Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-01-19
Grant Gnnntp 4erald,
WALTER G. CHANDLER. PUBLISHER
THURSDAY, JANUARY 10. 1888.
Senator Hale on Sham Reform.

committee 10 examine Iully lntO tne
present condition of the civil service,
Senator Hale said: Both the great
parties in 1884 declared themselves in
their platforms in favor of civil service
reform, but as the campaign progressed
1t was seen that considerable body of
men who had befole that affiliated with
the Republican party had determined to
oppose its candidate, and it soon be-
came clear that not only was that body
of men bent on opposing the Republi-
can candidate, but was looking about
for reasons to support his opponant,
Gov. Cleveland. The candidate of the
Democratic party had not failed to OBJ
serve this and he accordingly professed
adherence to civil service principles in
his letter of acceptance. Mr.. Cleve-
lands declarations in that respect had
their effect. He (Hale) had before him
table showing the sweeping changes
in all the departments of the Govern
ment up to June II, 1897 That table
showed that out of 1879 Presidential
Postmasters there had been 1900
changes; out of $4,000 fourth-class
Postmasters there had been 10000
changes; out of twenty-one Secretaries
of Legation, sixteen changes; out of Ill
Collectors of Customs, 100 changes;
thirty-two Surveyors of Customs, were
all changes; not one of the six naval
officers remained; of thirty-slx APP
praisers but two remained of thirteen
Superintendent of minis and assay
officers there had been eleven changes;
the nine Assistant Appraisers were all
gone; of the eighty-five Collectors of
Internal Revenue eighty-four had gone;
of the eleven Inspectors of Steam Yes
sells eight were gone; of seventy District
Attorneys Ga semi-judical office) sixty
five were changed; of thirty Territorial
Judges Judicial offices) twenty-five were
changed; of Territorial Governors all
were gone; of eighteen Pension Agents
but two remained; every one of the
sixteen Surveyors-General was gone;
of 224 local land officers 1870 were gone;
of ten Indian Inspectors and special
agents but one remained; of fifty-nine
Indian agents but eight; and of eighty
three Special Agents of the General Land
Office but four.
Passing to the question of the par
ticipation of Federal officials in political
conventions and elections, Mr.. Hale
referred to the meeting of the New York,
Pennsylvania, and Maryland State Com
mittees, at all of which prominent
Federal officials had been active partici-
pants. The President had not hesitated
himself to deal deadly blows at the cause
of reform. In this connection Mr. Hale
referred to the recent MUNICIPAL election
in New York. when Mr.. Fellows and Mr..
Nicoll were candidates for the office of
District Attorney, and in which cam
paign all the papers, the Civil Service
AlSAOlil III 1ooOCadIlOH, dliO JiC llIOlCIldhto
and business men had espoused the can
didacy of Mr. Nicoll. He spoke of Mr..
Fellows as an old, broken-down New
York politician whose character was
none too high, and who had been the
crony and the beneficiary of Tweed in
he days of the worst corruption that
ever disgraced New York City. Here
was an opportunity for the President to
have done something in the cause of re-
form. At the great ratification meeting
which was held in New York City under
the patronage of Tammany Hall for the
purpose of ratifying the nomination, a
letter had been read from President
Cleveland regretting his Inability to be
present and expressing the hope that
every candidate on the excellant ticket
of the United Democracy might be
triumphantly elected.
Referring to political assessments. he
described how assessments had been
levied in the Government Printing Office
for the late New York Campaign, and
he ventured the prediction that no APP
pliances known to corrupt Lolitics and
in defiance of civil service law would fail
to be resorted to in the coming presiden-
tial campaign.