Omaha daily bee., 1892-01-06
PRACTICAL POLITICS.
sun downers Take IA Hack Mt freddy" Roos
velt's Little Commission.

sun dOwners Take IA Hack Mt '.Teddy" Roose.
velt's Little Commission.
Half a hundred members of the Shutdown
club assembled last night in the Paxton
hotel cafe and, after their usual banquet,
discussed "Civil Service Rcform.' The sub,
iect was introduced by w. S. Curtis, who
took the affirmative side Of tho argument,
while G. Fl. Marpie had the negative.
Mr.. Curtis explained the reform and its
inauguration IA few years ago. He said the
question of regulating the system had be-
come a burning one, as a majority of the
offices now to be filed were nonpolitical. On
account of the increasing growth OF the
country and the increasing extent OF the
and by civil service reform it was meant to
do away with those evils, 4e
BY the reform the miserable practices of
assessing clerks and 'subordinates to help
defray the expenses of political campaigns
had, to a certain degree. been done away
with. The reform had come TO stay. It's
progress had been steady. Appointments
were now made by an examining board with
out reference to politics, and by this exam
nation the Third ward heeler'' was
knocked out as he could not stand it. Com
petent men were given places in his stead.
The speaker then at length gave a detailed
account of the reform and system OF exam
ination which was more of q matter of fact
sAN' W 80 StN VI an Z w Cd
received with much appreciation.
Mr.. MARBLE said he thought the reform
contemplated a change for the better. Such
a change was desirable by the people, but
lieved the reform had been begun at the
wrong end. 1t should commence with the
big politicians and Office holders and not
with the letter carrier. 1t was useless to
argue against political parties. The country
had TO have them or there would be no
country.
Instead Of the civil service examining
board, Mr.. MARBLE thought that there
should be a defining responsibility and
everything should be centralized, and the
ment responsible to his chief. In
this way office holders would appoint
competent, capable clerks and assistants
men whom they could depend upon to do
their work If the head OF "A department were
responsible for the workings of his office.
His subordinates would be required to do
their work under his supervision.
The Civil Service Examining board, he
held, was a farce, composed of pedagogues
and lmpracticables, who scarcely ever knew
what they were examining applicants for.
TO a certain extent Mr.. MARBLE said he be-
lieved in civil service reform, but the way he
believed in 1t was first reforming the reform.
tie favored apportioning the appolntive
offices as to the electoral votes, and then
both political parties would be given a
chance. He thought a president should
serve only one term, and that should crafty
any living man who aspired to the presiden-
tial chair. A one term president would do
his work ana not be scheming and planning
for Il denomination.
aAn informal discussion was then had.
General John B. Hawley said he didn't agree
with either of the speakers, but was not in
favor of the present civil service reform. He
thought appointees should not be allowed to
remain in office over eight years.
In the general debate 1t was asserted by
some that the origin of ito the victor belongs
the spoils' was attributed TO Andrew Jack
SON, while others claimed that John Adams
had a hand II In it.
Among the club member and their friends
present at the gathering were: II. II.
Baldrige, t. w. Blackburn, James M. Bishop.
Thomas A Creigh, Charles Il. Clapp, f..
N. Connor, William S. Curtis, ID. l.. Cartan,
Judge H. j. Davis, Row Robert Doherty,
Ralph Il. Gaylord, Charles Z, George, w. f..
Gurley, General John b. Hawley, +. G..