The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-05-22
VIOLATING CIVIL SERVICE LAWS.
Swift DenOunces the Changes in
the Railway Mail Service.
daily Sentinel Of May Ill


The wholesale removals in the railway mail
service still continue The heads that were
placed on the block yesterday were those Of
Eugene Lewis of Greenfield and John B. Al
bert of Vandalia ILL.,, both postal clerks on the
Pittsburg and st. Louis route. They are sue
ceeded by Tim Miller of this city and II. S.
Stenbenger of Belleville, Ill.
Notwithstanding the express regulations laid
down by the civil service law, the removals in
the railway mail service, for political reasons
solely, are increasing at a rapid rate, being
made in all parts of the country. This fragrant
violation of law is arousing the indignation
even OF many republicans. All who believe in
the desirability of civil service laws are watch
ing the conduct of the railway mail service
and wondering what will be the outcome of its
fight against the statute.
A SENTINEL reporter yesterday asked Mr..
Lucen B. Swift, the secretary of the civil SER
vice reform association of Indiana, for his
opinion on the matter, and his reply, which
was made after few moments OF elaboration,
was as follows:
"The Pendleton act when passed took eff
feet at once in all Offices where fifty persons
were employed. 1t also provided that on the
direction OF the president 1t should include
other government employees. This left but a
single act to be performed, and when President
Cleveland ordered the railway mail service to
be put under the rules, and fixed the date at
March IL. that ended the authority of the presi-
dent in the matter and the railway mail service
was as much included in the law on that date
as though the original act had fixed that time.
There is no authority of extension of time left
in the president. He has no more authority to
extend the time than he has TO take parts of
the service entirely from under the law, he
is being urged to do, for instance by RathbOne.
every appointment made to the railway
mail service" Mr.. Swift continued, since
March IL, without competition, is clearly an
unlawful appointment. To say that the civil
service commission was not ready does not
mend the matter. There was no such stress as
to call for lsW-brealSng
"As to appointments now being given out,
but dating April %, and as to dismissals now
being made, and in which the dismissed clerks
are paid up TO date the facts seem to be that
Clarkson and Bell railroaded through q large
number of appointments and dismissals at the
last moment before May l and did not stop to
send them out or even to index them. Now
after the law is admitted by all to be in force,
these changes are being completed.
This is q wholesale fraud upon the law, and
] am not ready TO believe that the president
will allow it TO be carried out. 1t ia not done
for the good of the service. but TO work in ia
vorites OF congressman and other influential
politicians, as is shown here by the appoint
ment of Bagby and Billy Patterson when there
were men OF the highest technical skill and
standing who wanted work, as is shown by the
fact that efficiency or inetficiency have not been
the test of dismissal"