New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-22
WHITEWASH FOR CLEVELAND.
CIVIL SERVICE "REFORMn AS DEPICTED BY
IT'S ENEMIES
ABUSES WHICH BLACKBURN'S COMMITTEE
DIDN'T CARE TO TOUCH UPON.
rBr TELEGRAPH TO TIE rRrBUNEI


Washington oct. 21.-Thc report of the minority
of the Senate Civil Service Investigating Committee Is
lame affair. 1t was promised that the document
should be presented last Thursday, ara when, aier
IT known that an agreement to adjourn on sa'ur-
day had been reached further time was begeed Dy
the minority. The object Of the delay Is patent. VI
the three gentlemen composing the minority Messrs'
Blackburn Blodgett and Daniel, not one believes IN
the Civil Service law, and one Senator Daniel, never
attended a single meeting Of the committee; yet IL Is
probable that each wrote certain portion OF this
document which does not discuss the evidence pre-
sented by Senator Hale, except In the most general
manner.
In general terms It Is asserted That the testimony
relied upon by the majority is that Of discharged and
disappointed employees, who took this method OF vent
ing their spite against those who had removed them
from office. On the contrary, the gravcst evidence
of mismanagcment OF partlSanship, and OF lncompc-
tency furnished by Democrats themselves This Is
especially true I'm regard TO the outrageous condition
of the indianapolis post Office The charges against
Postmaster Jones were sworn to by Mr. Swift, Demo
crat, and ono who in 1884 at the head OF a
Democratic organization, earnestly WORKING lot 'no
election of Mr. Cleveland w. d. Foulkc also
Democrat another witness TO the shameless viola
tions of tho Civil Service law by Postmaster jones'
and the report made by the Civil Service Reform Asso
ciatrn of Indiana. filed with the committee by Mr.
Foulkc is one of the seveIest arragnmcnis for the
abandonment of pledges that has been made against
the President
The minority does not attempt to dsprovc the cor
rupt conspiracy regard 10 the purchase of the site
for Federal building at Bnghamton, n. y, for in
this case the witnesses before the committee were
Democrats, and those who brought the attention OF
the President TO the fraudulent character Of Deputy
Collector Davis's proceedings in this matter last May
were also Democrats. This of the most
rascally pieces work brought out by the committee
a case where a site. ncOnvcniently located, and an
nualy flooded by water and with defective ttle, was
forced upon the Treasury Department by DAVIS ana
relative at cost OF $4,000. when the ground was as
sessed at only $4,000. The minority couiu not uis
prove this charge and do not attempt to, save Id inc
most general way
The minority is dlScreetly silent In regard TO AS
sistant Secretary MaynaIds BLACKLIST OF the en-
poyes In the appraisers Office I'm the Newly ork custom
House. and in reference TO all the gross VIOLATIONS OF
the Cvil Service law in the Custom House shown Dy
the report of the committee, the Widow Mct5lhlns pig
rattle: the discharge of experienced ana aihful en-
ploycs simply because they Republicans: the
appointment only of Democrats. ana Inc leNylng anu
collection of political assessments, the minority idS
wholly to discredit refute single material sllega
tion. ill.,,
political assessments under former Adminsli
and an assertion that the present Administrator
has endeavored honestly TO carry out the provisions
of the Civil Service law. AS TO political assessments
never was the demand for money from Government
employees for campaign purposes so persistent "a now
Democratic chiefs and foremen tell those under them
in plain words that they must contribute to me
Democratic campaign fund or they VIII lose thelr
places Not only that. but these officials fX me
amount that their subortnates must pay and receive
tbe money themselves during the time of official duty
The demand, too, Is made upon women ana girls d.
we'll as upon men In the Government service.