The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-01-21
SHAM CIVIL SERVICE EXPOSED.


%, 1896, Hon. Henry M. Baker made
an effective exposure of the Sham Civil
Service Reform President Cleveland is
trying to fasten on the country.
The report Of the Secretary of the
Interior for the first Ia months and 10
days after Hoke Smith took the office
shows that he made S17 appointments,
III reinstatements, 1913 promotions, 422
reductions, 876 dismissials, and SO
designations by request" The dis
missals, designations by request, and re-
auctions were almost invariably of vet
Grams, Republicans, and people from
the loyal States. The appointments, pro-
motions and reinstatements were equally
generally of Democrats, ex-rebels, and
people from the rebel States. For ex-
ample, there were only six dismissals
and five reductions from Hoke Smiths
own State of Georgia, while the State
received 4S promotions and LOG appoint
ments. That is, Georgia, which is pro-
perly entitled to about one-thirtieth,
received more than one-eighth of the APP
pointments and more than one-sixteenth
of the promotions Of 876 dismissals,
1876, or 80 per cent. Of the men, were ex-
soldiers of the Union. If the widows
and orphans of veterans among the
women dismissed could be included, it
would make still more startling show
ing. Of the men reduced, 100 were
veterans.
The report of the Secretary OF the
Treasury covers the first Ia months and
IL days after Secretary Carlisle took
Office. There were 837 appointments,
53S promotions, 637 dismissals, and 100
reductions. OF the AGO men dismissed,
129 we're veterans, and two of the
women were old hospital nurses. Of the
lao men reduced, 81 were veterans, and
Is of the women were hospital nurses.
In one of the Auditors Offices there
are 200 clerks employed, of whom 40
were veterans. Within one year every
one of these but four had been dis
missed or reduced, and every rebel
soldier had been promoted.
At the beginning of Cleveland's
Administration the Secret Service Divis-
ion was made up about equally Of
Republicans and Democrats. Now
there is but one Republican left in the
Division. In the Pension Bureau 60
per cent. of the employees are Demo-
Gratis; in the Fish Commission over so
per cent. in the Government Printing
Office 66 per cent. So it goes every
where.
Now Mr.. Cleveland tries to cover all
this partisan work with the shield of
Civil Service, and give these spoilsmen,
who have taken the places Of faithful
| clerks and veterans, lifelong possession
of their positions.
! 1t is an outrage which the people
should not permit.
Mr.. Baker proposes the following
amendment:
The head Of each of the several Executive
Departments, at his discretion, may reinstate
or reappOint 10 any subordinate position,
which from any cause may become vacant in
| his department, any person now or formerly
employed in the Civil Service of the Govern
ment who. in his opinion. was reduced in
salary or was discharged from the service
for cause not affecting his or her efficiency or
moral character, and such prior service for
that purpose shall be held to be equivalent
to Civil Service certificate of eligibility,
nything in any statute, rule or regulation
to the contrary notwithstanding.
| This does not go far enough. There
should be more radical measure which
should remove the cover of the Civil
Service from the men who obtained thei,
possessions as the reward Of politicaI
service. Let them be replaced by the
men whose positions they took, and ther
Civil Service can 60 on without flaw
/ GEN. WEYLER seems very near th'
end Of his string. Unfortunately it i