The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1898-01-20


GEN. GRosvENOR co.,.
GIVE will ask nothing more and will take
nothing less than change in this law.)
ing talk. And all the while, the peo-
pie have been reading the newspapers,
and wondering how it would end. The
people are thus disappointed some
times, because they are misled.
You have recently been reading de-
bates about the civil service law. Some
statesmen have defended the law
against the bitter attacks which have
been made upon it. Those men have
been sincere. But some of the men
who have attacked the law have been
insincere. While arguing against the
law, they are really hoping that it will
not be repealed.
Strange as this paradox may seem, it
IS true. The civil service law has saved
the political scalp of many congress
man. The representatives must be re-
elected every two years, or they drop
out of public life. All of them are am
bilious to continue in the business of
craftsmanship. They depend upon po-
litical friends who work for them to
keep them in popular favor. Those
friends naturally want rewards for
their political services. The only way
to secure reward is to seek and obtain
federal office. For this boon they de-.
pend upon their congressman. If the
congressman cannot help the men who
help them they will soon find them
selves politically friendless, and will
lose their exalted positions.
Under existing circumstances, the
congressman can say to their friends
and hackers: This civil service law is
so administered that no offices can be
obtained, except after examination by
the civil service commission. It is"a
law which never ought to have been
enacted. But, being on the statute
books, and being enforced, we cannot
get around it"
That, you see, makes the o11iceseeker
angry at the law, instead of being angry
with the congressman. All of their
wrath is directed at the civil service
law, because that law keeps them out
of office. If it were not for the law,
they would be bowling mad at their con-
gressmcn.
Now, suppose the law should be re-
pealed. Look at the predicament in
which the congressman would be
placed. 1t is officially reported that dur
ing the past year there were $4,000 ap-
plications for federal appointment made
through the civil service commission,
and that many people were examined.
n 1>,1f fnr1
pointed.
But, supposing that the civil service
law should be repealed, it is safe to as
sumo that there would be ten times as
many people apply for office, when
they would not be obliged to pass ex-
animation. Consequently, the con-
gressmen would have half million of
officeseek~.s on their backs, clamoring
for office and demanding Office or
trouble.
Under such circumstances can you
imagine that the congressman really
want the law repealed? Not bit of it.
On the contrary, the civil service law is
a safeguard for them. 1t protects them
against the political henchmen and Of
fce-seekers. But, inasmuch as the
statesmen have talked and written to
their hackers all manner of things
against the law. they must make pre-
tense of sincerity by delivering speeches
against the law. This pleases the Office
seekers at home, and it does no harm in
Washington city. No matter whether
the administration of that law is sue
cess or not, it enables statesmen to make
strong excuses for not getting their
friends into office. Who would sup
pose for moment that the congress-
men really want to repeal law which
is useful to them, and the existence of
which keeps many of them in Office,
year after year. for many years?
OF course there are statesmen and
politicians in both houses of congress,
with a preponderance of politicians
over. the, statesmen. Some Of the hon.
BILE gentlemen who have been talk
ing against the civil service law are
honest in what they say. It would be
unfair for any correspondent to criti-
else them individually and say who is
sincere and who is insincere. That
would be violation of that hi CHEST of
all laws: Judge not, that ye be not
judged.'
During the recent discussions Gen.
Grosvenor. of Ohio. was the most We
hement denunciator of the law. and Mr..
johnson, of Indiana, was the foremost
defender of the law. Mr.. Brosius, of
Pennsylvania, was also prominent as
defender of the law and the manner of
its administration. It is singular fact
that Gen. Grosvenor has long been re-
garded as one of the most stanch po-
itical friends of President Mckinley,
and yet he denounces thelaw which the
president is trying so hard to enforce.
A shrewd politician suggests to the
writer that may be Mckinley is not so
much in favor of the extreme enforce
ment Of the law as he is supposed to be
It seems to me that he is acting on the
principle enunciated by Gen. Grant,
that the way to secure the repeal Of
bad law il to give It extreme and rigid