Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-11-24
A WORD OF CAUTION.
A Significant Discussion of Civil Service
Reform by Editor Halford.

Some importance Is attached to an editorial
article that appeared in the Journal to-day un-
der the caption, "Civil Service Reform and Q
Clean Sweep" II il believed that the article
was written by Private Secretary Halford, who
IL still in charge Of the Journal editorial page,
and it il regarded as q word Of caution from
headquarters. The article disapproves the old
partisan doctrine that ''to the victors belong
the spoils," which created the necessity for
civil service reform. The so-called clean
sweepers Of the republican party are cautioned
not to be unreasonable in their demands on the
next administration. ''If there is any honesty
In politics" the Journal says ssthe republican
party is pledged to use discrimination in re-
movals from office, as well as in appointments
thereto, and to use both primarily fOr the pub
lie welfare rather than for supposed party ad-
vantage" Republican clean-sweepers are also
reminded that the President-elect will be sur
rounded by some restrictions in the matter of
removals and appointments which he cannot
disregard. After enumerating the Offices that
are not embraced in the civil service act the
article concludes:
From what has been said it is evident there
are many things to be taken into account in
connection with the demand Of the clean
sweepers, and If they have the welfare of the
party ct heart they will recognize the necss-
sary limitations of the situation. One thing
they can rest assured of, the President-elect is
Is old and earnest a republican as any Of them
and can be depended on to do the very best
thing for the party, as well as the country"
WHAT THE CIvIL-sERvIcE REFoRMERs EXPECT.
''What do the civil-service reformers have
reason to expect Of the new Administrations
was asked Lucius B. Swift, president Of the
Indiana Civil-Service Reform association, this
evening. Mr.. Swift was the leading independ-
ent supporter Of Cleveland in Indiana four
j. Al Il =
Gen. Harrison until after he had received from
the republican candidate private assurances
Is to his intentions relative to the civil service
If he should become President. Mr.. Swift re-
piled:
speaking for myself should say there is no
reason why they ought not to expect every
thing. The President has the power under the
Constitution to turn every federal place-holder
out, but he has no more right to exercise that
power than he has to pardon every criminal
out of prison. He has no right under the Con-
stitution to use the places as party spoils. 1t
would be in the line of civi-service reform to
restore every man who has been unjustly dis
missed from tho classified service. This could
be done and still leave a large proportion of
the Cleveland appointees. When that is done
no dismissal from that service should be al
lowed without good business reason, to be
made public record, so that the people may
judge if the reason is good. This does not en-
title dismissed man to trial except as public
opinion tries him. There should be q new
civil-service commission. made up of men who
have some backbone and who do not spend
all their time in trying to find what
the law does not cover and how little power
they have and in trying to show how much
better this President has done than the others.
We need local boards who shall be absolutely
Independent of local appointing officers, and
We need to have it understood tina. any man
who competes-whatever his politics-stands
on the same footing as every other man. In
the Indian and railway mail services a large
number of incompetent and worthless men
should be dismissed and SO far possible their
competent predecessors should he restored, but
the culling process should not go beyond the
point of equalizing the appointments between
the parties. The same course.thou!d be pur-
sued with regard to all letter carriers in all
cities and with all clerks numbering five or six
in an Office. This still leaves the great bulk of
federal officers untouched. The platform upon
which Gen. Harrison was elected permits him
to make resolution if he will. and his oath
of Office will lay the duty upon him"
His Debts Were Too Heavy for Him.
winona Mimi, Special to the St Paul Globe Nov. o.
A piano tuner named Raphael Fassett. who
has been in the employ of Babcock & Elmer
and also engaged in managing Fassett's mill
tary orchestra, left Winona between two days,
and creditors here are now mourning the loss
of several hundred dollars. Among them are
business men. musicians. and several friends of
various callings. Bahcock and Elmer were sur
prised this morning on opening up their store
to find a note in Raphaefs own handwriting.
telling them that he would be many miles away
when they read it, and said he had gone be-
cause his debts here were too numerous and
heavy for him to endure. He declined to give
his present address, saying to do SO would only
De making matters worse for him, but some
day he would pay up every cent he owed his
friends here. Fassetts income was abund-
antly able to keep h;E, without the foolish ex-
travagance which he INDUCED in, and which
necessitated his contracting the many debts
that appear on the books of Winona merchants.
salaries. and ere loud in their condemnation of
him. Babcock & Elmer tried to have Fasseti
straighten his debts, bat to no purpose.
Raphael Fassett is well known in Washington
He is a son OF Mrs. S. NJ. Fassett. who painted
the celebrated picture of the electoral CON-
mission. which was purchased by Congress and
which now hangs in the room of the Senate
library committee. Young Fassett was. for a
time. employed in the music store of John f.
Ellis & Co., and showed marked Musical ability.
His friends here will be surprised and panied
to learn Of his escapade in MINI ssota.
w. F. Gibson, register of elections. who was
arrested a few days before the election in
Richmond county, Va, on United States war
rant, which charged that he was refusing TO
enter names on the registration book. has had
u hearing before the United States commits
sioner at Rockingham. and has been acquitted.
The business failures occurring throughout
the United States during the past seven days
were 260.
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