Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-29
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
Annual Meeting of the National League I'm
Baltimore.

Baltimore.
Tho most distinguished opponents Of the
merit system in the government service are
holding q conference in Baltimore. Yesterday
afternoon and last evening joint meeting was
held Of the general and executive committees
of the National Civil Service Reform League to
formulate plan of procedure for today's meet
ing and to shape up resolutions and other pa
pers that will be presented to the general
meeting for adoption. These resolutions will
clearly define the position Of the league on the
principle of civil service reform and the best
methods Of attaining the result at which it
aims.
Lehmann's Hall, on North Howard street.
was thronged Mt night, when the address OF
President George William Curtis Of the league
was delivered
ME-. CURTIS ADDRESS.
"Civil service REFORM" said Mr.. Curtis, sis
but another successive step in the development
Of liberty -.nder law. 1t is not eccentric nor
revolutio cary. II 10 q logical measure OF
political progress.
PARTY, which is properly simply the organ
ization Of citizens who agree in their views OF
public ool,Jy to secure the enactment OF their
views in Law, has bee .ae what Is well called
machine. which CO itrol, the political action OF
millions OF citizens, who vote for candidates
that the machine selects and Tor measures
which the .l&shine dictates or approves Even
intelligent citizens who have protested against
their party machine an organized misrepre-
sentation Of the party will deslare that If their
protest agaiLs. the power OF fraud anu cor
ruption does not avail. and the party commands
them to yield, they will bow the head and bend
the knee in loyalty to fraud and corruption
The recent picture Of political corruption IN
Maryland, which we owe to the president OF
the MARYLAND Civil Service Reform Association.
and its companion piece depicting Pohtcai
corruption in Pennsylvania, by MIR. Heroer'
Welsh. show how completely in two great
states tse two great parties OF the rIuntry. by
base and dishonest methods, rervert their
power from promoting the pubic benent TO
fostering their own sgRrxndizement- The IN
dividual partisan. forced to excuse himself,
can only saw that il il bad business, but that his
party machine 10 no worse than the other.
THE ADMINISTRATIONS AND REFORM.
''The present administration came into power
not with the usual vague plstitude upon the
subject, but with definite promise of reform
and the distin Il pledge to fulfill its pledges.
But it celebrated the success of its party with
q wild debauch of spoils. in which its promises
and pledges we're the meats and the drinks that
were riotously consumed Nevertheless, the
reform law has been as faithfully observed as
by its predecessor and the scope Of the re-
formed service has been greatly enlarged. II
is the Post Office Department, however. the
largest patronage branch Of the government.
which has been ruthlessy ravaged under this
administration by the old abuse. Yet while
this steady advance in one of the most funda-
mental Of political reforms proceeds, the
party platforms Of the last year have
barely mentioned 1t, and in the hot party cam
paigns of the autumn and Of the spring party
orators have forborne even to compliment it,
lest haply some vote might be lost
WHAT 10 PRoPosED.
'Civil service reform proposes to restrict the
arbitrary power Of party. 1t does not of
course, contemplate the dissolution of parties
or suppose that popular government will be
Who desire to promote public policies upon
which they agree.
THE SYSTEM IN MASSACHUSETTS.
"The merit system as opposed to the spoils
system Of choosing state and city employees
has taken . frmer hold on public opinion in
Massachusetts, than anywhere else in tine coun-
try. The merit system went into effect there
in March, 1885, and in the seven years Of Its
trial has been so fully established that even
the politicians who are deprived of patronage
BY il no longer make any open professions Of
hostility to its workings. 1t now applies to
4.S00 public officers, besides 4, los public la
borers. More than one-half OF these 4, 800
public officers now in place have passed q COM
petitive examination, have been certified for
appointment from the top Of the eligible lists
and have been appointed. 80 far as can be as
certained, without regard to political or relig-
ious belief or any other motive than desire
TO get efficient public servants The remainder
are persons holding over under appointments
made before the civil service law went into
effect"
Mr. Curtis then went on TO describe the
system Of labor registration adopted in Massa-
chusetts. Owing to the alarming influence OBJ
tanned by politics il the government work.
shops and yards the system. in brief, u fol-
lows: Any citizen OF Boston in want of work
commission, where clerk fills up for him an
application blank, and gives him certificates
FOR two other persons to sign asserting his ca
pscity for the work he offers to do and his in
dustry and sobriety. These fled, and not
found untrue If inquiry is made. his name is
placed on the eligible list for the particular
kind Of work he prefers, such as digging or
paving or gardening. Any officer in need of
laborers sends in q requisition to the commits
sion for the number OF men required From
the eligible lists. double that number of names
are sent him, the names being taken in order
Of application, except that preference is given
to men with experience in that kind of work
TO veterans Of the war and to those supporting
families The men selected are notified BY
mail Of the place where they are required to
report for work The officer appointing them
Is required to return to the commission the
names of all persons employed and all dis
charged, the cause Of discharge and the char
scter Of the work performed Those dis
charged without fault go back on the list of
eligible2
This very simple system has entirely abol-
ished politics in the labor service of Boston.
1t has gained the support Of the mayor. the
aldermen, and the legislature. In 1885 1,O23
persons were registered. 697 were certified and
40 employed The number has grown from
year TO year, and in 1891 2 800 were registered.
2.034 we're certified. and ,253 were EMPLOYED.
The system has also been extended to Cam
bridge and New Bedford, with good results and
with general approval
SUMMING uY.
In conclusion Mr.. Curtis said: an general it
may be said that the fullest experience has
demonstrated that there 10 no need to keep
the government in the hands Of its friends
the appointees Of republican officials in Massa-
chusetts continuing to do good work under the
democratic administration Of Gov Russell
Examinations can be devised TO test the eff
cheney Of l~rge and varied classes of public
servants, including, in addition to those al
ready named, attendants in asylums prison
guards. excise inspectors, health officers, stem
Ographers, civil engineers and many others
Appointing officers can be relieved OF impor-
tunity for places and Of the temptation to make
partisan removals. Political assessments can
be abolished, state and city government can be
conducted on the same rational principles that
govern private business Of the same kind"
Stock for Indiana.
TbA c0mmiaaionaP NJ Indian Alfalfa h.