The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-01
snniIsmcn Dissnfisned.

Naturally the republican leaders are dis
satisfied with the civil service law, be-
cause they find so few places with which
to reward their friends. and those who
worked for the success of the republican
ticket with the hope of getting offices are
| growing and grumbling, because they
| see no prospect of being rewarded. 1t is
not TO be wondered at, therefore. that re-
publcans in the House and Senate are de-
handing the repeal of the civil service
law.
Their assaults upon the law, however,
are not eliciting sympathetic responses
from the press and the people. AS gem
eral thing, the people are satisfied with
the law. They believe the civil service
system is much better for the country than
the spells system. When the civil service
bill was under consideration. the merits
Of the two systems were very thoroughly
discussed, and the conclusion which was
reached at that time was satisfactory to
the great majority of the people, and it is
satisfactory to the great majority now.
1t is true, probably. that some OF the
rules and regulations for the administra-
but because the civil service commission
ers have made mistakes which have open
ed the way for attacks upon the law, 1t
doesn't follow that the law is not a good
one. II may be that some of the questions
which applicants for positions are requir-
ed to answer are not as pertinent as they
might be, but that is a minor matter and
may be easily corrected.
The attacks which have been made upon
the law by congressman since the present
congress met in extraordinary session
have really been upon the examinations
to which applicants for places are subject
ed. Some of the questions which appli-
cants are required to answer are ridiculed,
and there is some reason for saying that
they ought to be ridculed, and yet 1t is a
difficult matter to frame a lot of ques-
tons that are applicable to all the various
phases of the civil service.
When the civil service bill was under
consideration most of the congressman
thought they would like to be rid of the
opportunities of place-seekers. Now, how
ever, they find that they are not nearly so
important as lney were when the BONSIH-
ment had great deal of patronage to dis
pose of and they were consulted as to its
distribution. Therefore they now think
they would much rather be worried by
place-seekers than be unable 10 get places
for those of their friends who were active
in helping them get elected.
There is no doubt that the civil service is
much more efficient than it was when the
spoils system prevailed. The public SER
vice is now conducted on a business basis,
and by competent men and women. Be
fore the civil service law was enacted, the
departments were filled with politicians
who did pretty much as they pleased. They
depended upon the influence of a senator
or a representative to keep them in their
places if they were incompetent or neg
lectful.
This congress will not repeal the civil
service law, and it is doubtful if any fu-
ture congress will. The people will con-
tinue to approve it as long as it is appar-
ent to them that it is a much better sys-
tenn for distributing patronage than the
spous system.