The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-15
THE CIVIL-SERVICE LAW.
A Writer Who Is Not Alarmed Over
Results of Its Operation.

To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
Those of your readers who took the
trouble to read the letters of a pair of cor
respondents on civil service in to-days
Journal probably did so with more amuse-
ment than trepidation. These gentlemen are
pretty badly frightened, but hardly enough
so to brighten the rest of u.s. Though judg-
ing from the tone of these letters, the writ
ers, If Republicans, must have been very
uncomfortable in our crowd for many
years during which civil-service reform
has been an accepted Republican doctrine.
One of these 'lkickers'' is watching for the
rush of Republicans to Organism If we do
not drop all our nonsense about best men
in office and go back to the old rotten
spoils system. Why? Organism" as
judged by the Chicago platform does not
favor meddling with the law, but favors
"such an administration of the civl-service
law as will afford equal opportunities to
all citizens of ascertained fitness" which
is exactly what the law provides for. This
reimbursement is a straddle meant to
hold the friends as well as foes of sound
policy But what the French call oppor-
tunism has long been the guiding principle
of the Democratic party, which is just as
ready to embrace civil-service reform as to
oppose it, should either course promise to
help the~party
Here is the Democratic platform of 1892,
which was perfectly satisfactory to the
party: Public office is a public trust. We
reafflrm the declaration of the Democratic
national convention of 1876 for the reform
OF the civil service, and we call for the en-
forcement of all laws regulating the same"
1t is just little dlScOuraging, this ten
dency as shown by your correspondents
above noted, to relapse into old habits of
thought, just as improved breeds of stock
n hn nF11h cfo 70 M he
ringing, manly words of President McKin-
ley, in his recent message will be a tonic
to the whole country:
The important branch of our govern
ment known as the civil service, the prac-
teal improvement of which has long been
a subject of earnest discussion, has of late
years received increased legislative and ex-
ecutive approval. During the past few
months the service has been placed upon
still firmer basis of business methods and
personal merit. While the right of our vet
eran soldiers to reinstatement in deserving
cases has been asserted, dismissals for
merely political reasons have been carefully
guarded against, the examinations for adj
mittance to the service enlarged and at the
same time rendered less technical and more
practical, and distinct advance has been
made by giving hearing before dismissal
upon all cases where incompentency is
charged or demand made for the removal
of officials in any of the departments This
order has been made to give to the accused
his right to be heard, but without in any
way impairing the power of removal, which
should always be exercised in cases of in
efficiency and incompetency, and when is
one of the vital safeguards of the civil
service reform system, preventing stagna-
tion and deadwood and keeping every en-
ploye keenly alive to the fact that the Sc
curity of his tenure depends not on favor,
but on his own tested and carefully watched
record of service.
Much, of course still remains to be ac-
complshed before the system can be made
reasonably perfect for our needs There are
places now in the classified service which
ought to be exempted and others not classi-
fled may properly be included. / shall not
hesitate to exempt cases which think have
been improperly included in the classified
service, or include those which in my Judg.
ment will best promote the public service.
The system has the approval of she people,
and it will be my endeavor 70 uphold and
extend it,"
Certain Republican members of Congress
are not biameless in leading constituents
astray on this question, but it is not prob
able that the American people will stop to
reargue the civil-service question. Their
minds seem TO be made up. Hereafter as
In early days, public business will be done
on business principles. The fact that Eng
lands civil service is administered in the
same sound way is an argument for the
refcrm and not a reason for discarding 1t.
All the enlightened nations have civil