The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-10-12
Ba,e,s Civil Service Report.

The majority report of the select commit
tee of the Senate on the operations OF the
civil service law, which was published in
our dispatches yesterday, is intended, I'M
doubtedly, for a campaign document. 1t
was presented by Senator Hale, the chair
man of the committee, who is a bitter par
tisan, and upon whom the republicans can
always rely when they want bit of parti-
son work done. The minority report ought
to have been given to the public along with
the majority report, in order that the
country might have had the opportunity of
reading the two together.
1t is remarkable thai the republicans
should be so anxious TO have it appear that
the President has not lived up to his
promises with respect to civil service re-
! FORM 1t is a fact that their party
has never done anything toward re-
forming the civil service, although it has
not been wanting in opportunities. They
desire to create the impression, doubtless,
that the Democratic party has failed as
completely as the Republican party did in
enforcing the law to reform the civil
service. If that is their purpose, they will
be disappointed.
The civil service reform law has been en-
| forced conscientiously and faithfully by the
present administration. There has been no
discrimination against republicans in APP
pointments to offices which are covered by
that law. When vacancies have occurred,
they have been filled from those who have
passed the required examination. The
question whether those presented for ap-
pointment were democrats or republicans
has not been asked. Hundreds of republi-
cans have obtained places in the civil service
since Mr. Cleveland has been President, and
the civil service rules have been 50 extended
that hundreds of other republicans already
in Office have been promoted.
What was the fate of the civil service re-
form law that was passed when Gen. Grant
was Presidents Was it not almost wholly
disregarded from the very beginning Was
it not treated with contempt, and did it not
finally become dead letter? The history
of civil service reform under republican
rule is something to which the republican
leaders never refer. There is nothing in it
that affords an honest and patriotic man
any satisfaction. but there is a great deal
III ~ bLiO "OulA Cd1A u DllSu VI Slidllie 10
the cheek of Senator Hale, if he were capa-
BILE of such a feeling for any political act of
his party.
1t is true that a great many democrats
have been appointed to office by Mr.. Cleve-
land, but these appointments violated no
law, and it is doubtful if they violated any
promise. Many of the republicans who
have been removed were removed for cause
The republican leaders seem to think that
republicans ought to have been appointed
TO succeed them, though why they should
think SO it is difficult to understand. As
between democrats and republicans, equally
qualified, it was to be expected that demo-
Gratis would be given the preference. Re-
publicans whose terms expired were sue
ceeded by democrats. What law, or what
promises of the President required him to
reappoint the republicans
The truth is that the civil service is in a
better condition now than it has been under
any previous administration within the last
quarter of century. Thousands of republi-
cans have been retained in office because of
their faithfulness and experience. II Mr..
Cleveland is reelected, he will put civil
service reform upon such solid foundation
that there never will be a return to the
spoils system.