The morning times., 1896-12-24
Common Sense i'm Civil Service
Matters.

II would be more than unfair to hold
the Republican party or the next Republi-
can administration in suspicion OF disloy-
atty to the civil service reform prind-
pie or to the civil service law because
Of the onslaught made upon toth toy some
Republican CouEreSsrncn in tie course -ut
debate in. the House OF Representatives.
AT the same time it would bc folly to
ignore the fact THAI there Is sull intense
hostility To- both the law ana the prin-
Ciple, and that the advent %. a new admin
istratton may Toe a signal for covert ana
open attack upon them. ResideS. the spolls
element is 10y no means confined To one
party. and ou this common ground the
spoilomen of hath and OF an parties would
constitute noble band oI boilers" IN
the de'aate on The legislative apprppla
tiUn hul Mr. settle. Of Na.-h CaToliEa,
moved to STRIFE out an provision for TIE
Civn Service Commission and lts work,
and frankly a,lmittedthaJ his n.otiou would
cripple tie law, he even wished that he
'ecuId cripple it sHl more Tie report
OF the debate states that THIS sentiment
was heartily applauded on The Repabli-
can side Of the House ANA also in the
galleries.
The notification OF the civil service law
could be justified only from the standpoint
OF the spoilsmen, for they are the only
ones that would find their reckoning il
such a policy were carried out. II would
re!egatc the whole matter of appointment
TO and removal from office OF promotion
or reduction in rank. back To the chaos Of
wire-puIing. pun instead OF personal
merit, influence instead Of intelligence. DO
litiCal service instead of good service 10
the government. would bc lGr rr.lns5 fa,-
tors in determining mans aplsiHtmcnt
and tenure OF office. Not only every four
years, but with the election ol ssery new
Congress-, We should have gam t'.c over
hauling Of the thousands Of cluuloye> in
the executive department. oi tie govern
ment. Congressman would again become
office brokers, to the neglect, Al rot total
exclusion, Of their lcguima'c duties; en-
pIoyes would become deEaoralizrd ana
would be bent rather upon curryLng favor
with influential -uperior> OF friends If the
appointing power than be intent upon sat
isfactory performance Of the work assigned
70 them
In the course If the debate yesterday
Representative Williams, of Mississippi.
made hola to declare that no business man
OF common sense woulG apply the principle
Of competitive examination to the selec-
ton OF his employees Mir Williams evi-
IDENTIFY is not a business man. as for the
common sense, We withhold Judgment.
Nothing is more certain than that a busi-
ness man does select his employees with
reference to their fitness. .asccrtaincd either
10y means OF examination, perhaps notconl-
petitive, or upon the Recommendation OF
former employers. 1t is equally certain
that he does not countcnance wholesale dis
charges il his store or factory or expert
enced employees every time uew mana
ger happens to be put in charge of the es-
tabIishment. Necessarily, different CON
ditions must obtain in the matter Of rcgu-
lating appointments to the public service
than those in a private establishment. but
the same principle should govern the ques-
ton OF tenure.
The principle Of civil service reform is
based upon common sense, and unless the
national legislature is prepared 10 set it
self down as opposed to COMMON sense is
a ruling factor in the affairs ~ the NAT iona
government, it will not repeal any Law
passed In conformity to that principle
but rather try to improve and amplifylt.