The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-12-12
sPolLs PLANK / CONDEMNED.
A DIRECT REFERENCE TO THE DE-
FEAT OF THE DEMOCRATS
OMITTED.
HE SESSIONS OF THE SECOND DAY.
Carl Schurx Reelected President of
the OrganizatiOn--After
Given Up to Papers.

lowing officers were reelected:
President, Carl Schurz. New
York; vice president, Charles Fran
els Adams. Boston; Augustus r. Nc
Donough, New York; J. Hall Peasants,
Baltimore; Henry Hitchcock, st. Louis;
Franklin McVeagh, Chicago; William
Potts and Rev. Henry E. Potter, New
York; Archbishop P,sJ. Byan, of Phil
adelphia was elected vice president,
to fill the vacancy caused by the death
of Rt. Rev. Steven N. Ryan.
A committee from the National AS
sociation Of Letter Carriers appeared
before the general committee with a
petition urging the continuance of a
post office department. order which
provides that no carrier shall be dis
charged from the service until he shall
have han AN opportunity for defense;
also that in promotions to the office
Of superintendent of carriers, carriers
alone shall be eligible; also that if it is
intended to establish an inspector force
for the Supervision of the letter car
riers, that said inspectors shall serve
at least five years in the classified SER
vice. The petition was referred to the
on IeSOlUtiOilS.
President Proctor of the civil service
commission addressed the delegates on
the working Of the civil service law.
At the afternoon session, papers were
read by Mrs. Lowell, OF New York; Col.
Ella, of Chicago; Hon. ID. b.. Eaton, Of
New York; Lucius b Smith, of Indian
ington and Sherman S. Rogers, of Buf
falo.
There was a heated discussion this
afternoon over one plank in the reSolu-
ton, when they were. offered by Chair
man Bonaparte. The plank which
caused the trouble was as follows
The ignOmniOuS and we'll merited
defeat Of the Democratic party at the
polls at the recent election is a source
of qualification.
There were half a dozen delegates
on their feet scrambling for recogni-
ton before the last word was out of
the speakers mouth. Col. Ella, of Chi
cago, asked that the paragraph be
stricken out. as he knew several per.
sons who voted for. VIM. ]. Bryan for
president who We're in hearty accord
with civil service. ~. H Davis OF
Cincinnati also opposed the objectiona-
BILE plank The resolutions were final
ly referred back to the committee, and
when they came before the convention
been striken out. The resolutions
adopted are as follows:
The National Civil Service Reform league
assembled in this its sixteenth annual meet
ing, is compelled to notice the fact that dur
ing the past year. for the first time since its
organization its principles were openly re-
pudiated ard revival of discarded abuses
threatened in the platform put forth by a
national convention, and in the public dec
laratiOnS of a candidate for the presidency.
The league cordially indorses the protest pub
Hchn drrin thn hv itc nYG fiya
committee against these mischievious and
misleading utterances. 1t congratulates the
country that the purpose thus foreshadowed
to undo the good accomplished by persistent
effort during a generation's space, have
failed Of consummation and records its hope
that 1t may be called upon to meet no similar
assault in the future.
The league heartily cohgratulates the coun-
try on the truly remarkable progress of the
President Cleveland, and especially during
the past year. For this great achievement
advancing it does, the fundamental prin-
ciples of free government, President C!eve-
land deserves the sincere and heartfelt
thanks Of all good citizens.
The league recognizes in the presldent-eIect
a friend to civil service reform who has
rendered eminent service In the past to oul
cause. His record assures all other friends
Of the reform that it win be his desire, as
well as his duty, to end what remains of the
practice of using federal Offices to reward
personal or party service.
The league congratulates the state of New
state and departmental service.
The league observes with peculiar satisfac-
tion the remarkable increased number and
activity of the agencies working for better
government throughout the country.
The league renews its Recommendation that
the legislation requisite to place the munic.
ipal government and other local Offices of the
District of Columbia within the operation OF
the civil service law be enacted.
AT its last annual meeting the league heard
with pleasure of the cemmendable attempt OF
the postmaster general to extend the benefits
of the classified service to any postmasters
of smaller poStoffices with those of the larger
cities in the vicinity. This measure held out
the promise Of a considerable saving of pub
lie money and marked increase in mail
to a portion of the public service wherein
its Introduction is at once most desirable and
attended with serious difficulties. The league
has since seen, with regret and Indignation
the practical Illustration of this judicious
measure through the selfish and unscrupu-
lous hostility of certain senators and repre-
frivolous pretexts. but which could be in
spired only by a desire, to use the public
patronage as rewards for personal adherents
or party workers, and 1t urges upon con-
gress that this eminently practical reform be
no longer delayed:
The session closed tonight with q
banquet at the Hotel Walton. rendered
to the national association by the
Philadelphia branch. There were a.
number of distinguished men present,
prominent among whom were Secre-
tary of Agriculture Morton. Carl
SchurZ, Mayor Strong, of New York:
President Francis L. Patton, of Prince
ton university; Hon. John r. Proctor,
Charles J. BonapaRte. Of Baltimore,
Bishop Cyrus D. Foss, Horace E. Dem.
ing, Of New York sGen VIM. A. Alike n
and Henry Willard. Letters Of regret
were received from Postmaster General
Wilson and others.
Herbert Welsh president of the local
branch, presided, and after an Ella
borate menu had been discussed, made
an address of welcome to the visitors
and introduced Secretary Morton The
secretary detailed some humorous ex-
periences incident ta his first encoun-
ter with civil service reform and re-
ferred to President Cleveland as "a
strong civil service reformer"
Mayor Strong. ofs New York, who
followed, spoke of the operation of civil
service in New York, and Col. John IT,
Proctor, of Kentucky chairman Of the
national civil service commission. re-
viewed some of the notable work done
by the commission Mr. Proctor con-
cluded by assuring the members Of the
association that with their united
forces, strong as they are today, they
reed no longer Rsg for recognition:
Foss and CharleslgI Bonapaate, of
baltimore. spoke b1isfiy.
/ Lucills B. Swift.s Of Indiana whom
the chairman introduced as the ..puri-
tan of reform said that every presfc'
dent since Hayes had done something
for civil service reform the difficulty
/ being that most of them had waited
until the close ef their administration