The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-19
THE CIVIL SERVICE LAW,
PREsIDENT M,KINLET COMMITTED
TO TEE NERD SFSTEM.

hearing much about the necessity OF his making
q vigorous assault upon the Civil Service law. IL
he expects the Republican party to live until
the end Of his term. Since his departure for q
vacation Gen. Grosvenor's speech in favor Of
the total and everlasting destruction Of civil
service has appeared, and the National Anti
Civil Service League has been organized in the
centre Of Washington and has be un to talk.
There are, however. some difficulties In the
Presidents way. which prevent him from
snatching up his executive pocket knife. cut.
ting the whole system up by the roots instanter.
and providing the membership Of the Antt-Civil
Service League in a body with clerical posi-
tons. For example, In addition to his own frm
convictions that the merit system IL right, there
are many most pointed declarations Of this be-
lief which. on the ground Of even a very moder-
ate show OF consistency. etfectually bar his way
for any such precipitate retreat As he Is advised
to make. These are all so well known that it IL
like a repetition Of the Mckinley alphabet to
quote any OF them.
But there Is one OF these that will serve for all.
and which it would be we'll for those who are
h~uckling on their armor against the system to
paste in their hatA 70 serve as \ sketch OF the
main fertilization whic they are ~sallying forth
to attack. This is the familiar declaration Of
Major Mckinley when Chairman OF the Ways
and Means in 1890. The proposition.
now again appearing at the front, to abolish the
Civil Service Commission was under considers
ton. The Major took the floor and said:
If the Republican party OF this country IL
pledged To any one thing more than another it
Is to the maintenance OF the Civil Service law
and its efficient execution; not My that, but to
its enlargement and further application to the
public service. The law that stands upon our
can votes. 1t was a Republican measure. Every
national platform Of the Republican party since
It's enactment has declared uos only in favor Of
its continuance in full yiEor. but in favor OF It's
enlargement, 50 as to apply more generally to tho
public service. And this. Mr.. Chairman. is not
lican party. but it is in accord with the highest
and best sentiment-aye, more. it IS sustained By
the best sentiment OF the whole country, Re-
publican and Democratic alike. There is not a
man on this iioor who does not know that no
party in this country. Democratic or Republic
can. will have the courage To wipe II from the
statute book or amend IL. save in the direction
OF its Improvement. The Republican party
is here. and it is here TO stay. and we may Just
as well understand and accept it now, and give
our attention to correcting the abuses. IL any
exist. and improve the law wherever IL can Do
done to the atvan age Of the public service
At present. Gen. Grosvcnor Is the able Ohio
member OF the Committee on Ways and Means
House will illustrate his position. and. strik.
obstacle which would obstruct MAJOR Mckinney
IN any attempt 20 form q junction with Gen.
SsosSenor. sad the IntLer, after promising that
sponsioility OF reversing the action OF his prede-
cessors beyond the point which his good sense
- but I will ask the Congress OF the
United States to modify this law. and | say right
here, Mr.. Speaker. without any menace, that
this voice. his demand OF The people. tais shout
OF denunciatInn. hes got 10 De recognized on this
noor. give Warning mat no eommittee on eva
smother the voice OF the = ople. The RepreseI-
tatiHcs OF the people here who have introduced
measures upon this subject shall have an oppor-
tun!tY To be hcaru upon this floor. No cOns!gu-
meut OF bills and resolutions 10 the pigeonho..s
OF a committee viii be tolerated. Bring the
measures back here. win Or without yOur favor
able Recommend" ton. and let US see what the
voice OF The country Il upon this subject, As trs-
tilted by the Representative On this iOor. This
will be satisfactory; nothing short OF 1t will o.
satisfactory; anu rhen. MI Speaker. II This Goa
gress fails to aCt, the elections OF ls9s will be
close az hand and the people OF the country IL
b. heard. and when they are heard from we shall
have more definite data UPON which to act
W nsn congress- acts, II Il can DC persuaded TO
do 50. along the lines OF this Latter speech. and
President Ackinley's signature becomes neces-
say TO complete the overthrow. then the width
and depth OF the gulf which separates the two
positions indicated above VIII attract general
attention, and show the tmpossioility OF the
President going To Cen Grosyenor. There are
Afew worIs among those quoted from the Pres
itent which Indicate 'hs only chance for change
in the present administration OF the Civil
Service law, 80 AR ~ the Presidents order can
effect 1t. This i, almost brief enough 10 be in
soribed upon The banner OF the National Anti
Civ! Service League:
No party IN this country. Democratic or Re-
publican, will have the courage TO wipe il from
the statute book or amend 1t. save in the d.
: elton Of ITS Improvement. We should
give u ANleuIO on Z tOETtCtinR the 1DlSes, II
any exist, and improve the law wherever it can
be done TO the advantage Of the public service"
Il is this line Of proceeding to which the Pr'si-
dent Is now addressing himself. Several amend
mentS, in the way Of improving the regulations
are likely 70 be- decided upon. They are not,
however, of a character 10 satisfy the anti-civll
service men. because they are mainly concerned
in finding methods Of getting into the public
service ny direct appointment and not through
the terribly vague amt tistrcssinglv unsatlsfAr.
tory route Of an eligible list. Unless there can
be rec and uninterrupted appointment unIer
their FpTNn1 mgnFI Flnna THAR tnfaraaF tr = N any.
ing the civil service regulations vanishes. They
sees 20 so amend these rules that unrestricted
appointments as shall enable them TO issue re-
quests for positions which shall be / mediately
Is safe TO say. are not receiving the best and
most active thought VI the President.
BG~there Is renaon TO believe that he Is care
The recent opinion OF Judge Cox IS smoothing
the way for. practical civ!l service. The Attor.
ney General ~ likely 20 soon make clearer and
mora definite the means Of promptly ridd.ng the
public SER Ice Of unit and incompetent men.
The President reccnt order. issued on the eve
OF his departure for vacation, seems to have
been designed 10 check a tendency TO begin a
genera! removal OF Democrats, because they
were such. Hence the guard thrown around
such desires by the provision that each case Z
INTENDED iismiss Il must be preceded by a formal
heard. There are. doubtless, many Democrats
who should be removed. but not ali OF them by
are some q difficulties about this which have be-
come apparent. There Is no do bt that under
the last Administration, notably in the Treas
ury scrvtce and that OF the Interior Depart
ment. very many Incompetent persons were put
In the places made vacant by removing thor
oughly competent Republicans. Nor is there
doubt OF the fact that much dead timber. both
Republican md Democratic, has crept into the
departments by the various processes known to
those Interested in hnding places for their con-
stituentA. some Of { ese are glaring cases, and
the heads OF bureaus would feel no embarrass-
meEt in reporting them as unit ann incompe-
tent and dispiacing them as the result Of an
open hearing.
But there Is a large class OF those who, while
n serious drag upon the efficiency OF the service,
are yet not disreputahle. and do not deserve the
harshnCss Involved in public dsmissa on the
ground Of proclaimed incompetsncy. There are
many such cases where a simple removal, with
out nublic reasons, would be preferred by those
dismissed. At the same time, by this more
humane method the public serS ice can be vastly
improved. There should, be a way open to ac-
'com plish this without 10 being necessary To put
a brand upon men or women.
This branch OF the subject Is now receiving
attention. IL IL "A somewhat difficult one to deal
with, but where. "A In the present case, there Is
n strong purpose on the part OF IA President both
20 improve the public service and to uphold all
the essentials OF the merit sytem, Just and deh-
mite rules will undoubtedly be established.
There Is abundant room for Improvement in
the firagFtnn Of making The y N "a a tinna r,o.o