The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-09-03
THE CIVIL SERVICE.
PRESIDENT M'kINLEy COMPOUNDS
THE PROPHETS.

His Policy of Reform In Marked Contrast
to That of His Predecessor-No Removals
Can BE Made From the Classified Service
Except For Cause.
The order of President MCKINLEY. re.
| Gently issued, in respect to removals
and appointments in the civil service of
the government will sensibly encourage
the advocates OF reform and confound
the prophets who were sure that the adj
ministration would take q backward
step IN this matter Instead of resoind-
ing the order Of the last administration.
issued just before it went out of office
and intended to protect the partisans
who had obtained places, that regula-
ton is left practically intact, the civil
service rules are extended to 65 custom
house offices not heretofore under the
classified service, and new rule pro-
mulgated which gives better protection
to competent officials than any regula-
ton yet established. The only appoint
ments taken out of the classified list are
one cashier and one deputy in each Gus
toms district and one deputy collector
in each SUPPORT or station, but n
these appointments are so hedged alb
with rules that they are really CONN d.
tive.
This act of President Mckinley Is
justly regarded as the most distinct tri-
umph won for reform in the civil serv-
ice. The public has heard so many civil
service reform promises made by the
lip and then seen them broken by the
act that 1t is not strange that the conf
dence Of the country in the sincerity of
pledges on this subject had become seri-
ously weakened. No more discouraging
example in this way can be cited than
the one given by the last administra-
ton. Entering Office with great preten-
sions Of reform, 1t was no sooner in
power than 1t threw to the winds all
its pledges and began as sweeping
changes as were known in the best days
Of the spoils system.
In the consular offices q larger num-
Der of changes were made than had ever
been seen before in the same time, the
treasury department at Washington was
nearly cleared of it's experienced. clerks
in order to make places for Democratic
partisans and in other departments
efficient Republicans had their standing
reduced for the same purpose, while
throughout the country the same policy
of removal and partisan appointment
was pursued. And then when tho coun-
try had condemned and voted out Of
Office the administration responsible for
this travesty ON reform an order was
promulgated putting all these partisan
appointees under the protection of the
civil service rules.
This was the situation which con-
fronted Mr.. Mckinley when he came
into office. And the question he had to
ask himself was whether it would be
better to tacitly consent to the wrong
done by his predecessor by leaving I'M
rescinded Mr.. Cleveland's order and al
lowing his partisan appointments to re-
main or whether he should permit a
general wedding out of the incompe
tents and then extend the rules anew.
If he took the latter course, he was sure
to be charged with craftsmanship and a
general outcry would have been made
that another illustration had been given
Of the insincerity of parties in making
civil service reform pledges. President
Mckinley chose the former path, and
the great majority Of the Intelligent
people Of the country will agree that he
has chosen wisely. A few years will see
the incompetents weeded out Of the
offices, but 1t would have needed good
many years to have restored the peo-
ple's trust In a Republican reform
pledge had President Mckinley appar-
emily violated his pledge. No one can
accuse him now Of even the appearance
of partisanship or Of Willingness to
use the error Of his predecessor as an
excuse for gratifying the demand for
Office.
But the most distinct contribution
President Mckinley makes to civil serv-
ice reform is his order covering re-
movals from the classified service.
These cannot be made except for cause
| and upon written charges and after the
accused has had an opportunity for de-
Tense. This rule Is really Of more value
to the reform than all those promul-
gated by previous presidents. 1t puts q
stop at once to the many evasions OF the
other rules which have been eagerly re-
sorted to by the enemies Of civil service
reform, and 1t would alone define Pres
ident McKinley's attitude on the ques-
ton. He has taken the right step al
the right time and in the right way, as
he has done frequently since he became
president. AS the Brooklyn Eagle says,
UHis action ia ON the side of civiliZa-
tion, justice and the future" II nc
should do nothing else worthy OF no
tice, this one act will gain him the
plaudits of the country and the com
| fnendafinn of history Philadelph1a