Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-02
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
Geo. VIM. Curtis Arraigns the Admin.
tstration for Breach OF Faith.


The annual meeting OF the national civil
service reform league, of which George William
curtis is president, began in Philadelphia yes
terdAy. After the transaction of routine bust
ness the visiting delegates sat down 30 an in
formal banquet at the Colonnade rendered
tnem by the local association, at which George
William Curtis presided.
Among those present we're Hon Carl Schurs
OF New York; Col silas W. Burt. e.-collector
OF the port of New York; Charles J. Bonaparte
OF Baltimore; George A. Pope, Baltimore; E
l.. Godkin. editor Of the New York Nation;
Gen. William A. Aiken. Norwich, Conn; C. A.
Collin, Elmira. Ny; Everett z. Wheeler, New
York; Dorman b. Eaton. New York; sherman
5. Rogers, Buffalo; l. b. Swift, Indianapolis;
Henry L. Richmond. Buffalo: William w
Vaughan. Cambridge. Mass; Morrill, wymAn,
jr., Cambridge, Mass. L. o. Mason. Geneva. n.
y. and William Potts, secretary Of the national
league.
Mr.. CURTIS SPEECH,
which was quite lengthy, was devoted wholly
to the course of the present administration
with reference to civil service reform. He as
serted that the republican party, by reason OF
Its last national platform. and President Harrl-
son. by virtue Of his public utterances. were as
strongly pledged TO the cause Of civil service
reform as TO the principles Of protection. lie
spoils system when Senator as 1.-THE frank
and bold. If not brutal, method OF turning men
out SIMPLY for political opinion" and Analysed
the record OF the party leaders generally, espe-
clally during Mr.. Clevelands administration.
After contrasting the positions Of the two
great parties upon the subject Of civil service
reform he charged that the President had not
observed the spirit of the civil service law in
his appointments or removals, and referred
particularly to the action of Assistant Postmas-
tor ,..al II
fourth class postmasters.
Mr.. Curtis then referred to party organs in
Missouri, New Hampshire. West Virginia.
Pennsylvania, Iowa and New York ridiculing
the civil service law "a humbug." IA sham"
&c, and calling for a return TO the spoils sys-
TEN. Continuing be said: Naturally this uni
formity of tone in the party Journals through
out the Union is echoed by party assemblies
The federation of republican clubs in the third
Maryland district, representing twenty-three
associations. pledge themselves not TO support
for any office a candidate who honestly adheres
to the national republican declaration upon re-
form.
ACTION OF REPUBLICAN COMMITTEES.
The central committee of the District Of Co
lnmbia denounces 1.-The cowardly. treacherous
policy that to the defeated belongs the spoils"
The republican general committees in two
New York counties denounce un-American
and unfair the civil service law which the re-
and state conventions of the administration
party in three of the great states which IL con-
trolls, Pennsylvania. Iowa and Ohio. which form
erly loudly declared for reform, are this year
silent. Three members of the cabinet decline
TO profess their adherence to the most emphatic
declaration of the party platform. and one
laughingly remarks that he does not think he
has appointed many democrats to Office SO far.
Eminent Senators and Representatives OF the
party sheer with warmth at the cant of reform
am he President far matt llFs Pan
resentatiye announces that he will test the
sentiment of the House GA the sham civil service
law" alleging that nine-tenths of the MEM
beers know that the law Is a fraud and say in
private" and the energetic Representative pro-
poses Ito smoke them out and put them on
record"
THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION.
He complimented the present civil service
commission, every member of which he con-
sidered sincere believer in the necessity and
the practicability of reform, and it's vigilance
and vigor are the best earnest OF its effective
service. He also referred to the fact that the
President has refused to extend the time ap-
pointed for including the railway mail service
within the rules, and has authorized the pub
LEGATION of the eligible lists, but he added: Be
sides these few executive acts. the significance
of which is destroyed by the general executive
course, there is little that shows any effective
party regard for the resounding promises Of
the platform. There q
more comprehensive and significant declara-
ton of reform made in party platform than
that under which the present administration
came into power. But no party ever broke
faith with itself and with the country more
completely"
Mr.. Curtis did not question the Presidents
power of removal. but he held that that power
had been grossly abused. Removal, made ar
bitrarily from unworthy motive, could
not be justifedb by the mere fact that the power
of removal existed.
CONCLUDING REMARKS.
In conclusion the speaker said: Thirteen
years ago one of the most eminent of republic
can leaders said in the Senate-and il it was
true then is il less true now?-I have heard the
taunt from friendiest lips, that when the United
States presented herself in the east to take part
with the civilized world in generous competi-
ton in the arts of life, the only product of her
institutions in which she surpassed all others
beyond question was her corruption When,
three years hence, we welcome that world upon
our shores to another competition of prof.
cheney in those arts, shall we be content with
industrial superiority and material splendor2
While our inventive genius, our daring enter
prise, our swift civilization of a continent. may
stir the wonder of the world, shall il not be our
proudest boast that, the material miracle
has been wrought under popular goyernme mt,
our greatest achievement Is the moral miracle
of the constant publication of that government
by the virtue and intelligence of the people2"