party which was the ex-
ponent of the doctrine that to the
| victors belong the spoils. Under that ad-
| ministration the chief test of fitness was
| loyalty. Not few OF those then appointed
| had within the last three years been turned
out on the cold charities of the world to
make places for men who never had anv
sympathy with the principles of which
Lincoln had stood as the great representa-
tive General Grant and President HAYES
had, during their administrations, recog-
nized the growing sentiment of the country
in favor of civil service reform, and had
endeavored to conform their appoint
ments to the reasonable demand of that
agitation. The Forty seventh Congress
(Republican) had enacted a civil service
statute, and President Arthur had with
good faith appointed Civil Service Com
missioners and gave support and encour-
agement to them, but he was content to
toll in quiet way. If he HALE were to
make any contrast between President Ar
thurs course on that subject and the course
which has since been pursued, it wonld be
simply to call attention to the fact that
President Arthur made no proclamations.
no promises, no pledges, but contented
himself with carrying out the law according
to its purpose and spirit. Both the great
parties in 1884 declared themselves in their
platforms in favor of civil service reform
but as the campaign progressed it was seen
that a considerable body of men who had
before that affiliated with the Republican
party had determined 10 oppose its candi-
date, and it soon became clear that not only
was that body of men bent on opposing the
Republican candidate but was looking
apOUt lOi lCdoOiio " ollppOlb Ills opponent.
Governor Cleveland, the candidate of the
Democratic party, had not failed to observe
| this, and he accordingly professed adher-
ence to the civil service principles in his
| letter of acceptance. Cleveland's declara-
| tions in that respect had their effect. In
the close States they had influence enough
| on the voters to be decisive of the result,
| and Cleveland was elected President
Mr.. Hale quoted from an interview with
~ L. i II
| in which Cleveland is represented as saw
| ing have tried to be true to my own
pledges and the pledges of my party. We
both promised to divorce the offices of the
country from being used for party serv-
ices" There they had, as clearly as words
could give them, the pledges of the civil
service reformers. That Administra-
ton had been elected - as G. w.
Curtis and others frequently as
serted - on the strength of such
pledges. He (Hale) had never believed in
the sincerity of the pledges, because if the
Democratic party believed in any one thing
more than in another it was the doctrine
that +" to the victOrs belong the spoils." He
had before him table showing the sweep
ing changes in all the departments of the
Government up to the 11th of June, 1887.
That table showed that out of 1919 Pres
idential Postmasters there had been 1000
changes; out of 5000 fourth class Post
masters there had been 10000 changes
out of SO foreign Ministers 32 changes out
of q Secretaries of Legations 16 changes
out OF III Collectors of Customs 100
changes. The 30 Surveyors of Customs
were all changed. Not one of the six
Naval Officers remained. Out of 81 Ap-
pralsers but two remained; of Is Superin-
tendents of MINIS and Assay Offices there
had been II changes; the nine Assistant
Appraisers were all gone; of the 50 Col
lectors of Internal Revenue S4 have gone
of the ! Inspectors of Steam Vessels eight
were gone; of the 20 District ATTORNEYS Ia
semi-judicial office % were changed of
the Territorial Governors all were gone of
the Is Pension Agents but two remained.
Every one out of the 16 Surveyor Generals
was gone; of the 224 local Land Appraisers
100 were gone; of the 10 Indian Inspectors
and Special Agents but one remained; of
the 80 Indian Agents but eight, and of the
SO Agents of the General Land Office but
four.
The best comment that he Hale could
make on the table referred to was to quote
the editorial headings of leading Demo-
cratic newspaper, when it exultingly pub
lished that list. These headings were
The Civil Service-Practical Exclusion of
Republicans from Employment Under the
National Government-Only a Small Glass
of Public Servants Protected by the Pen
dleton Acts-Changes Effected With as
Little Derangement of Business as Posi-
ble-The Spoilsmen Not Satisfied"
Hale said he hoped to have in a few days
further table showing how this conquer
ing march of the Democratic party In pur-
suit of Office had continued down to the
beginning of the year. This showing was
amazing. The country did not appreciate
that under the banner of " Reform" with
/ is watchword written on every fold of the
Administration banner, this ruthless pro-
scriptiou and these removals and changes
in office had been going on at a rate unex-
ampled in any other administration in
American history.
In closing, Hale intimated that the Gov
ernment employees were being assessed for
political purposes, and remarked that the
means and appliances and practices of the
Democratic party of the past would all be
resorted to in its attempt to retain its hold
on the National Government. Intimida-
ton, outrage, and murder, if needed, would
open again the bloody grave in which
would be entombed anew the free ballot of
the South. The immense mass of office
holders would be marshaled to the conflict
and would be seen and heard and felt
everywhere. Nor would it stop there.
Every piece of work performed by con-
upon for political contributions, and every
man who did work under such contracts
would be called upon to add his vote to
his labor for the wages he received. No
Government building would be erected
whose workshop would not be made
recruiting place for the Democratic
party. No war-ship would be built
from whose ship-yard would not issue
on election day streams of Demo-
cratic voters. There was no device,
no plan of campaign ever resorted to by
the Democratic party in the days of Polk,
Pierce and Buchanan which would not be
resorted to this year. The thing which
has been is the thing which will be- and
there will be found no new thing under
the sun. In the meantime where were the
Independents?
Mr.. Butler sent TO the Clerks desk and
had read circular sent out in 1878 by au-
thority of the Republican Congressional
Committee, of which Hale was a member.
calling on Government employees for polit-
ical contributions.