The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-08
HOW "REFoRME.Rs" REFORM.

If there is one thing on which the
Republican party felicitates itself and
the country more than it's devotion to
the idea that wealth can be created by
herence to the reform Of the civil serv-
ice for the purpose of securing public
servants whose fitness is ascertained
before appointment and for the pur-
pose of Kidding party politics of the
demoralizing effect of changing into a
mere scramble for place what should
be a sober consideration of policies for
state and nation. And it is one of the
most striking events of the present
restoration of that party to power that
there is a direct attack by it
upon the established reform all
along the line Friends of The
reform felt a confidence in the de
feat of these attacks because of the
record the president had made while q
representative in congress, and the ac-
ton of Postmaster General Gary in
adopting the rule of a fOur-year term
for fOurth-c class postmasters encourage
ed them to expect that the advance
made by the preceding administration
would be retained. But the fourth as
sistant is rivaling the reputation of
any preceding worker Of the guillOtine,
and decapitations are so rapid as to
excite the comment of that staunch
presidential organ, the Chicago Times
Herald. which suggests, with a suspi-
cion of sarcasm, that the European
delegates to the International postal
congress be invited to go over to the
postal department and see the smooth
and deXterous work of our headsnan.
Up to this date it says, the de
capitation of Hoosfers has almost
broken the record for that state. owing
to the activity of Senator Fairbanks.
who has the political sagacity to dis
Germ that a hundred pOstofIices filled
with the faithful are more effective in
modifying the hunger of his constitu-
ents than a dozen consulships that
never materialze"
The enemies of the service secured
the appointment of a senate commit
tee, ostensibly for the purpose of inves-
tiSating the results of the methods of
appointment, with a view to making
needed amendments of the law. but
11y- to
made in the wall that the whole might
be overthroWn. This committee has
asked the heads of the departments in
washington to give it their experience
and judgment, and the statements sub
mItted indicate a Willingness to yield
to the strenuous pressure of a hungry
horde of the needy for the salaries at
tached to places in the public service
Secretary Gage, who announced his I'M
qualified support of the reform. is not
so emphatic in his answer, and Secre-
tary Long. while clear that the meth
DDS should be retained, qualities this
with the suggestion that amendments
should be made from time to time. This
is just the loophOle the spoilsmen are
looking for. Public Printer Palmer
who made that great Office an eele-
mosynary institution for decayed poll
ticians under Harrison to such an ex-
tent that his successor found over GOO
absolutely useless employees on the roll,
naturally tells the committee that the
rules, as applied to his office should be
modified radically, suspended or re-
pealed.'
In the state of New York Gov. Black.
in his inaugural message, urged that
the starch" should be taken out of
the civil service laws of that state,
although a stringent provision was in
corporated in the state constitution in
tended to put the reform beyond the
reach of the Platts and Blacks Adj
vantage is taken of the exception of
''confidential employees to pass an
amendatory act that viii take out the