The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-03-19
OPERATION OF THE oIv1L-sERvICE LAW.

find themselves greatly mistaken.
OPERATION OF THE CIvIL-sERvICE LAW.
The Republican party ispledged in ev-
cry possible way to the principle of civ
i1-service reform as embraced In the
present law and the rules under 1T. The
law was enacted and the rules fOrmu-
lated under Republican administra-
ton. The Chicago platform pledged the
party anew to their enforcement, and
President Harrison, in his letter OF ac-
ceptance and his inaugural address, re-
newed the pledge.
The fundamental idea of the civil
service law is to give stability and eff
cheney to the public service by re-
moving most of the subordinate posi-
tiOns from the operation of the
spoils system. The object of the law is
to make the operative, working force in
the civil service conspicuous for efficien-
cy rather than for party service. 1t does
not embrace any of the higher offices, as
foreign appointments, heads of depart
ments and bureaus, presidential post
masters, United States marshals, pen
sion agents, collectors of customs, rev.
enue collectors, etc. These remain, as
they always have been, under the direct
appointing power of the President. The
civil-service law applies to about
10000 out of 10000 offices, and by
far the largest number of the
places embraced i'm it are the depart
ment clerkships in Washington. Only
pOstOffices where the number of en-
plOyes, all told, exceeds fifty come un-
der the operation of the law. The In
dianapolis postoffice is the only one in
Indiana thus embraced.
AS to the higher offices not embraced
in the law, the President may make per-
emptory removals and appointments,
without assigning any reason, whenever
he thinks the good of the service will be
promoted, or that change will con-
tribute to the efficiency and sue
cess of his administration. The phrase
offensive partisanship" was made odious
in the last administration, but it is good
cause for the removal of any govern
ment official by an administration of OPP
pOsite politics. NOpersOn holding Office,
Republican or Democrat, should be an
offensive partisan in the common under
standing of the phrase. Offices should
be administered for the people, and not
for party. Therefore, we say any Office
holder who makes himself conspicuous
and obnoxious by his partisanshipnO on
ly deserves removal by an administration
of opposite politics but courts it. The
civil-service law says nothing about re-
movals from office, and certainly does
not protect, and never was intended to
protect, offensive partisans of either
party from removal by the other.
With subordinate positions that fall
under the civil-service law the case is
somewhat different. While the incum-
bents of these positions may be as per-
emptOriy removed for cause as higher
officials, the places can be filled only by
strict compliance with the law as to COM
petitive examinations, etc. In the Indi-
annapolis pOstoffice there are few posi-
tions that do not come under the law
not more than ten out of about one
hundred. The assistant postmaster, the
cashier, chief of the ey-Order divi-
sion, and few other confidential posi-
tions are not embraced in the law, but
the entire working force of clerks and
all the carriers are. The incumbents of
these may be removed at pleasure, but
their successors can only be appointed in
accordance with civil-service rules. The
postmaster can discharge clerk or car
rier for any cause satisfactory to him
self, but he cannot appoint one, except
in compliance with the civil-service law,
and if a vacancy is to be filled the law
does not permit him to know whether it
will be filed by a Republican or Dem
Ocrat. In order to increase the efficiency
of the service, he will probably weed
out the poorest of the present incum-
bents as quickly as possible, retaining
| the best, if their record and service
| justify retention, and filling vacancies
under the law, until he shall have
| brought the entire force up to the high
est state of efficiency. The positions not
embraced in the law can be Immediately
filed by persons of his own selection.
The idea that the law can be construed
out of existence, or juggled with in such
way as to run Republicans in without
complying with its provisions is great
mistake.