Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-12-17

Addresses tho National Civil Service ReIo' IN
League al Cincinnati

here, this evening. after the National
Clvll service Reform League. Hon. Carl
SchurZ spoke as follows:
Carl Sehurz. president of the assoc.a
ton spoke In part as follows:
Ine American people have hardly ever
beheld rush for spoils of office more
tumuituous than that which followed
President MckinIey's accession to power.
-
II Know the excuse that Is given for
this amazing demand. 1T Is that Pres-
dent CleVelands administration had
nlled great many positions which were
not in the classified service. with Demo-
Gratis. and then covered them with the
cNii service rules in order to protect the
new incumbents against removal. The
civil service refOrmers were not been
sparing In criticism and circumstances
when under the Cleveland Administered; ton
removals or appointments were made
which appeared improper. But | do not
hesitate 10 say that the objection to Mr.
Cleveland's great executive order made
by the Republican spoils politicians is
True to his honor as a gentleman. to
his vows as a Republican, and to his duty
as President of the United States. Mr..
Mckinley stou,ly held his ground against
the fierce foray which was set on foot to
overwhelm him. He issued an executive
order on the 9th of July, by which he
exempted from the competitive rules GER
tain classes of positions in the revenue
service. extended the rule over a very
few others. and then directed that no re-
moval shall be made from any position
subject to competitive examination ex-
cept for just cause and upon written
charged filed with the head of the de-
partment or other appointing officer, and
of which the accused shall have full no.
tice and an opportunity to make de-
fence"
.'The part of President McKinleys Or
der which attracted the most attention is
that concerning removals. 1t is no exag-
geration TO say that its appearance was
greeted with round of applause that re-
sounded all over the country.
The people saw in President McKiniey's
order "A vigorous manifestation of his ps-
triotic purpose TO make true his words
civil service reform has come to stay"
Besides the intelligence of the country
recognized in the order concerning reno
walls a decided progress.
at makes the reason assigned for ev-
cry removal as well as the answer there
to matter of public record, and il will
thus render the executive officer for every
removal from a place under the competi-
tive rule amendable to the Judgment of
public opinion as well as to the judgment
and the corresponding actions of his ST..
periors. The new order, If carried out
with fidelity and firmness, will thus be
gcil apt 10 rid the service of a very Of
fensive and dangerous abuse. and Presi-
dent Mckinley fully deserves all the
praise he has received for this achieve
ment- To secure the enforcement of the
order the secretary of the treasury. Mr.
Gage, with commendable promptness is
sued excellent Instructions to executive
officers under the treasury department
prescribing an appropriate mode of pro-
cedure and containing the important in
junction that reductions in grade and SAL
AIRY should be treated in all things like
removals.
Nothing would crafty me more than
to be able to add that the Presidents or
der had already borne all the good fruit
that it is expected to bear. But | regret
to say that so far il has not. Many re-
ports have come to us from Washington
as well as from other parts of the coun-
try which represent executive officers as
making or recommending removals or re-
auctions without assigning any just cause
or any cause at all. 1t is confidently ex-
pccted that the President as such
offences come to his notice and the facts
are fully aSCertained. will enforce re-
spcct for his order by duly Furnishing the
OFF cnderS.
"A matter in which not only the civil
service reformer but the whole CONNER
c!al community takes a lively interest is
the improvement of our consular service.
Pass examinations are apt to degenerate
into mere matter of form. in which as
rule those succeed who have the
strongest backing and those fail who
consular service have been tried at vari-
Gus points and they have always taken
that course. Whether they have or not
in the present instance. | am unable to
tell. the matter being strictly confidential |
But this | may say with assurance: If
cur commercial community wants a real !
reform in the method of appointment to /
consular positions it must insist upon
three things: Competitive examinations |
for admission to the lowest grade OF the !
nrnGDnrinn
merit. and removal only for cause From |
this rule should as most, only those few /
positions be excepted that have |
a diplomatic character. There is good /
reason for believing that the necessities /
of the consular service have already en-
gagged the President care: and whoever |
seriously the task of putting |
that branch of the government service
upon a footing of thorough efficiency |
viii soon recognize that the first require
ment is its absolute emancipation from
the influence of the patronage mongers
The postmaster. too, is receiving
promising attention. lie is hopeful sign
that the postmaster general. a business
man not suspected of being a civil SER
vice reform theorist. has from mere
business point of view found it expedient
to advocate the removal. by Congress- of
those restrictions by which the consolida-
ton of minor offices with those which are
central, had been hampered. And al
though the subsection to proper civil SER
vice rules of the fourth-class post offices,
which so far have furnished the material
for the most widespread spois scandals.
may as yet seem ever so far away, still
ii is approaching and may be nearer than
even the most sanguine among us now
apprehend
THE first onset against civil service re-
form has been repulsed. but the fight is
not finished The clamor of place-seekers
still resounds with lusty vociferation In
three Republican state conventions reso-
buttons have been adopted hostile to the
merit system An association has been
organized to agitate for the repeal of the
civil service law. and Republican mem
bers of the Senate of the United States
and of the house of Representatives are
loudly threatening to bring the matter
to an issue at the next session of Con-
sress. Two of them, Representative Gros-
venor of Ohio. and Senator Gallinger of
New Hampshire. have already been des-
gnated by one of the spoismen's organs
as the anti-civil service reform candidates
for the Presidency and Vice Presidency
Mr.. Grosvenor loudly protests that the
men who in 1896 marched thousands and
thousands of miles to hear the words of
and instruction from the
President as he stood upon the steps of
his home in Canton, shall not be en-
GUIDED from places in the departments by
troublesome civil service tests