Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-20
of fact, do not know today the political
or religious opinions of per cent of your

OF TellglOuS OplHIOhS u per cent OIL your
number.
THE civil service law makes qualification
and merit the sole criterion Of entry into
the service. You pass a rigid and impartial
the Eligible list in the order of your
standing as to scholarship relating to your
future work: when a vacancy occurs my
choice is limited to the three highest on
and it is penal ofrense for me to inquire
into their political bias. Thus all of you
who have been appointed since the civil
service law went into effect have been
on efficiency and good conduct. You can
only be removed, for cause and after full
opportunity for defense, by order Of the
first assistant postmaster general. The
is abolished by the manner of selecting a
successor. There Is 4o object in making
an unjust dismissal when the vacancy can.
not be filed with a personal political
favorite Thus your entrance to and your
exit from the Official ranks are protected by
this admirable law. You can securely
adopt this a vocation for life. and pre-
pare yourself accordingly. You are not
obliged to cringe and fawn for the favor of
your superior officers. You are not called
on to help pack caucuses and manage con-
ventions, or to turn ward heller for
month or two preceding every election.
You can give your time to the duties Of
your position. and take such part as your
inclinations dictate in political affairs. on
either side. without let or hindrance. You
preserve your manhood, dignity your citi-
zenship, exalt your office, and serve a
conspicuous example of the splendid re-
suits which this law can accomplish.
Benefits of System.
Here, again. let your light shine! How
ever disinclined any of you may be to mix
in ordinary political controversies. on this
point you should be strenuously and rest
lessly active. You know thoroughly the
benefits of civil service reform in your
Experimentation it has improved the serv-
ice purified politics. ennobled, manhood and
advanced the standard of official integrity.
AS citizens you should agitate constantly
and aggressively for its extension to all
branches of the public service, national,
state and municipal. 1t is just as neces-
sary that the clerks at the state house and
the city hall be subject to civil service
law as the clerks in the post office. Our
city policemen, firemen and school teach
ers can be as readily made amenable to it's
protective provisions as can the letter car
riers. Only when this is accomplished will
We have pure local politics and honest adj
ministration. The non-office- holding classes
can be abundantly trusted to take care of
the politics of the day.. The office-holding
class should be relieved from the obliga-
ton to follow the dictates of bosses-thus
giving time, skill and independence for the
proper performance of their official work.
Don't be afraid to preach civil service
reform. 1t has come to stay. 1t has come
to spread 1t is bound to prevail. No ma
ticnal administration that we are ever like
ly to have in this country, henceforth and
forever, will reprimand you for doing that
much political work. If any biear-eyed
politician rebukes you, tell him that one
of your leading motives is to take the blear
eye out of politics and put the clear eye in.
Teach the people that they can be civil
service reformers, and still be as good re-
publicans and as good democrats they
were before. 1t is no more necessary to
turn mugwump in order to support this
doctrine than 1t is to turn Hardshell Bap-
fist.
sofas free delivery cities can, if they will,
create a public sentiment that will compel
our next legislature to enact civil service
law which win complete the emancipation
of our politics from the despotism of the
boss, the touch of the hseler and the odor
of the SUM.
Armor and Shield.
1.-The civil service law is your armor and
your shield. 1t has opened to you. as it
opens to the humblest American citizen,
duly qualified, the opportunity for an off,
cial career. 1t creates mo aristocracy' of
office holders-it broadens the gate so that
all classes may enter. 1t stimulates honest
pride. true self-respect and manly indie
pendence. 1t does not encourage nor toll
crate either arrogance or insolence 1t in
spires popular demand for business meth
DDS in political office-and then it responds
to that demand by creating the most elab-
crate, complicated prompt. accurate and
satisfactory business Institutions yet known
in the history Of the world-the United
States Post Office Department of the last
decade of the nineteenth century.
above all, to you, ser lants Of the nation,
wearing the yruud livery of the republic
comes the voice of duty. bidding you so
forward with zea., With Industry, With IN
teigence, with unblemished integrity, to
your honorable task, conscious of your
dignity and sure of your reward