The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-10-02
HARRISON'S PLEDGE.
George William Curtis Tells How
1t Has Been Kept.
PROMISES AND PERFORMANCES.
There Is Il Great Variance National Silver
Convention Committee Fatal Trouble
Over the Yacht Neverslnk.

| PHHADELPAIA, Pa, Oct The annual
meeting Of the National Civil Service Re
form league, of which George William
Curtis is president, began here this after
| noon. After the transaction of routine
business, the delegates sat down TO an in
formal banquet, rendered them by the local
association. George William Curtis pre-
sided. This evening President Curtis de
livered the annual address, at Association
hall. There was large audience present,
The speaker began with a statement as TO the
explicit pledges or the Republican platform in
the last national campaign and the reiteratiou
OF those pledges by Harrison to preserve and ex-
tend civil service reform in letter and spirit The
long address was nearly all devoted to an in
quiry as to whether or not those pledges had
been fulfilled as sign board TO show in what
direction he was going. The speaker pointed
out that during the first five months of the pres
ent administration Assistant Postmaster-Gen-
eral Clarkson removed 1900 fourth class DO IT.
masters or more than one-fourth OF the entire
list. he says II VIII not answer to say that the
reform is not favored by the majority OF the peo-
pie The only way in which The views of the
majority can be known is by the result Of the
election, and this administration was elected on
platform as distinctly pledged to civil service
reform as to a protective tarih. Whether or not
II is the wish OF the majority, it is certain that
the chief executive stands sOlemnly pledged TO
you.lA .
The speaker then quotes from administration
newspapers in various parts OF the country jeerS
and words OF contempt for reform in the civil
service. he touches upon the adverse declara-
tons or significant silence in various recent Re
publican gatherings and conventions and finds
that eminent members OF the party official and
otherwise, openly spurn such reform; even in
the cabinet three members decline to give an
open adherence to it. He continues as follows.
while this is the public sentiment OF the
party as revealed in all ordinary methods what
Fnaag not 80
the platform promise and the Presidents pledge
The knowledge of every citizen in his own com
munity can answer. Daily record Of newspapers
70: Sc zen m )nthS Gn5werS: General political
proscr p on, the policy which President Harri-
son, when Senator defined as that frank and
bold, II brutal, method of turning
men and women out simply for political opinion;
the clean sweep which is proceeding in the post
ONCE; the alarm which pervadeS every branch
of the service; the open and fragrant contempt
for public opinion, for private information and
for party promise which was shown in the Cd
pointment of the late commissioner of pensions:
the executive refusal to include the census ser
vice in the rules and the removal of public
officers cOnspicuOuSly fitted by their character
ability ana experience, who have absolutely and
confessedly dsregarded politics in their deyo-
ton to their official duty and the public service
All these facts, and such as these, answer the
question, how bias the executive action con
formed to the party's promise and the Presi-
deuts pledge?
Further along he said; 1.-THE President has Sc
lected an admirable civil service commission, eV-
erymember OF 1t IS sincere believer in the neces-
sity and praeticability of reform, and its vigil
lance and vigOr are the best earnest Of its efec-
tive service. He has refused also to extend the
time appointed for including the railway mail
service within the rules and he has authorized
the public inspection of eligible lists. Besides
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 resembling promises of the
platform"
The speaker finds, however. that the reform OF
the civil service is making headWay as a seutf-
ment among the people AS with all progress
worth lighting for, the contest is stubborn and
resOlute, delays and defeats are iny!table. but
temporary, and the advance sure.