Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-01-12
THE CAPITAL.
RI THLESS UNMASKING OF THE
CIVIL SERVICE FRAUD.
The Battle-FIag Inquiry
Tax Cases-The Benson Case
Invalid Pensions.
SPECIAL DISPATCHES TO THE RECoRD-uSIos.l
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
The Senate.


ton declaring that no further effort can be
properly made by the United States to
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 a 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 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
lect in offering it was to secure an investiga-
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 Lincoln's 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 a 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 lad 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 would 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
about for reasons to support his 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. Cleyeland's declara-
tons 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
Mr.. Cleveland published in Boston in 1885,
in which Cleveland is represented as saw
ing: " l 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
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 18th of June, 1887
That table showed that out of 1919 Pres
changes; out of $1,000 fourth class Post
masters there had been 10000 changes :;
out of 80 foreign Ministers 81 changes out
of q Secretaries of Legations 16 changes /;
out of Ill Collectors of Customs 100
changes. The 30 Surveyors of Customs
were all changed. Not one of the six
Naval Officers remained. Out of 80 APP
praisers 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 81 have gone ;
of the II Inspectors of Steam Vessels eight
were gone; of the 20 District ATTORNEYS "a
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 Is 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 50 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 a 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-Onlya 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
its watchword written on every fold of the
| Administration banner, this ruthless pro-
scription and these removals and changes
in Office had been going on at rate unex-
ampled in any other administration in
American history.
In closing, Hale intimated that the Gov
eminent 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-
| tract for the Government would be levied
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 a
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 a 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 contrihufions