The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-17
Civil Service Reform League
Passes Resolutions.
Charges Departure From Civil
Service Rules
BY ADMINISTRATION.
Expresses Thankfulness That
1t Has Been No Worse.
The Future of Our New Deepen
denotes is Involved.

Baltimore, Dec. 1.-THE National Civil
Service Reform association convention, at
its second session, devoted almost the en-
tire morning to a discussion of the re-
port of the committee on resolutions
which charged the present rational admin
istration with a violation of the spirit if
not the letter of the civil service rules.
The resolutions as finally adopted congrat-
ulate the lovers of good government on
the failure of the recent attack in con-
Sress upon the merit system; assert that
the convention has heard with grave con-
Germ the report that the president Of the
United States intends to withdraw from
civil service rules a large number of pO-
sitions under the government and ex-
presses the belief that such action is con-
trary to the interests of the public services
partufe from civil service rules within the
past year; charge that the administration
mas failed to redeem its promise ito ex-
Iend the rule Wherever possible, and IN
conclusion assert the rule of the newly
aSter and disgrace If conducted on the
plans Of the spoils politicians.
President, Cart Schurz; vice presidents
Charles F'arncis Adams Of Boston, Henry
Bo 5ITg2SA % Of New !09iS Yo 3gustHE MAG
Leah of Philadelphia, Franklin Mae
New York, Bishop P. H. Ryan of PhiIa-
delphia. William Potts of New York
with the reading of papers, the first of
which was The Need ana Means Of Pro
ice for Our New Dependencies, by Dor
man b. Eaton He said in part;
The question whether the United States
can govern the Sandwich islands, Porto
Rico, Cuba or the Philippines-if the lat
honor to themselves or advantage to such
dependencies. is another form of question,
are resolved to bring. worthy and oompe-
tent men-ht representatives of toe best
leadership of the people of those Islands.
w hatever kind feelings, sympathies or
~ garfs hafz
pie and theirs cannot spring from kindred
blood, congenial habits or common fnstitu-
tons, but must arise wholly from the
blessings of justice and good admintStr2-
ton, to be established by as
We must establish governments so
be made sffective over, ciffertrt rsoeS over
diverse civilizations and semi barbarisIns
Iiticaf ana ecciesiasticaI insfifutions which
have prevailed for centuries and which are
tablish our success will Be a marvel
even if we shall use the very best means
England has one depepdency-British
INDIAN no sense a colony the problem of
whose government has presented on a
vast scale. all the difficulties of race, re-
ligion laws and habits which the United
States can encounter in its new dependen-
cies The manner in which England has
surmounted these difficulties and especial
~ the means by which she arose above a
selfish and partisan spirit in the selection
and government of the civil servants OF
India, is not only especially worthy of our
study at this time, but it stands as the
noblest, the must successful and beneh-
cent example of the government of d po-
litical dependency by a superior race
and. power to be found in the history of
ancient or modern times
I cannot think there can be a reason
able doubt to whether the methods re-
sorted to in British India would be ethca-
ciOus if adopted for the Sandwich islands,
Porto Rico and Cuba, however. we may
distrust even their saving. efficiency for
the Philippines. The decisive, moment
Gus question, however, is whether the ma
jOrity of our party leaders and congress-
men are sufficiently disinterested and pa
triOtic to resort to them-tO follow this
noble precedent of the mother cOuntry-or
whether the better public opinion of the
American people is yet sufficiently en-
Hghtened to compel them to do So l have
an undOubting faith in the final and early
triumph of that opinion which is now
greatly aroused.
But when we see the president, at so
mOmentous a time as this, apparently
yielding to partisan pressure in our civil
service administration, We may well be
anxious, not only for the immediate fu-
ture Of these dependencies, but for the
historic reputation of the government of
the United States, in one OF the gravest
crises of its history
This was followed by a paper on The
Murrain of Spells in the Indian Service
by Herbert Welsh of Philadelphia, secTe-