The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-11
Civil Service Prospects,

'1eNeIdl decisions have lately been
made by United States district Judges
upon points touching the validity and
intent of the civil service law, the lat
est being the ruling of Judge Jackson
OF West Virginia that transfers in the
classified service for the purpose of
promoting or degrading an office holder
are Illegal The courts in each instance
have affirmed the cOnstitutionllity OF
IN" law and have defended its vitality
We must therefore conclude that the
law as it stands is structurally sound
and to be obcyed until modified or re-
reaied' 1t derives its whole validity,
however, from act of congress and to
congress must the public look for re-
lief from its errors Of omission or COM
mission.
We recently made note of the proba-
hilitN that congress at the approaching
session would have a good deal of re-
pairing to make upon the civil service
system as it now stands; and we. find
partial confirmation of that prediction
in the assertion of a Washington cor
respondent that a poll of members
which has been taken by mail by one
of the officials of the house of repre-
sentatives indicates a clear working.
majority in behalf of substantial modi-
fications. Pressure may he brought to
bear by the administration upon
enough of these to keep the anti-civil
service manifestation down to q mini
mum; but it will take pressure and
substantial pressure to preserve the
present law intact. That law, brought
forth in the name of reform" and
championed by men representing them
selves to be a good deal better than the
rank-and-file of American citizens. has
been so manipulated from time to time
hy clever partisans anxious to placate
the friends and followers of the party
temporarily in power, that the most
lYnX-eyed civil service reformcr in the
United States, If he should suddenly be
brought close to the superior system ii
was expected t. create, probably
wouldn't recognize it. But keeping far
away from it, in the seclusion of their
libraries, where it takes on the airy
fabric of a dream, these worshippers
Of the ideal delude themselves with
the fancy that it is what they think il
is--a heroic and ennobling victory fol-
| better government; instead of a Tester
ing mass of duplicity, favoritism, in
| justice and inefiiciency
The Republican party believes in civil
| service reform, but not in civil service
! defOrmity. 1t is committed TO the prin
| cirle that fitness should govern ap
| pointrent to the civil service and mer,
it, retention and promotion. This i,
! common sense doctrine, against which
no rational man could afford to TAX,
a stand, But when this principle il
| admitted there is room for wide anC
! honest difference of opinion concerning
ways and means. Not always does tn,
readisst "smarty" at a civil service
examination possess the greatest prac
/ tlcal fitness for responsible trusts il
! public office; not always is the high
| est name on the school room roll o
honor subsequently that of the mos
| successful and useful citizen in tn
| wider activities of real life. 1t is tn
cd men i'm congress-We think n major
ity-that the civil service system need
material amendment in the direction o
decency, efficiency and plain common
sense. If steps shall be taken to sup
ply this need, don't be scared at III
Mugwump bowling. The vital princi
pie will not be injured. Only the wart
and barnacles will be scraped off.
In the Penn Avenue Baptist churc
tonight Colonel George Nox McCai
will deliver an illustrated lecture o
Cuba" which will be well worth hear
ing. Colonel Mccain early this yea
delivered in this church a lecture o
Venezuela" which was EXCEPTIONAL
interesting and instructive; and tC
nights lecture on Cuba" Is in tn
nature Of a companion piece. ColonC
Mccain in his capacity as a newspape
spOndent-and a good one-ha
made a speciality Of Latin-Americ;
l having mastered the Spanish languag
and personally visited the chief place
of interest i'm South and Central Amer
lea and in the Antilles. His knowledg
of the Spanish character, of Spanis
ideas of government and especially {
the way Spain has treated Cuba is nc
derived wholly from books and heal