Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1888-10-20
THE cITI1 srRYIcE L4u.
Repors Of the Select Committee on the Oper,
lions thereof


Repors Of the Select Committee on the Opera
lions Thereof
In the senate on the 10th, Senate
Hale presented the report Of the seleS
committee on the operation of the civ
service law. He said that the minoriE
report would be presented hereafter.
The report makes printed report o
nifty pages. 1t discusses deliberately til
testimony taken in New York. Pennsyl
vania, and elsewhere, and concludes Will
the following summary:
The investigation made by the com
mittee and the facts therein brought
forth establish these facts beyond con.
troversy:
First-That partisan changes have
been made in federal offices in a whole.
sale way under no pTetense that the good
OF the public service demanded snch
changes In the most markell instances
as in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Indiana
polls and New York these charges have
been followed by scandals in the publie
service which has been rendered less eff.
cient by reason of these charges.
Second-Ihat federal officials through.
ont the country contrary to the direc-
tions of the president as found in his
letter OF Jaly IA, 1893. have freely and
openly participated in political conven-
lions and primary election movements,
using their official influence In Penn
sylyania the entire machinery of the
official service was put in operation for
the purpose of controlling the demo-
cratic organization in the state in the
interest of the administration force as
against the friends of Randall. The
state conventions were dominated and
controlled by federal officials and the
chairmauship of the state commit
tee was secured by offices bestowed by
the administration upon members of
this committee who changed their allie
glance from Randall to the president.
In no case does this committee find that
any federal officer has been Disciplined
for such interference in politics. but on
the other hand such interference has
been repeatedly recognized and re-
warded. This interference in some cases
was most offensive to the people and
amounted to conspiracy to defeat and
thwart the popular will
The system of levying tolls and as
sessments upon federal officeholders for
political purposes has continued with
out interruption since this administra-
ton came into place. The committee
IS persuaded that at the present time
throughout the country officehOlders are
being generally assessed and called
upon to contribute from their salaries
to swell the campaign funds of the dem
ocratic party. While assessments so
generally made and responded to are in
violation OF the repeated declarations Of
the president and of the fundamental
PRINCIPLES of civil service reform. the
committee hardly feels warranted in
nnlnadyerting upon the conduct of
those suhordnates for violating the pol-
icy announced by the president in view
of the fact that that policy has been de-
parted from and grossly violated bv the
president and members of the cabinet
IN their alleged and uncnntra.,icted
subscriptions of large sums to the
democratic national committee Tt is
not to be expected that the srbordinates
Will feel justified i'll considering as sin
cere the declarations of policy which
are so palpably repudiated by the author
and the fact that the president of the
United States in the campaign in which
he has so great a personal interest, con-
tributes VIGOROUSLY one fifth of n years
salary for political use is fairly to be
taken by those who depend npon him
for their tenure of office as not simply
an invitation but command to do like
wise
"While perhaps not strictly the func-
lions of this committee, it may not he
improper for it to commend to the CON
sideration of the legal adviser of tile
president an inquiry as to whether such
subscriptions made We're not in direct
violation of the provisions of the law.
All these thin"s are contrary to the
pledges repeatedly made by the president
both before his election and since. in his
letters and messages and wclI-authenti-
Gated interviews"