The Saint Paul globe., 1897-12-06
Notice to Reformers.

To the Editor of the Globe.
For the first time the voters Of one State had
a chance this fall to express their opinion OF
civil service reform and they branded it as a
humbug and a fraud. In Maryland an amend
ment incorporating "the merit system" In
the constitution was sumbitted to the people
and they voted upon 1t at the last election
We have not seen the figures for they are
carefully suppressed by the metropolitan pa
pers. which delight In cherishing the pretence
that they are reformers but they will admit
that the amendment was Overwhelmingly
beaten and that the wicked spoilsmen have
received encouragement which VIII make them
aggressive and troubIesom duering the next
session Of congress, a conclusion for which
there is good reason.
1t is a. strange fact that this reform, which
involves a complete change IN the system Of
selecting government officials and a virtual
overthrow of the theory that the majority
should rule upon which our government was
founded has made it way until 1t has Sc
cured coatroe Of nearly all the federal OF
fcies without once beng mad dlrecC issue
before the people. 1t has been the purpose
of its supporters to sneak 1t along and bully
it through congress without giving the people
a chance to vote upon it, and they have sue
ceded wonderfully. Starting with the doc
trim that the great masses of the voters
were to ignorant or too selfish or to paru-
san to be trusted in such matter these self
apointed guardians of the public welfare
have managed to spread their scheme upon
the statute books, when, as we believe. they
could not have commanded one vote in five
for It at a popular election, and have done
this they have coolly assumed that 1t was
done forever, and that everybody was estop-
ped from trying to undo it. But the result
in Maryland and the movements elsewhere
show that the people are going to have some
thing to say about matter which affects
then so much and in which they are so deep
ly interested. The only direct vote upon the
naked question this year was in Maryland,
but the Republicans in Pennsylvania and
Ohio practally repudiated the reform in their
platforms and all the Democrats were pledged
against it in all the states
gress meets. Gen. Grosvenor has already
served notice that ne will lead the fight for a
repeal or substantial modification of the law
and it is every day becoming more apparent
the he will not lack a following. can
yass made last week brings out the fact that
nearly all the Republican congressman IN the
great central and Western states are with
him on this ISSUE and the Democrats will
do something to help him. When the bill pro-
effort will be made to stretch the evil ser
vice rules over the department and this will
be met by the opposition of the new fad by
a refusal to vote the necessary appropriations
unless those in the charge of the work are
left free to select their own assistants and to
discharge them when they see fit. Then we
shall Sc haw many congressman have had it
have had a good deal more than they want
of this panacea, and the number is not likely
to be small. The reformers might as well
take notice that the fight has. just begun.
Leonard Snow.
Elk River. Minn. Nov 20, 1897.