The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-12-24

TO create and maintain privileged class
Of office holders like the civil service COM
mission, Go be supported at the expense
Of the government, but subject to the
dictation OF the cushion footed tigers Of
civil service reform prowllng around all
parties to find one Of their own.
These animals In their nature are no
part Of civil government; they are subtle
In the evasion Of danger to their theories
and malicious In all their attempts to
deny and to escape responsibility for
their own and the errors Of those they
control. They claim to possess the
virtues and intellectual superiority of tho
country, and demand with II the political
asoendency.
The people will neither concede the one
nor grant the other.
No mere theorist ever annihilated
public opinion opposed to his theory.
Many have tried IL upon tariff and other
questions, but have failed; they forgot
their own, and the origin Of principles
they attempted to advocate.
Public opinion Is not In favor of the
plan Of tho civil service law as now ad-
ministered; IL can neither be ooaxed nor
frightened from opposition to 1t. The
civil service commission Ia making the
attempt TO punish somebody for volun-
tarily giving some money for political
purpose. This Is the first act IN great
ational farce. The entire play is not
worth the candle. The right Of indi-
vidusls to discuss and TO act upon
political questions should never be-
doubted; for are they not the elements
which enter into the composition of
society and government And 1t matters
not whether they are In or out Of office,
the right still exists. No power can
punish man for the exercise of his right
Of political opinion In any way he chooses.
1t may make him hereto, but 1t does
not make him criminal or traitor.
If there be any utility and wisdom in
the civil service law, why not appoint
men to execute IL who are not over.
burthened with the conceit that they
know all there is in 1t, and what is not
within 1t they intend to supply.
|
No business Of any magnitude evei
has been, or ever will be, conducted upon
the theory and practice of the present
commission. 1t does not measure instru
mentalities by any actual knowledge Of
them. How many successful officers II
the war would have been secured through
national drag-net like oivil service
examinations And yet the commission
asked large increase in It's cleri,sl fore,
for the reason that it is intended to ex
anime applicants for all sciences and al
the technical and most difficult work II
all the departments of the government
Why not go into the actual selvice of th,
army and navyP
1t PES for promotion In the offices.
The theory of the commission denie
that there is any virtue and intelligenc,
in the people, unless 1t can be ascertainet
and declared In it's own devious and OK
pensive way, and 1t assumes that th'
only measure and actual test of fitness fo
high or low position under the govern
ment is the ability to answer question
which ara proposed by men who, as
commission, act without the responsible.
of possessing any themselves. Thi
makes the civil service law as now ad
ministered the most unwise and ex
travagant farce of the age.
How many who have shown the great
est merit by the highest grade, IL the re
suit of an examination is to be the test o
merit, have obtained an appointment
Go to the registers of New York, Pennsyl
vanis, Virginia and other states, and 1
will be found that the highest graded
though often certified, have not beel
selected for appointment. The boastet
merit system too often denies to meri
its just reward. Too much searching TO
violation of the law has so engrossed tn
time and work of the commission that !
has failed to give to merit the required
attention and protection. Work agains
the "spoils system" for political ends ha
more attractions than an honest ant
laudable devotion to the merit system.