The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1894-12-26
Civil Service Reform Marching On.

Civil service reform is by-word Of re-
proach among the practical politicians of all
parties. They hate it both in the abstract
and in the concrete. and do not now and
never have hesitated to express il terms more
forcible than refined their utter contempt
for civil service reform and civil servicee
reformers. and yet in spite of the open op-
position of active spoilsmen and the in
difference of the rank and file of partisans
of all shades. Carl Schurz was able to state
in his address before the Civil Service Re
form League at Chicago on Wednesday that
$4,000, or nearly one-half of the civil en-
ployees of the United States Government,
are selected under civil serve rules,
Coincident with the encouraging state
ment of Mr.. Schurz came the announce
ment from Washington that the President
had just issued an order extending the CIVIL
service regulations to the internal revenue
service, adding in round numbers nearly
$500 employees to the classified hist Ana
this indicates the progress Of civil service
reform only in the Federal branch OF oul
public service. It's principles have been
embodied in and given more or less practi,,
cal application to State governments ana
in the municipal administration OF most OF
our important cities. In New York 1t mas
been embodied in the new State Constltu-
ton. Civil service reform IKE 9ohh
Browns soul, seems to be marching on.
TIE substantial progress OF civil service
reform in the face of the relentless oPposl-
ton of partisan Headers IS primarily oue 70
the fact that thehdministratlon OF the puoilc
affairs of seventy millions OF people coulo
no longer be conducted on the spolis plan.
Civil service reform has come because 1t
had to come, because it was aphysical i'm
possibility for the President and his exc
cutive advisers to longer make the minor
appointments in the old way. Inexorable
necessity has proved the strongest ally OF
the reform leaders. The good results OF
the experiment have so far justified its
adoption that there is 10 popular demand
for a backward step. On the contrary,
popaiar sentiment is steadily tendlngin IN its
fayQ-
T5;s same ine1orable necessity Will be
.hs tent factor in compelling the applI'
to- of the reform to municipal affairs.
jus: .;ow american municipal government
5 Get :nc a terrible shaking up. Its de.
i.c5s :ostliness, corruption and general in.
OC1lSo oAS"A -
colors, certain preliminary to an irreslsti.
bic public demand for tho application OF
purely business methods to city govern
ment. Business methods as applied to
municipal affairs is but another name fol
civil service reform, and when the business
tax. payers who bear the expenses of city
government have been plusdered little
longer they will insist on the application
of the same principle to the expenditure
of their taxes that they apply IN the con
duct of their own business.
OF course it does not follow that lnexor
able necessity will prevent civil service re-
form from getting some set-backs. Presl
dent Harrison suspended the application
of the rules to the railway mail service a.
the beginning of his administration, an6
as the laws stands future Presidents vii
have the power to do the same thing. Bu
even President Harrison, for partisan o.
other reasons, extended the classified ser
vice before the close of his term beyond any
of his predecessors, precedent that has beer
still futher followed by President Cleve
land. Civil service reform is one OF The
revolutions that cannot and Will Rot g
backward, and Mr. Schurz and his fellow
reformers can console themselves with the
thought that even the stars in their course!
are fighting their battle against the vltu
peratiYe spoilsmen.-Phildelphia Times.