Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1891-10-16
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.

1dl1lOdu QuCpO1Ohs eAAO AOoA 1oSooAOAAS NV"
being contended over by the two great
political parties. There no possible con-
nection between them. but they are used
by that party simply to fire the
Northern people, carry the elections
and secure the offices. If Civil Ser
vice were the only gate through which
an office holder could enter, the Sec
tional hatred aroused every four years at
Presidential elections would quickly be-
come thing of the past. There is no real
hatred between the millions Of voters in
the two parties. 1t is confined to the office
seekers, and with them it is just as real,
and practical, and honest as the snarling OF
two dogs over one soup pot. The pity OF
it is, that men high in each party who ought
to be superior to such means; who ought
to be hostile to them, say in plain English
to their constituents, If we carry this
election We will get the Offices and say it
as shamelessly as ward heller.
1t is superfuous at this day to explain OF
defend Civil service. 1t has, badly and re-
luctantly administered as it has been, had
such intrinsic virtue as to Withstand all the
assaults made On it by the politicians. 1t
is Democratic measure of Democratic OF
igin, and it is to the honor Of that great
party that so much can beput to its credit.
Every man knows that it does not, and is
not intended to put political offices i'll the
control of men of opposing politics. 1t
only provides that the clerical and execu
tive offices of a certain class and which
are numbered by thousands, shall be taken
out of the hands of politicians Of both par
ties, made the subject of competitive eX-
animation to ascertain fitness of the appli-
cant, and that after the appointment is
made the appointee shall be out of reach Of
any influence to remove him, as long as he
does his duty and does not interfere with
the elections Of The people. The claim that
such law establishes ''privileged class"
is the purest demagogery and should only
be used, as it is, by those in pursuit of an
opportunity to stay in OF obtain govern
ment position. But if it were, which is
the more intolerabIe, a class privileged to
give the government so much excellent
work and receive pay for it without inter
ferng in the affairs of the people; OIL class
privileged to be pests at every primary
meeting, wire pulling, bull-dozing, pervert-
ing the will of the people-in short a priv
ileged nuisance? A class of men who shall
be appointed on their knowledge of the
work they will undertake; who will do that
work well; who cannot be neglectful of their
duties and insolent to the public and still
be kept place by the influence of their
Congressman; and who will be promoted
for superior efficiency in their duties and
ters, is a privileged class Of which this
country stands sorely in need.
1t may be said with truth that the large
majority of the Congressman and Senators
of both political parties are opposed to
Civil Service. They are, but they dare not
repeal the law as they threaten year after
year to do. 1t is the peoples law passed
to secure the more efficient transaction of
the peoples business, and if the congress
men ever get up the nerve to repeal it the
people will make as many changes in the
following congress as they did after the
Salary Grab Bill. For the interest of the
politician in repeating it is precisely the
same he had in voting for the Salary Grab
his own pocket. Let us take the case of
A who is a congressman-represen or
senator. Without the ability to scatter
Offices among his constituents he is minus
Just that proportion of active heelers to run
his campaign. Without he can assess B,
and e, and DIS official salaries in the places
he has gotten for them, he is minus just
that amount of campaign funds. And that
is the top and the bottom and the sides of
the congressional opposition to the Civil
Service. The people, outside Of few pro-
fessional office seekers who are in politics
for what there is in it, and whose proper
ton is about one to a thousand, have no
sympathy with these men. They know
that the Civil Service puts or keeps in office
s'big fat Democrats as well as s'big fat
Republicans" all statements to the con-
trary notwithstanding, and they also know
that with Civil Service there is better
chance in this country that elections will
be decided 10y the principles OF policies at
stake. 1t will only be after the full adop-
tion of that reform in the government, that
the Presidential and congressional votes
in this country will be unbiased and COM
plete expressions of the opinion of the coun-
try ON the questions at issue.
ONE INSCRIPTION ONLY ON THE
DEMOCRATIC FLAG FOR 1892.
Whatever may be said of the Hon. d. B.
Hill of New Y ork, by those who do not
like him, nobody will be likely to say that
he is net an astute politician. Those Dem
ocrats in the South who, upon one plea Oh
another, are trying to inject the silver
question into the National platform Of 1892,
though it has long been patent that the
party is divided upon it, and though it must
inevitably handicap the tariff reform
issue, should take to heart this opening