The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-11-25
Civil Service Reform.

Hon. Theodore Roosevelt, whose abilities
and high character President Harrison has
recognized by appointing him civil service
commissioner, was the leading speaker at
the dinner Of the civil service reform clubs
in Boston last Friday. What Mr. Roosevelt
said is of great interest TO all friends of the
reform, though it is not all so rosy as could
be wished. The principle of the reform has
made great progress in the adm Illustration of
the public business, as is shown by the num-
Der of employees to whom the law is extend
ed. When the civil service was classified in
1888 about $4,000 employees were put within
the operation of the law: today about $4,000
come under it. This number includes the
bulk Of the highest paid of the minor en-
ployes of the government, and is between
fifth and fourth of the minor employees of
the government. These figures show that,
| so far as actual progress is concerned, the
reform is making good Roadway. All these
offices have been taken out of the hands of
| politicians and put where any citizen may
aspire to attain to any of them by proper ed
ucation. In these offices the changes of adj
ministra tion make no change. They are not
part of the spells. For this substantial
progress Mr. Roosevelt thinks the friends of
the reform have good cause for encourage
ment But there is another side to the stu
alton. The reform has many enemies, not
| open foes who dare to 60 before the people
and oppose it, but enemies who take every
| opportunity to deal it blow indirectly. and
who throw in the way of the commissioners
every possible obstruction. "We still have
| to face" says Mr.. Roosevelt, "the hostility
| Of an immense mass of politicians. We
have not only to make every advance in the
teeth of the fercest opposition. but to fight
every hour to keep the ground we have
| gained" What Mr.. Roosevelt says has been
| confirmed by the reports that have come
| from Washington ever since his appoint
ment. But in the end we believe that the
reform will triumph over its covert as it has
over its open enemies. Mr.. Roosevelt is con.
tributing much toward such result by the
courageous manner in which he is battling
for the reform. But if its enemies find many
opportunities for attack in the broad field of
national politics where the vigilance of the
people cannot be exercised readily, the same
cannot be said of the more restricted fields
where the vigilance of the people overlook
the public service more carefully. The
chairman of the Massachusetts Civil Service
Commission was one of the speakers with
Mr. Roosevelt, and his testimony was alto.
gether encouraging. When the law first
went into operation in Massachusetts in
1885 it applied only to the clerical forces OF
the State and the cities, the police and pris.
on service. the fire service of Boston and the
labor service of Boston. But the people al
once saw how well the principle worked,
and demanded its further extension; and
each further extension has been similarly
favored with popular approval. Hence the
position of the civil service commissioners OF
Massachusetts, is much less beset with en-
barrassments than is the position of the COM
missioner who enforces the national law.
The one is near to the people and has their
active sympathy, because blow at the law
Is felt at once in less efficient local govern
ment; the other operates in field where tn,
citizen has not that daily and personal inter
est and is not, therefore. so Jealous sup
porter of those who enforce the law.