The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-01-12

not 4" Many Of the answers indicate
general belief, even among tolorably
well educated people, that there never
was any liberty or much civilization be-
fore Washington's time, and that all
our political institutions were created
de noyo by the constitutional fathers.
A bit of history is necessary to under
stand present conditions. From Wash
ington to the second Adams included
there was a slow but tolerably steady
increase in the practice of making Offices
rewards of party service. jackson swept
the field, and Van Buren, made the SO
called spoils system permanent, but the
plan was not seriously felt until 1853
When Pierce had turned out all the
Wings, there was feeble protest, and
a very feeble law was passed, but it was
of so little consequence that nobody no.
ticed it. When Buchanan began his war
on Douglas and his anti-Lecompton sup
porters, there was louder protest, but
in reading the law of 1858 and its later
affirmation now l cannot see that it had
any object except to arrange the clerks
in classes. The war and it's enormous
expansion of government business
brought the disease to an acute stage,
and perfect cloud Of vampires descend
ed upon Washington. The vulture in
stinct which guides such fellows lead
them to the secretary of war, and while it
is not we'll to rehearse ancient scandals
or revive a happily forgotten pain it
must be said that the practices of that
year gave rise to the very suggestive and
somewhat personal phrase of 'Simony.
This caused the once very famous Van
Wyck Investigating committee, and
though the New York congressman suf-
fered politically for his zeal there was
a change in the cabinet, and in April,
1864, Senator Sumner introduced the
first bill for a civil service commission.
The senate was almost unanimously hos
tile, and the bill was dropped. In De-
cember, 1865, Mr.. Jenckes of Rhode Is
land introduced a bill in the house which
was making good progress when the
quarrel with Andy Johnson broke out.
1t was dropped, and soon after the seven
years era of corruption began.
Beginning and Growth.
The conditions in the last year of
Johnson's administration and the first
two Of Grants were so bad, what with
pardon brokerage, Indian rings, whisky
rings, Credit Mobilier and scores of 9TH
er evils, that Grant, on his own motion,
inaugurated a sort of plan of reform, and
in 1871 a clause was inserted in a gen
eral bill confirming his system, which
went into effect on the first day of 1872.
George William Curtis was the first
commissioner appointed by Grant, but
the storm of abuse and ridicule was too
great for his sensitive nature, and he
was of tougher fiber The war then
opened in redhot earnest. and the work
of the commission ended in 1875 Late
in 1880 Senator Pendleton introduced
his bill. and Mr.. Willis, now minister
to the Sandwich Islands, introduced it
in the house. Both were beaten, but a
bill drawn by Orlando B. Potter, Everett
P. Wheeler and Dorman B. Eaton was
introduced and with some notifications
passed and was signed by President Ar
thur Jan. 16, 1888 1t has never been
amended and is the first and last real
civil service law.
OF the present commissioners it may
be said that the best known is Hon.
Theodore Roosevelt, who was born in
New York city in 1858, graduated from
Harvard in 1880 and elected in 1882 to
the New York legislature, IN Which he
begun the career of a civil service re-
former which he has ever since main
tanned. Incidentally he has been far
western hunter, explorer, rancher and
sketch writer. Hon John R. Proctor of
Kentucky is president of the commits
sion, and Hon. Charles Lyman of Con-
necticut completes the list.
Civil service simply means all govern
/ ment employment except military and
naval, and on the first of this month the
number of persons so employed by this
government was nearly 200, 900. OF
these almost exactly one-fourth are I'M
der civil service rules OF course presi-
dent, congressman, diplomats-in short,
all high officials as well as all those sus-
tanning personal relations to their pa
irons and all in whom special skill is re-