Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-29
THE PRESIDENT AND CIVIL SERVICE

AH0hcations OF an Attock on the Admfntgtra-
ton by Some Of the Reformers.
Some of the civil service reform folks seen
to be after Mr.. Harrison with sharp sticks
They profess dissatisfaction with the record
Mr.. Harrison has made in the matter of civil
| service reform. They are disposed 10 charge
him with not having lived up to the spirit Of
his promises anda are not satisfied with his hav-
ing merely regarded the letter of the law.
The investigation by the civil service COM
mittee Of the House into the Baltimore DOS,
Office affairs is, Of course, directed against the
administration, and, in a private way, it is said
the Civil Service Reform League is endeavor.
ing to hold Mr.. Harrison to an accountability.
Between now and the time Of the meeting of the
national convention at Minneapolis it is said
they will issue proclamation calling upon him
TO show cause why he should not forfeit the con-
idence of true civil service reformers. and, in
cldentally, the advocates of civil service re-
form will be furnished with the reasons why''
they should not support the President for re-
nomination. Whether or not this is sufficient
to prevent his denomination, there will proba-
bly, be evolved considerable campaign material
OF sort to circulate in mugwump centers to
the injury of Mr.. Harrison.
Some time ago Mr.. William Dudley Foulke
addressed the following letter to the President:
In the last republican platform it was de-
clared that the classified system should be ex-
tended to all grades of the service to which it
was applicable. This declaration was made a
pledge which the party promised not to violate.
In accepting the nomination you made this
promise your own, expressing your concurrence
III your letter OF acceptance. In common with
many L labored earnestly for your election,
with confidence that your promises would be
observed. The civil service reform act desig-
mates post Offices and custom houses having less
than fifty employees offices to which the sys-
tenn is applicable, by providing for its extern
sion to these places whenever so ordered bv
you. The declaration of the platform could
have no meaning if it did not refer to such
offices. The able civil service reform commits
SION appointed by you have repeatedly urged
that this extension be made to offices having
twenty-five employees or MORE vet during near
iy three years OF your term you have not made
May ask you, with respect. while this pro-
misc remains unfuliled how shall we know
hereafter upon what pledge Of the republican
party or its candidate VIC can rely
Yours. etc.,
W. DUDLEY FoULKE.
10 this letter Mr.. Harrison replied:
"HoS. ". DUDLEY FoULKE, Richmond. Ind.
My DEAR SIR: have your letter of -. l
have not time this morning to discuss Mt any
length the question which you present or to
attempt any restatement of what have at
tempted to do In the promotion of civil ser
wee reform movements since / have been
here My thought was that the first thing TO
do was to satisfy the country that the law was
being fulfilled and impartially administered as
to those Offices already classified. I think a
good deal has been accomplished in that di-
rectlon and there has been an important ex-
tension OF the classified service. The subject
presented by you as well some other sug-
gested movements have been having and will
have my consideration, but l am not now pre-
pared to announce any program. Very truly
yours. BENJAMIN HAPRIsoy.
MIR. Foulke wrote to the President also on the
subject OF recent attempts said to have been
made by ex-Congressman Allen to collect
money for campaign purposes from federal
officials In his reply the President stated that
he had no knowledge OF the purpose of Mr..
Allen to make such collections; that it was
done without his assent, and suggested that if
the gentlemen who called attention to this
matter had personal knowledge of n violation
OF the civil service law they should have made
complaint to the proper authorities and had
MIR. Allen or any other person party to such
violation presented for Indictment. He had
no knowledge that such a course had been fol-
lowed, but he himself would refer the matter
to the Attorney General for investigation.