The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-12-18

tering Office and continuation in it
through the first 40 years OF the re-
public. 1t remained for Jackson to in
troduce the spoils system, which has
been in vogue ever since, until arrested
in measure by the civil service act
passed by congress Is years ago, for
which William Mckinley voted.
IN HOLY HORROR.
Mr. Hitchcock said: ct would seem
Incredible alike on grounds of party
sagacity, of fidelity to party pledges
and to the bonored leader who urged
their fulfllment, and l don't hesitate
to add. of personal honor, that any
Republican member OF congress should
take part in repudiating the principles
and the policy of the civil service act"
CRITICISED GRosvENoR.
The paper criticised a speech made
by Mr.. Grosvenor in congress on July
10, 1897, and also Mr. Grosvenor's re-
cent utterances in the house in oppo-
sition to the civil service system. In
the former case Mr.. Grosvenor is
charged with historical inaccuracy and
his latter utterances are accused to be
out of line of the policy OF the Re-
publican party. The paper concluded
thus
1.-The record speaks for itself. The
the pledges Of that party will sit in
judgment upon the fulillment or the
betrayal of their trust"
ITS LEGAL ASPECT.
Edwin Barritt Smith of Chicago
spoke on the legal situation. He said:
THE question involved in the recent
decisions of the United States courts
whether the president, in respect to
removals. has the force of law, is more
important than whether the question
ought to have such force. The an
swer to the first depends upon the ex-
tent of. executive power under the
civil service act to make rules that
shall the force of law The answer
to the other must be sought by further
| inquiry whether public employment
can be the subject OF vested right
whether office is a place of public serv-
ice or a castle to be privately held and
enjoyed. The merit system of appoint
ment recognizes and protects the right
Of all to compete for public employ
ment, the right of freedom of contract
with the largest employer of skilled
and unskilled labor
Mr.. Smith gave a digest of state laws
and the holdings of state courts He
concluded by maintaining that the ex-
ecutlVes should forbid removal except
for just cause.
DEMOCRATIC PAPER.
The paper on the Democratic Party
and Civil Service Reform" by Hon.
Moorfeld Storey of Boston, was read
by Charles Warren of the Massachu-
setts Reform club, in the absence of
/ Mr.. Storey. In part he said:
1T may properly be said that the
4 Democratic party is under a peculiar
obligation to promote the reform of the
+ civil service; the obligation felt by
every honorable man to repair wrong
which he has done. 1t was the Demo-
cratic party, under the lead OF Andrew
Jackson, which first treated the public
offices as plumber, and which, under
him and his successors cherished the
spoils system so lovingly as to make it
a cardinal principle of our govern
ment.'
The league adjourned to meet next
year in Boston.
The banquet at the st. Nicholas to-
night continued until near / O'Clock.
There were 1870 guests, including all the
Hamilton county members of the legis-
lature. All the speeches were severe in
criticism of Representative Grosvenor
of Ohio and Senator Deboe of Ken
lucky.