Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-02
AFTER MIR. HARRISON.
George William Curtis Arraigns Him
for the Violation of
HIS CIVIL SERVICE PLEDGES.
The Commission Appointed is the Only
Redeeming Feature.
MEETING AND BANQUET OF THE LEAGUE

noon. To-daY's meeting was only prellml
nary to the general business meeting which
takes place tomorrow. The General Com
mittee and Executive Committee, in joint
session, selected a committee to draw uI
resolutions to be presented at the meeting
tomorrow, and also elected an Executive
Board for the ensuing year.
After the transaction of this business the
visiting delegates sat down to an informal
banquet, rendered them by the local asso.
citation, at which George William Curtis
presided. Among those present were Hon.
Carl Schurz, OF New York; Colonel Silas W.
Burt, ex-Collector of the Port of New
York; Charles j. Bonaparte, of Balti-
more; George J. Pope, Baltimore; E.
L. Godkin, editor of New York
Nation; General, William A. Aiken, Nor
wich, Conn; Everett P Wheeler; New
York: Dorman B. Eaton, New York; Sher-
man B. Rogers, Buffalo; L. B. Swift, In
dianapolis; Henry L. Richmond, Buffalo;
F. o. Mason, Geneva, n. Y, and William
Potts, Secretary of the National League.
THE ANNUAL ADDRESS.
This evening President Curtis delivered
his annual address at Association Hall.
There was a large audience, many of whom
were ladies. During the course of his ad-
dress he said:
Since our last annual meeting party change
in the administration of the national Govern
ment has occurred. Seven months of the new
administration have passed. and as friends of
civil service reform our questions to-day are
obvious and simple What was the declaration
of the successful party upon the subject of re-
form? What were the pledges of its candi-
dates? How have those pledges been fulfilled,
nd 1r1ao+ 1rn fhn Of
-Four years ago in speaking of President
Cleveland, then recently elected and inaug-
urated. said that he "was not committed to
the prosecution of reform as the candidate of
party which seriously desired it or promised
it." Certainly cannot say this of President
Harrison.
The promises of the successful party lastyear
were as ardent as they were detailed and abso-
lutte. They left nothing uneXpressed. The
irrepressible platform pledged the party TO
many things, but to nothing with such redupli-
Gated and reiterated zeal as to reform in the
civil service; and having done this in the most
precise and positive words 1t pledged the party
with especial fervor to keep its pledges.
To the ardor of the platform the
protestations of the President, as candidate,
fitly and fully responded. He declared that it
would be his sincere purpose if elected to ad-
vance reform. He said thar fitness and not
party service should be the essential test in ap-
pointment, that fidelity and efficiency should
be the
ONLY SURE TENURE
of Office, and that only the interest of
the public service should suggest removals
from office. The significance of these words is
unmistakable. Naturally and fairly inter-
preted they forecast an executive action abso-
lutely incompatible with the practice known as
the spoils system. The country had precisely
the same assurance from the successful party
of policy of honest reform in the civil service
that it had of an administration favorable to
the policy of protection, and that no doubt
might arise from political differences between
the Executive and the Legislative branches of
the Government the result of the election
showed that the Executive and the Legislature
would be in entire political accord.
How, then, have the pledges of the success |
full party and candidate been fulfilled? Have |
fidelity and efficiency proved to be the sure |
tenure of office? Has fitness and not party |
service been the essential test in determining |
appointments? Has the interest of the public |
service alone dictated removals from office? |
Has the great pledge of the platform that the
spirit and purpose of reform should be OBJ |
served in all Executive appointments been |
honorably fulfilled? Or have such appoint |
ments generally been made precisely as they |
would have been made had there been no plat |
form promises, no pledges of the candidate |
and no public interest in civil service reform7
1t is not answer to these questions, it is |
only an evasion of them. to say that reform is |
not favored by majority of the people. The i
only way in which the views OF a majority of |
the people can be known is by the result of an |
election. If the election of last year showed |
i
showed by precisely the same demonstration |
that it is in favor of civil service reform If |
there be any relation between party platforms !
and the pledges OF candidates and the results of |
an election, the country in electing Mr.. Harri-
son declared for civil service reform.
PARTY ORGANS REBUKED.
A few weeks ago hilarious administration
party organ at the capital of New York, one of |
the most influential and representative party
journals, exclaimed: Fifteen thousand fourth
class postmasters have been removed to date
and Mr.. Clarkson remains in Washington wirh
his coat off and his shirt sleeves rolled up Go
it, Clarkson! Out with the whole 55 O0O by Jan
uafy ISL. IL ADDS with natural enthusiasm that
civil service reform cannot command the support |
of corporals guard of Republicans in New
ork- In Missouri the chief PARTY organ
thinks Mr.. Clarkson's labors although laud-
able, yet rather deliberate in the direction of
true reform. and is confident that "when the
DOG days are over and cool weather sets in
Colonel Clarkson Will greatly accelerate his
speed" The leading rural organ in the State
asserts plainly neither political party cares a
form"
In New Hampshire the chief administration
organ arraigning reform as "a stuffed and
painted and unpopular humbug" and "a bald
and rickety affair that bullies and wheedes !
good citizens, inexorably condemns II 40 +bo |
scrap heap" In West Virginia a zeaIous organ |
believes devotedly that the spoils belong to fhe
victor, and the editor having secured his part
VI Tue Dootg, announces tnat at the earliest |
practcable date every Democratic an
pointee in the office entrusted to him tsfrom |
the humble and poorly paid appleiack raupers |
TO the well-pald storekeeper and clerks will be
by Slmon-pure-all-wool-an |
wide Republicans" In PENNSYLVANIA an ad I
minlstration journal of Importance declares
that ''the people are tired of the sham of reform
and would gladly snow 1t under with their
votes" In Ohio a Similar representative adj
organ warmly commepds an officer |
who disregards the humbug.
ONE GOOD FEATURE.
The President has selected an admirable
Civil Service Commission. Every member of
It is a sincere believer in the necessity and tho
of reform, and its vigilance and
Tigor are the best earnest of its effective SER
7ice. He has refused also to extend the time
appointed for including the railway mail SER
vice within the rules, and he has authorized
.he publication of the eligible lists. Beside
'hese lew executive acts, the significance of
which is destroyed by the general execntive
course, there is little that shows anv
effective party regard for the resounding prom,
ses of the platform. The few administration
senators and Representatives who have pro-
fessed to favor reform, and who dashed win
tinging rhetoric the failures and inconsistent
lies of the late administration now when tbpir
'onvlctloh ana courage fnd fitting oppor-
unity, are passive and silent
They see the general violation of pledpes Inv
which the party pledged them. Thev see the
principles which they declare ought to control |
he power Of appointment and removal onpnlv
isregarded. They see the abuses runniny |
lot. and apparently with their conniyance
which they have themselves denounced. Yet
instead OF frankly refusing to do what they
Oined in declaring should not be done instead
indignant protest in The name of their marty
nd of honest politics which should alarm
hose who make merchandise of the party
aith and of the public service, they wall feebly
hat it is doubtful if the country really wants
sforui, that the pressure of trading politicians