Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-01-12
CONGRESSIONAL.
Senator Hale of Maine Fiads an Opper
tunitY to Let OFF His steam on
Civil Service Tangent.
BE claim. the Ae ministra,ion IL Thorough
Iy in Accord with the Saying, $50 I'll,
VICTOR Belongs the SPOIL"
F!ftieth Congress.
THE SENATE.

q AAOotus
Mr.. Hale made civil service speech
to day. He said: At the commencement
| Of Mr.. Lircoln's administration the pub
| lie oftices were filed with the adnerents
4 that party which was the exponent oil
the doctrine, that to the. victors belong
| the spoils. Under that administration
| he chief test of fitness was loyalty. Not
few of these then appointed had within
he last three years been turned on the
cold charities Of the world to make place
| for men who never had any sym.
psthy with the principles OF which
| DIR. Lincoln had stood as the great repre-
entative. General Grant and Preslden,
Hayes had during their administrations
| recognized the growing sentiments of the
country in favor Of civil service reform
| and had endeevored to conform their ap
pointments to the reasonable demand OF
that agitation. The Forty seventh Con-
gress iRepublicsn) had enacted the civil
service statute and President Arthur had
with sincere good fsith appointed
civil service commission and
gave support and encouragement to them.
He made no proclamation, no promises,
no pledges, but contented himself with
carrying ont the law according to it's pro-
visions and spirit. Both great parties in
1884 declared themselves in their plat
forms in fsvor OF civil service reform, but
IS the campaign advanced 1t was seen
that q considerable body of men who had
before that affiliated with the Republican
osrty, had determined to oppose its can
didate, and it soon became clear that
not only was that body Of men bent on
opposing the Republican candidate, but
WIS., looking about for reasons to support
his opponent. Governor Cleveland, the
candidate of the Democratic party, had
not failed to observe this and he accord
ingly protested adherence to the civil
service principles in his letter Of accept
ance. MI. Cleveland's declarations in
that respect hsd their effect. In
the close states they had influence
enough on the voters to be decisive in
result and Mr.. Cleveland was elected
Mr.. Hale quoted from en- interview with
Mr.. Cleveland published in Boston in
1885, in which Mr.. Cleveland Is repre-
sented as saying: ~ have tried to be
true to my own pledges and he pledges
OF my party. We both promised to divorce
the Offices of the country from being used
for party services" There they
them pledges Of civil service reformers
That administration had been elected, as
Mr.. George W. Curtis and others had
frequently asserted, on the strength oil
such pledges. He (Hale) had never be-
lieved in the sincerity Of these pledges
because If the Democratic party believed
in any one thing more than another it
was in the doctrine that "to the victors
belong the spoils"
He had before him table showing
sweeping changes in all the departments
of the government up to June IL, 1887.
That table showed that of 2S7s presiden.
tial postmasters there had been 1000
changes. Out of SO, 600 fourth class post
masters there had been 10000 changes.
Out of thir.y-three foreign ministers,
thirty-two charges. Out of twenty-one
of legation, sixteen changes.
Out Of Ill collectors Of customs, 100
changes. Thirty-tWo surveyors of Gus
toms were sli changed. Not one Of the
six naval officers remained. OF thirty-six
appraisers but two remained. OF thirteen
perintendents of mines and assay Of
fees there had been eleven changes.
The 8 assistant appraisers were ell
gone. OF the IS collectors Of internal
revenue, 81 had gone. OF the IL inspec-
tors Of steam vessels were gone. Ot70
district attorneys, semi judicial office,
S. were changed. Oi30 territorial Judges,
judicial Offices, % were changed. Of the
territorial governors all were gone. OF
Is pension agents two renamed. Every
one of the Is surveyor generals was gone.
Or 22i local land officers 100 were gone
Of 10 Indian inspectors and special
agents but l remained. OF 80 Indian
agents but remsined. At this time,
June, 1S87,the Democratic administration
had been but little over two years in
pow,r. The best comment that he could
make on the table referred to wss to
quote the editorial reading OF leading
Democratic newspaper when it exultantly
published that list. These headings were
"The civil service. Practical exclus-
ion OF Republicans from employment un-
small class of public servants protected
oy the Pendleton act. Changes effected
with as little arrangement of business as
possible. Spoilsmen not satisfied"
Mr.. Hale hoped to nave in few days 8
further table showing how this conquer
ng march of the Democratic
party in pursuit Of office had
continued down to the beginning
# this ycsr. This showing was smszing |
He had not realized it himself until be |
lad looked into the figures. The coun-
ny had not realized it. The country cid |
Tot appreciate that under the banner OF
'eform with its watchWord written on
very fold of the administration flag, this |
ruthless prescription and these removals |
md changes In Office had been going |
IN ct rate unexampled in any
,ther administration in American history. |
Z could not be said that most Of these |
,hapges toaK place because OF the expira-
ion Of terms of the incumbent, because |
scrutiny disclosed the fact that nineteen |
.wenlieths of all the cases where changes |
lad occurred were places where there
vas no fixed tenure of office, |
ous where the incumbents were |
removable st the pleasure |
II the President. Secretary Lamar re-
Gently bad taken occasion to commend |
John c.. Calhoun for his position against
he spoils system and had felicitated |
himself on the fact that he had belonged |
20 en- administration which was carrying |
,ut, in that respect, the principle of
Calhoun, and yet the stern facts which |
confronted the Senate IN the /
department. presided over by Mr..
lamar was that every terri |
orial governor had been removed; |