The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-11-12
AND THE sPoILsMEN.

Major Mckinley was elected President
of the United States last week and many
Republicans are now searching the blue
book to pich out their positions. They
are counting on a clean sweep in all Of
the departments. Stark county being
the storm center of the great battle
which has just closed, it is only natural
that our county should have good
share of the appointments. It's estima.
ted that at least 1000 Republicans will
want recognition In some way and Mr..
Mckinley will have an awful job on bis
hands to satisfy the ravenous appetites
of the Office seekers who think Re.
publican victory amounts to nothing un-
less it carries with it the spoils of office.
But the spoil,men who are now pick
ing out their places forget one important
thing. They forget that in 1884 when
the Democrats won the Republicans with
one accord, clamored for an acceptance
of the civil service reform on the broad.
est basis and that President Cleveland,
under his first term, was in sincere sym.
pathy with the reform, and before the
close of his term he extended tie civil
service rules to cover a considerable por.
ton of the federal offices.
They also forget that in 1885 when the
Republicans came into power by the
election of Harrison, the Democrats
then, with one accord, began to clamor
for a strict enforcement of the civil
service law. President Harrison, who
sympathized with the movement rather
reluctantly, gave his political friends
possession of offices within his gift, but
after his defeat in 1892, he made an
executive order which greatly strength
ened the civil service.
They also forget that in 1892 the Dem
ocrats regained power by the reelection
of Cleveland, wbereupon the Republi-
cans again became violently clamorous
for the enforcement of the civil service
law, and President Cleveland took them
at their word and issued an order extend
ing the civil service rules by placing
$4,000 more federal appointments un-
der the protection of the civil service
law and they can now only be removed
for cause. A careful examination of the
presidential appointments leaves but
775 out of 150, 900 officials and employees
of the government by which Mr. Nc
Kinley may reward his political favor
ties.
1t must be remembered that an order
of the President extending the civil
service rules to different classes of federal
appointments, has all the effect of law
and it is not to be expected that McKin-
ley will revoke an order of his predecess.
or to enlarge the scope of his own patron
age. Public sentiment would not sus-
taid President in taking any such step
backward against the letter and spirit of
the civil service law of the nation.
The spoilsmen who went into the
presidential contest with the hope of
dispensing the spoils to their followers,
will be grievously disappointed. They
may have some share in controlling
collectors of customs, U. S. marshals,
ETC., but all the subordinate employees Of
the government can be removed only
for cause, and none can take their places
except with civil service certificate of
competency.
Think of the chill that must pass
along the line of the professional politi-
clans when they remember that after hav.
ing gone through national campaign to
elect President, there will be but 775
offices that can be reached by the politi-
cal masters. And what will become of
the 2000 00Republicansi in Stark county who
all want an Office when there are only
775 to give away in the whole country?