Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-08-23
BACK TO HIS vOM1T.

BACK TO HIS VOM1T.
 When President Harrison was mem- Der of the United States senate he was most persistent spells hunter. We have the word of Secretary Blaine that when he was secretary of state under Garfield in 1881 Senator Harrison applied for thirteen more consulships than there were on the whole list. When Harrison was inaugurated president on the 4th of March, 1889, he said that, besides con- polling enforcement of the civil service law by heads of departments, bureaus and all other public officers having any duty connected herewith, he hoped ito do something more to advance the re- form of the civil service" There have been many indications, however, that like dog going back to his vomit liar rison IS only too anxious to go back to his former practices with reference to the civil service.
 It has been proposed recently to bring chiefs of division within the operation of the civil service law, Commissioner Roosevelt having laid the matter before President Harrison previous to his de- parture for the west. Here is an excel lent opportunity for that something more which the president hoped to do for civil service reform. But it is an nounced that the president does not take kindly to Mir Roosevelt's sug- gestion, which has the sanction, of course, of Commissioners Lyman and Thompson. The president is backed up in his opposition to doing this ''some- thing more' by his associates in the ad- ministration, one of whom (Chief Heads man Clarkson) says : If it is proposed to have chiefs of division appointed through the civil service commission it would only be consistent to have cab inet ministers and secretaries appointed in the same way. With no responsi- bility save faithfulness to their duties, | there is no business reason why the re- moval of department clerks should fol low every change of administration. It is different in the case of chiefs of di- vision. They have administrative func- tions. Common sense demands that they be in touch with the prevailing | political sentiment. I do not know what the presidents views are on the subject, but I know it is impracticable to have chiefs of division selected through the medium of the civil service board" Treasurer Huston is not only opposed to an extension of the scope ot the civil service regulations, but wants some features, already engrafted, Topped off. ''I am not in favor of building the fence any higher,' said he. "It needs trimming down. Any officer who has had month's experience in an executive department will realize how farcical the civil service law is.' Chief Examiner Webster of the civil service commission who stated that he had not been con suited on the matter, expressed his | qualification that step had been take1 in the direction of the proposed exten sion. ''One of the stock arguments against the present civil service system, said he, .'is that clerks are required tt be competent, while the chief who di rects and supervises his labors may bt ignorant and incompetent. By requiring all to establish their competency before appointment, this argument fails"
 It will be noticed that, if there is any thing meritorious in the civil service
 law at all, 1t ought to be applied to thu
 chiefs of division. By extending it t, them President Harrison would demon
 strate that he was not talking througl
 his hat" when he said that he hoped St
 do something more to advance the re !, form of the civil service" But do w
 look to sec the president square his per
 formances with his promises? Not much President Harrison has gone back t
 his vomit.