Evening star., 1895-06-03

vice, with the exception of the government
printing office, has been put under civil ser
vice law by the acts:o of both republican and
democratic Presidents, and its opera tionS
have conduced to put the departments on a
business footing, and have rewarded indi-
vidual merit, is well known 1t gives every
ploy upon his merits, and protects the
worthy employe in his place; removing all
temptation toward debasin& political inde-
pendence by removing the necessity of a
man becoming disloyal to party connections
in order to retain a place which his ability
and merit entitle him to.
The writer of Mondays article. by his
language and conduct. places himself at
the head of another class of people who
vilify and abuse all who stand for honest
civil service reform.
In reference to the speech of Mr.. Benedict
tefore the civil service commission the
writer of Mondays article quoted just
enough to serve his purpose Why didn't
he quote the whole of it, so that your read
ers could see all that was said? AS
union printer, and every, member of the
committee felt honored by that speech and
at the high compliments paid by the public
printer to their respective trades.
Has Mr.. Benedict discharged 800 people
since his return to the office of public print
er? Has he applied the spoilsman's meth
DDS to that office? We know that almost
Immediately upon assuming office the sec
ond time he adopted system by which
desirable employees >are retained, feel Sc
cure in their positions and are promoted
as they appear to deserve. Reckoned in
figures, find that of the present force en-
ployed y per cent were appointed by Mr..
Benedict. 81 per cent by Mr. Palmer and
ID per cent by their predecessors. Twenty
seven per cent out of a total force of 1900
people, with the natural and necessary
expansion of the force during the last
congressional session. stin further reducing
this percentage doesn't, in my opinion,
stamp the present puSlic printer as
spokesman" All thE foremen, with but
Palmer, Rounds or former republicans:
1,3O0 of the 1000 suhordinates are Mr..
PaImer's appointees,t i'm only being Mr.
Benedict's, and four-fifths of all have
followers time and again pressed Mr..
/ Palmer to apply civil service.
The writer of Mondays article says:
Benedict is not practical printer! Twice
confirmed by Senators differing with him
politically. possessing ability that enables
him to personally supervise the work of
the government printing office in detail
tsomethihs never before undertaken by
public printer, Introducing ali the modern
methods and appliances OF the craft, AMI
personally invensirig a system for the
various composing rooms that the Inter
national Typogra phiesl Union at its last
session unanimously approved and COM
mended to the craft-generaly, he can af-
ford to pass unnoticed statement of this
kind.
The writer says that Mr.. Benedict never
held an Office that was not made vacant
by some republican being put out. This is
untrue. He was appointed to the office
of deputy controller of New York to fiji
a vacancy by death. also to the office of
deputy secretary of state succeeding q
derrsrat. and he was also elected four
times to the legislature by increased ma
jorities, and has twice been called to the
Office of public printer, first, to succeed
Mr.. Rounds after that gentleman had re-
signed. an appointment Endorsed by all the
New York typographical unions, and. sec
,,,iI, Do1y
rothing in this record to constitute Mr..
Benedict spokesman, nor to show lack of
confidence in his efficiency and competency
for public trusts.
of every 10a persons employed in the office
today are there by virtue of political in
tluence. it IS as false as it Is ridiculous
While I admit that ever since its founda-
ton political influence has dominated posi-
tions in the government printing office, we
all knew and ere thankful that it has
never reached the above figures. There is
at least p per cent of the force which is
never disturbed. There are certain en-
ploycs whose skill and workmanship are of
the highest order, and whose merit and
valuable services, outside of any political
influence, are sufficient to retain them in
their positions.
Mr. Kennedy says that the movement
now on foot to put the Office under civil
service rules is n distinct spoilsmans''
move; that the scheme originated with Mr.
Benedict, and that the work is now being
carried out by his democratic spof1smen.
Is the present agitation of civil service by
the employees OF the government printing
Office new? Did Mr.. Benedict conceive it?
Did democratic spoilSmen, we are called,
first asitate it? Not by any means. The
question of extending civil service to the
government printing office was advocated
three years ago. The agitation was carried
en- from 1852. and reached degree of anX-
iety painfully noticeable after Mr.. Harri-
sons defeat, hecau it was feared that
he nol icyy of
his first administration, appoint public
printer Immediately after his inaugural ton
and initiate his predecessor by discharging
all those opposed to his administration
They had reason to believe this. MIR. Bene-
dict and all his friends had been treated
with every indignity possible, and Dc .pair
possessed the souls of the guilty. They
then begged for civil service protection,
but Mr.. Harrison could not be moved
No one knows better than MIR. Kennedy
that this agitation of civil service was not
conceived by the present public printer.
and is not conducted at present by demo-
cratic spoilsmen. To that statement there
fore. on behalf of the joint committee, COM
posed of members of both parties, but en-
tirely free from any political coloring, I re-
ply that it Is an imputation, unwarranted
and unfoupded. Il =
In regard to the obstruction of Columbia
Union by the extension, of civil service to
the government printing Office, 1 can per-
ceive no danger. The writer says If civil
service is applied mp working card will be
necessary. Is a manSs unionism measur-
ed solely by his working card? Does the
great underlying principle of the greatest
good to the greatest number find no re-
sponsive feeling inti the. hearts of union
men? Is our unionisrn dominated by force
and fear, and have I'VE no higher concep-
tion of union principles than is found with
in the borders of a, working card? l be-
heve we have, and IN that belief. with the
majority of MY fellowI craftsmen, 1 feel
that We need not worry to the destiny
Of Columbia Union..1
In conclusion 1 dcsireeto say that as re-
CARDS the political complexion of the pres
ent force In the government printing office
there can be found fully as many republi-
cans as democrats, and that force by an
overwhelming majority. and with the ex-
ception of single trade. has fndorsed the
extension of civil service. We believe that
faithfulness and efficiency should count in
the important branch Of the service in
which we are employed, as well as in all
other departments of the government, and
with these motives, which we submit as
honorable and commendable. We hope for
the success Of the work which we have in
hand. JEREMIAH ]. SULLIVAN,
Chairman Joint Committee.
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