Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-12-20

au executive OUuSI O4 C1AO ~ Ill VI NASs
by which he exempted from the com
petitive rules certain classes of posi-
lions i'm the revenue service, extended
the rules over a very few others, and
then directed that no removal shall be
made from any position subject to
competitive examination except for
just cause and upon written charges
filed with the head of the department
or other appointing officer, and OF
which the accused shall have full no
tice and an opportunity to make de-
Tense. Nothing would crafty me
more than to be able to add that the
presidents order had already borne
all the good fruit that it is expected
to bear But I regret to say that so
far it has not Many reports have
come to us from Washington as we'll as
from other parts of the country
which represent executive officers as
making or recommending removals or
reductions without assigning any just
cause or any cause at all. 1t is con-
f1dently expected that the president,
as such offences come to his notice
and the facts are fully ascertained,
will enforce respect for his order by
duly Furnishing the offenders.
"A matter in which not only the
civil service reformer, but the whole
commercial community takes a lively
interest, is the Improvement of our
consular service. If our commercial
community wants reform in the
method of appointment to consular
positions, it must insist upon three
things competitive examinations for
admission to the lowest grade of the
consular service, promotion only for
merit, and removal only for cause.
The postmaster, too, is receiving
promising attention. And although
the objection to proper civil service
rules of the fourth class postoffices,
which so far have furnished the ma
terial for the most widespread spoils
scandals, may as yet seem ever so far
away, still it is approaching and may
be nearer than even the most san
guine among us now apprehend.
"The first onset against civil ser
vice reform has been repulsed, but
the fight is not finished. The clamor
of place-seekers still resounds with
lusty vociferation. In three repub-
lican state conventions, resolutions
have been adopted hostile to the merit
system. Al association has been or
ganized to agitate for the repeal of
the civil service law, and republican
mem bers of the senate of the United
States and of the house Of representa-
tives are loudly threatening to bring
the matter to al issue in congress
There is a force working for civil
service reform which is far more eff
fective than ever before. 1t is the
character of the opposition to it. The
very shamelessness with which GER
tain republican politicians now clam
or for the Reputation of their plat
form pledge to enforce civil service
law-the very vehemence with which
they rush upon the president they
have just elected, to force him to
break his word and proclaim him
self a dishonest man, the very audac-
ity with which they seek to- deceive
the people with the most barefaced
falsehoods about the civil service
system; and all this for the palpable
purpose of footing the government for
spoi1-these very exhibitions of I'M
scrupulousness make unprecedented
men, who never cared much about
civil service reform, stop and ask
What does all this mean? Can fight
carried on so indecently be a good
fight? Must not the right be on the
other side?
Mr.. Grosvenor admonishes the re-
publican party to- follow Tammany's
example. The battle cry for which
political parties are to receive their
strongest inspiration, is to- be: ITO
the victor belongs the spoils, and
every government employment shall
be spoil The kindred battle cry:
To hell with reform will soon follow
And the result? A great democratic
Tamamny ON one side and great re-