The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-08-12

sfce, ty- he Aid 50 x1sh considerable &C.
lzxswa1son. fFe arse pSecseSsed 20 81 81
IKE nssaar oFsres. Co as .azny 81 possible.
WISH ass political t-sersas- ard after ssey
ware 1es: established II ofsse covered
tse-r wssh tire Esn,ss Of she civil service
rifles. shsx rendering them rsasonahss safs
axsfrz*s removal IN IRE event Of a change
Of earsrss.rstiox- Bsss nessaer Mr. cIeve-
land n2- any * hSs departmental osactas
@ser aesifassS 70 violate 81. spirit. II nos
sne letter 81 tbe civil service raies 20 ira
matter q renewals fron Office. FOR shs
puryese 81 preserving a cretense OF ccz-
ssst@ney &c she Evil service REFORM idea.
the phrase ''perraci7us political activity"
was inyensed 70 apply as 81 o.fense 70
NH tssose persons raose positions were
coveted hy the friend. OF iae aasnirEssra-
ti9r- During .:se eight years Of Mr..
clesslxn6's administration. sAere never
vac a. aay sine any serious effort made
70 r1ssrsct the power Of removal from Of
ace
Herein - the strongest contrast bee
tween tire former administration ard the
one nos ln ofsee- Notwithstanding the
dcieful predictions OF the magwnmps.
Pr-4seen. Mckinley has proved himself
TO be a stronger friend to srua csvfl SER
vice reform than ever WAS the case with
Mr.. Cleveland Notwithstanding the lat
;er's high-nssndei professions. President
Mckinley has issued an order amending
sfx 1ks- kr s-y>
marks an advance IN the development Of
the reform, the importance Of whseh can
hardly De oyerestimatea. This new order
has the force of a Law and goes into
immediate effect. ana any oFicer who dis
obeys It must. under civil service rules.
ne dismissed from the service AZ once.
This new rule requires that no removal
shall be made from a public position SUBJ
Ject 10 competitive examination. except
for just cause and upon written charges.
OF which the accused snail have full no.
lice. ard the opportunity TO make defense.
II will apply 20 every once and employs
In the departments at Washing ton. except
ofirers confirmed BY the senate, certain
attorneys In the department OF Justice,
a few private secretaries and the common
and the pos;ofise. IL applies 10 all en-
ployes. except the chiefs and the chief
deputies. In the case Of each officer or
employment affected. 1t means that the
.ncumben; shall nos be removed except for
reasons which have to do with the good
Of the service. that have nothing ID do
with politics and that may safely be put in
writing. An Officer having the power 10
remove will certainly hesitate 20 assign
reasons that are frivolous or unjust
In making this new rule. President Nc
Klnley has done precisely what Mr.. cleve-
land. the so-esiled champion of civil ser
vice reform, positively refused TO do. even
in modified degree. During the latter
part OF 1897. during Mr.. cleveiand's FIRST
term revision Of the civil service rules.
changing the plan of classification and ex-
tending It's scope. was prepared by the
civil service commission. When this re-
vision WAS submitted TO Mr.. Cleveland. it
contained the following provision.
whenever a dismissal from the ex-
eeutiye civil service Is made written
statement Of the cause OF the dismissal
must be flied In the department or Office
from which The dismissal Is made, and be-
come a part OF the records Of such de-
partment or Office.
This rule Mr.. Cleveland refused to ap-
prove. on the ground that the power OF
removal should not be restricted even in
the limited degree proposed.