The record-union., 1896-10-01
ATTACKING CIVIL SERVICE RE-
FORM.

There Is q very large body Of peo-
pie who believe in civil service reform
The associations that have worked un-
der that title have embraced in their
membership most of the first statesmen
and publicists of the Nation during the
last thirty years. The Government has
introduced the reform largely into the
service. and it is now an accepted and
established system in our policy.
No one has had the temerityt to suggest
that we abandon this system until very
| recently. 1t has been left to the Bry
! antics and the Chicago platform to as
sail it One Of the planks of the plat
| form virtually attacks 1t, and Mr.. Bry-
| an has said that he will attempt, If
elected, to enforce every doctrine in the
instrument. He proposes, therefore,
to take long step backward.
This means that if elected and forti-
fled by a Congress Of his way OF think
ing he will break down all that has
been done, and then with a mighty
force Of political servitors at his back
under the doctrine Of ITO the victors
belong the spoils" perpetuate Bryan
ism. Every clerk and petty. subordinate
in Government employment will then
become the hired servant, not Of the
people, but of the party dominant.
The wisest and best men Of both the
Republican and Democratic parties
~, fho
to be debatable: it is no longer an ex-
pertinent; it is an established system
and Is being gardually extended and
Eettered. Now it is proposed to undo
it and return to the old system under
which Government sub employees are
the mere creatures of party and party
bosses, and Government itself becomes
an instrument to forward personal ends
and ambition only.
What do old-line civil service reform
ers think Of the prospect? What do
they think Of the expression in the Chi
cago platform declaring in favor Of
fixed terms Of office" and demanding
such readjustment Of the civil service
laws, as the trainers put it, "as will af-
ford equal opportunities to all citizens
OF ascertained fitness" The laws do
that now. There is no complaint that
they are unequal In their operation or
provisions. It is only the Democracy
that has taken opportunity to demand
that the laws be reconstructed.
We all know what that means
coupled with the announcement of
life tenure in the public service
There IS no limitation upon that ex-
preston. It Is sweeping, and If the
Democracy succeeds will give it war
rant for completely undoing all that
has been done, and under the complaint
against life tenure and the declaration
for fixed terms upset the whole scheme
Of the civil service reform that for more
than twenty years has worked so we'll
in our Government
AS the Humboldt Times" itself a
Democratic paper. but opposed to Bry-
anism, puts it, the new Democracy
promises:
To divide the 10000 offices now un-
der civil service rules among the camp
followers of Bryan. No letter carrier,
no clerk OF official Ia the Mint, the Pos
tai service, the Custom-h house, or any Of
the great departments of the Govern
ment will be free from the headsman's
political ak If Bryan Is elected and his
policy is carried out. Do the American
people, who have approved Of the civil
service reform laws passed by Congress
and applauded Cleveland and Harrison
for putting them into effect, wish to
return to the corrupt spoils system? II
so, Bryan Is their ideal candidate.