The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-01-12
THE CIVIL SERVICE.
It is Reviewed in the Senate
by Hale.
ARRANGEMENT OF DEMOCRATS.
He Thinks the Party Believes In the
Doctrine, "rO the victors Belong
the Spoils"-Etc.
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, 3nuAIy 1l.-Odu1sOurA
presented joint resolution declaring
that no further effort can be properly
made by the United States to obi air
the cooperation of European govern
ments in establishing common ratio
OF values between silver and gold as
msney. Laid on the table.
Hoar offered resolution requesting
the President to transmit to Congress
the report of the Pacific Railroad Com
mission. Adopted.
The resolution offered by Hale on the
18th of Decemb ben for select commit
tee 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.
At the commencement of Mr.. Lin
coins administration, the public offices
were filed with the adherents of that
party which was the exponent of the
doctrine that to the victors belong the
spoils. Under that administration, the
chief test of fitness was loyalty. Not a
few of those then appointed had, within
the last three years, been turned on the
cold charities of the world, to make
place for men who neI or had any SYM
patty with the principles of which Lin
coin had stood as the great represent
alive. General Grant and President
Hayes had, during their administra-
tions, recognized the growing sentiment
of the country in favor of civil service
reform, and had endeavored to con-
form appointments to reasonable
demand of that agitation. The
Forty-Seventh Congress (Republican)
10 tAA it'll -
President Arthur had, with sincere
good faith, appointed civil service COM
missioners and gave support and en-
enlargement to them, but he was con-
tent to do it in a quiet way. If he
(Hai) were to make any contrast be
tween President Arthur's course on
that subject and the course which has
since been pursued, it wonid be simply
to call attention to the fact that Presi-
dent Arthur made no proclamations,
no promises, no pledges, but contented
himself with carrying out the law &C
cording to its purpose and spirit.
Both of the great parties, in
1884, declared themselves in their
platforms in favor of civil
iervice reform, but as the campaign
progressed, it was seen that consider
able body of men, who had before that
affiliated with the Republican, party,
had determined to oppose its candidate,
and it soon became clear that not only
was that body of men bent on opposi-
ton to the Republican candidate, but
was looking about for reasons to sup
port his opponent. Governor Cleve-
land, candidate of the Democratic
party had not failed to observe this
and he accordingly protested adherence
to civil service principles in his letter
of acceptance. Cleveland's declaration,
in that respect, had their effect. In
close States. they had influence enough
on the voters to be decisive of the re-
suit, and Cleveland was elected Pres1-
dent.
Mr.. Hale quoted from an interview
with Mr.. Cleveland, published in
Boston in 1885, in which Cleveland is
represented as saying: II have tried to
be true to my own pledges and the
pledges of my party. We both prom
ised to divorce Offices of the country
from being used for party services"
There they had las clearly as words could
give them, pledges of the civil service
reformers. That administration has
been elected, as G. w. Cur is
and others frequently asserted,
on the strength of such pledges.
He (Bale) had never believed in the
slnceritl of the pledges, because, If the
Democratic party believed in any enc
thing more than another, it was the
doctrine that "to the victors belong the
spoils." He had before him a table
showing swt eping changes in ali depart
ments of government up to June IL,
1887. That table showed that out of
2,379 Presidential postmasters. there
had ueen 1000 changes; out of 81 500
fourth-class postmasters, there had
been 40 600 changes; out of thirty-three
foreign ministers, thirtytwo changes;
out OF tWenty-one secretaries of
legation, sixteen changes; out
of Ill collectors of customs, 100
changes; thirty surveyors OF GUS
toms we're also changed not one of six
naval officers remained; out of thirty
appraisers, but two remained; of thIr-
teen superintendents of minis and assay
offices, there have been eleven changes;
nine assistant appraisers were all gone: |
of eighty-five collectors of internal |
revenue. eightY-four have gone; of |
eleven inspectors of steam vessels, eight |
were gone; of seventy district attorneys, |
Ia semi-judicial ofice) twenty-five were
changed; OF Territorial governors, all |
were gone; OF eighteen pension agents, |
Wv WV AOAAoAhC0f OAO OuJ ii |
sixteen surveyor generals was gone; of |
24 local land appraisers, 100 were gone;
of ten Indian inspectors and special |
agents, but one remained; of fifty mine |
Indian agents, but eight, and of eighty
three agents of the general land Office,
but four remained at this time (June,
1881
The Democratic administration has |
been but little over two years in Office. |
The best comment that he Hale) could |
make on the table referred to, was to |
quote editorial headings of leading
Democratic newspaper, when it exult- !
antly publishes that list. These head
ings were: "Ths Civil Service" "Pol-
itical Exclusion of Republicans from
Employment under the National Gov
eminent" Only a Small Glass of
Public Servants Protected by the PEN !
dleten Act" Changes Affected With
as Little Derangement of Business as
Possible. 'Spoilsmen Not Satisfied"
Hale hoped to have, in few
f.rrf