The times., 1897-03-15
No Step Backward.

nize in President Mckinley sturdy advo-
cate and exponent OF civil service reform.
This is one direction in which he may count
upon the goodwill and support OF all
Americans, without distinction OF party,
who think ard read, and who prefer the
general good of the country and its people
to the interests OF demaEogues ana to a
perpetGatiun of all the political evils, both
local and national, that have been Incl
dental to and flourished with the former
growth Of the spoils system.
At the very outset of the discussion we
wish to say that we particularly honor
the President for the stand he has taken
on this question, because the circumstances
and conditions under which his Adnlinistra-
tion begins would render his position diff
cult if not practically untenable, in the
case Of man less strong and inmovable
when impressed with a high sense of CON
siStency and duty.
Beyond any question, il must be embar-
rassing for President Mckinley to find
that the principle and rules Of civil service
reform have been so applied and extended
10y his predecessors as to leave very little
public patronage at his disposal This
would not matter, perhaps, il superser-
viceable party followers had not previously
succeeded in creating a widespread i'm
PRECISION among Republicans that his Ut
tcranccs on this topic were to be taken
with a liberal sprinkling of campaign salt,
and that. upon his accession 10 power, he
would be found ready and eager to return
to the old method of rewarding partisan
service with rich feed at the public trough,
without regard to other considerations.
The merit system, based on competitive
examination, and involving promotion for
merit and tenure depending solely upon
good behavior and efficient service, was
inauemated under President Arthur; eX-
tended as far as it well could be under his
AdIniniSt ration; adopted and again ex-
tended by Mr. Cleveland during his first
term: supported, a1nplified and widened by
MIR Harrison. who, like his successor,
made important additions to tine classified
service jvst before he went out of office
and finally has been made to cover almost
everything in sight by Mr.. Cleveland in,
and largely toward the end of, his second
Adninis ration In the course of its evo-
hutton. and in departmental methods and
practices connected with its observance and
application. hardships and abuses have not
been wanting They have not been greater
Epr more frequent than might nave been
expected as inevitably incidental to such
revolutionary change. They have not
served t. weaken the hold of the principle
of civil service reform, nor of the system
built upon it. upon the worthiest elements
Of American citizenship. The system has
passed its experimental stage, has fully
Justified it's value and right to existence
and perpetuation, and has been incor-
porated into the institutions of the country.
As one of them it is a fixity and
finality.
We are well aware that some OF Presi-
dent McKinley's party adherents are try
ing to impress him with the idea that
the late Executive spread the aegis of
civil service reform over everything he
could see in the closing days of his power,
In order to fix Democrats in office. We
Of Il -. Il ia Ha
argument and say, what already has been
stated, that Mr.. Harrison did like thing.
Indeed, there is not any argument neces-
sary 30 convince President Mckinley in
regard to facts as much within his knowl
edge as ours. he does not have to be
told that the idea of Mr.. Cleyeland's
Democracy or to favor Democrats could
only be regarded in the light of a joke.
As between Republicans and Democrats,
Mr. Cleveland has been less inimical to
the former than to the latter; but, on the
whole. he distrusts them both as being
Americans.
We itt'l sure. tutTtlofCs biidI parry tOb-
based on recent extensions CT
the reform, will fail to move President |
Mckinley from the firm stand he has |
taken Oh the rock Of principle, and mani |
festly in the interests of good government. |
To take step, even to look backward, |
would be to open the door for a return of |
the evils Of the abandoned and detestahe |
spoils system; a system which supported a |
riotous horde of political placemen for a |
brief time, and involved the non-productive |
existence Of an equal mob, but Just |
elected from office, and still another of |
Ike proportions living upon the expecta-
tion of public employment.
Civil service reform has come to stay, |
and the opportunity is offered to President
during the next four years to
solidify and perfect the system.
Ia accomplishing that he viii build a
monument for himself and his Administra-
tion that will tower gloriously in Amer
lean history.
Cleveland's Consul on Hawaii.
Our foreign friend, the New York Even
no Post is I'm a state of plee because tine