The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-07-08
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM THREAT.
ETt:3s.

Inc country need not be told that tho
civil service law IS Il Democratic meas
ure. and the fact, if there were no.,;,
hunSeI.ng after office, would OF itself .
be sufficient 10 make it detestubc TO The \
Republicans
AS the Chicago Chronicle asserts, II /
was q Democratic President tina, first
gave hearty impulse 10 the o,,cration Of /
'hc law. 1T grew gradually and to the !,
great advantage of the people, though
not TO the advantage OF the camp fol
lowers OF politicians, until now the an
proXinate number Of positions in the
civil branch of the Government IN The
classified service is S7,l07 While the total
number OF positions in the civil branch IS /
lIS.TH. The service has progressed, lu,,
Ii does not yet include 80 per cent. Of /
The number Of employees in the civi! yer-
vice OF the United States. The auure
safe compensation paid in the cxecu-
i've civil service in the last fiscal year
WH&S approximately 800. 900 900. The
chronicle notes that while the civil ser
VICE has made intelligent strides, effort
on the part Of Republican politicians.
VINO went before the country last spring
promising 10 maintain the civil service
law, Is directed to INSTRUMENTATION Of
the public In order that They NAV 8, ril;r
elicctualiy III the classified service ana
open a breach through which their re-
'I'!ie!N may enter without competitive
examination. without serving before pro
mollon. we denounce,' say the spols-
men gathered by Mr. Hanna at Toledo
the violation of the spirit of the civil
service act by President Cleveland In
those orders which extend Its operation
beyond It's purpose and intend and de
inand such revocation OF orders or modi
| iicatlon of the klw as will accomplish its
manifest purposes.''
The end and purpose Of the law was
10 put a stop to the spols system. and
although H. seen, rs the Galveston
news asserts. THAT Alr. Cleveland,
whose action is complained of. in MI
the zeal with which he enforced and
ampilied as WIS the purpose of The law
| the operations Of the merit system
did not succeed IN classifying so per
| cont OF 1t. Vet Foraker and Hanna lullv
| Their i,cnchmen at Toledo and cry out
falsely that the law has been uuillstly
administered and ask that all that has
been done by President Cleveland TO
increase the classified service and make
| II respectable and efficient shall be un-
done. This action is characteristic Of
Republican politicians, who never do
a wicked thing without pretenst, OF viz
tue ard With dcnun ciyLtion Of what they
are pleased to state is somebody clsc's
delnqucncy The Republican crowd at
ioiedo was a crowd Of spoilsmongers
hent on he destruction, root and branch
OF the civil service law There a,e
thousands OF citizens who supported the
ltepu hl.can ticket at the Hast election on
| account OF its emphatic declarations in
laVor OF the extension Of civil reform
For the administration to so back on
the express promise to extend the ser
vice and to proceed to annul orders made
by Democratic President, thus reduc-
ing the scope and effect of the Very
law which it stands pledged to extend.
is Tor the Republican party to write
down It's own pcrtidy in letters which
can never be erased. This the Ohio
plunderers stand eager to do"
There are movements on foot TO at
tack the law little BY little until the
whole act shall be swept away, and it is
said that Mr.. Mckinley has indicated
his Willingness to aid in The project. IT
IS true that he has declared his adhcr
encc to the law, but the pressure which
Is being brought to bear by Hanna and
company IS too much for him, and when
the time comes 10 Weld he will yield as
ne has done often before TO party per-
suaSionS.