Omaha daily bee., 1897-12-18
DENOUNCE SpOILS SYSTEM
Resolutions Adopted by the Civil service
Reform League.
TO TURN BACKWARD IS DlsHoNoRABLt
All Parties Pledge to Continue ths
Reform-CnrI schurz Unanimously
Reelected President-Other
Omccrs Chosen.

RefOrm-Cnrl Schurz Unanimously
Reelected President-other
Omccrs Chosen.
| CINCINNATI, Dec. 1.-THE National Civil
Service Reform league today reelected Carl
Schurz president by reclamation. The re-
naming officers selected are as follows: Vice
presidents, Charles Francis Adams, Boston;
Henry Hitchcock. st. Louis; Henry C. Has
lea. Philadelphia Augustus X. McDonougb.
New York; Franklin Macveagh, Chicago; j.
Hall Peasants. Baltimore; Rt Rev. p. c.
Potter, New York; william Potter, New
York; Rt. Rev. p. j. Ryan, Philadelphia;
secretary. George McArny, New York; treas
urer George Fressel, New York; executive
committee, Carl Schurz. New York, chair
man; Moorfeld Storey and Richard Henry
Dana, Boston; Sherman s. Rogers, Buffalo;
William A. Aiken, Norwich; Edward NJ.
Shepard and w. G. Lowe, Brooklyn c. G.
Bonapa Baltimore: Il. p. Wheeler, S. w.
Burt Edward Cary, Charles Collins, Richard
Watson Glider, William Potts and Norman
b. Eatcn, New York; Morrill, Wyman, jr.,
Cambridge; William Dudley Fouke, Rich
mond, Ind; Lucius b. Swift Indianapolis;
Herbert Walsh and Charles Richardson, Phil
adephia; John w. Ella, Chicago.
The report of the treasurer A. S. Friessel
Of New York, showed receipts OF $4,254.29
disbursements, SS,47S.s2; balance on hand,
$376.13
The report of the committee on resolutions,
which reported through its chairman, Charles
G. Bonaparte of Baltimore, was adopted as
follows
NO BACKWARD STEP.
l. The National Civil Service Reform
league in its seventh annual meeting re-
minds the country of the specific and EN-
phatic pledges of the last republican ma
to endorse the present federal civil service
law and to extend its operation Wherever
? practicable. The league confidently expects
. from the president and demands from every
republican senator a faithful fulfil.ment of
Z this distinct and solemn pledge
3. 2. The league denounces any attempt on
. the part of republican member rs of either
. house of congress TO repeal the law to en-
= barrass the administration or any modihca-
. ton of its provisions except to the end that
- the merit system for public offices and em-
may 6 a her snd
. ! thoroughly eradicated, and declares it not
! only unpatriotic and unwise, but a gross,
2 man OF honor would be guilty.
>. 3. The league recognizes in the order OF
:. President Mckinley forbdding removals In
- the, CLASSIFIED service unless for good cause
- and after due notice to the person accused
= a heightened public opinion, and it demands
4 for the order a fair construction and a
"a practical enforcement with adequate pun
:. ishment for any officials. who may disobey
or seek to evade it's provisions. The league
=. respectfully urges upon the president ant
.. upon those members of his cabinet and OF
either house of congress who also desire tc
&c preserve and extend the merit system OF
=; portance of unfnching resistance to the
% demands of men who wish its destruction
g The least concession to demands inspired
these men and increase their greedy c!amor
:. while making resistance zee to such pressure
. Tae league calls attention to the fac
:. that. in those states where the party nov
= intercessions of it's state conventions I
= qualify or evade the unequivocal utteranc
- of it's national platform as to civil service
"a reform the results of the late election hav
" clearly indicated the disapproval of homes
:. and patriotic citizens. The league furtae
~ recognizes with pleasure the steady AM
:. rapid growth of sympathy with it
- principles of conscientious Americans o
90 all classes.
-, SYSTEM MISREPREsENTED.
IS 5. The league Indignantly stigmatizes tn
-. mendacity with which the enemies of goo
:, government and better politics, both in an
"a out of congress, have misrepresented tn
- practical working of the merit system, an
" their persistent repetition of gross an
-. exposed, insults at once to the inteil
=. gence and conscience of the America
-. people.
:; of the census bureau be selected for meri
''o and fitness. to be determined by fab
-. practical and thorough competitive ez
aminatons under the direction of the Civ
Service commission With the warning eH
ample of the last census before its eyes,
protests against any enactment which ma
/. 2 prevent or impede such selection as invoN
=. ing a scandalous waste OF money an
-. would be better to have no census at all
- 1900 than one taken by Incompetent III
=. trustworthy political proteges seecte
ng s. The league renews it's previous declar.
tons in favor of the repeal of the la
prescribing four-year terms for many feder
offices, the extension of the merit system
,re service of the District of Columbia, and II
w. consolidation of outlying with central pos
~ Offices 1t expressly dsclaims any advocac
lisa of civil service pensions as part of IL
al merit system which contemplates sue
ing pensions no more than did the system
The appointment and removal by favor, prevail
ing before the merit system was introduce
IN on the contrary, the protection which 6
fiji assured tenure during efficiency affords
ds- exercise of the frugaty and forethoug
IN displayed by all prudent persons to provi!
out of their current earnings for the orc
~, nary contingencies of old age and 1
me firmity.
is PAPER BY HITCHCOCK.
'tt' Hon. Henry Hitchcock of st, Louis read
d paper on "The Republican Party ard Ci'
Service Reform" The purpose OF this pap
Der was to demonstrate the relation of the T
ost publican party to civil service reform
ma setting forth the principles and policy
pe which the republican party stands public
pledged by its history and by the declar
ire official representatives of the party in the
the platform of its national convention. T
He entire paper was quotations from the reco
re- as shown in ito platforms, in the inaugul
; address of its presidents in their messag
to to congress and in the speeches and vol
He of leading republicans in congress.
nd Beginning with the history of the COVER
S74 ment under the constitution the paper
sed forth that fitness or merit was practically
test of qualification for entering Office a
r a continuation In it. 1t remained for Jacks
M. to introduce the "spolls'' system, which b
was been in vogue ever since until arrested IL
hat measure by the civil service act passed
her congress fifteen years ago by vote of
yeas to AZ nays the affirmative vote bel
100 Notwithstanding William McKn
as -ffty-one democrats and four independ'
S. and the negative vote thirty-nne democrs
seven republicans and one independent.
view of this. the writer says: "It wo
seem incredible alike on grounds OF pa
De- sagacty, of fidelity to party pledges and
the honored leader who urges the fulhllm
and / don't hesitate to add, of perso
-, honor, that any republican member of C
ooo gress should take part In repudiating
.f..Ioa a.. ,I.,n