Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1899-07-26
Another Letter
THE CIVIL SERVICE
HUMBUG.
WAsHINGToN, ID. c.,
July 2l, 1899.
Communication NJ. a.

Communication No. 81
Enacted nearly eighteen years
ago, originated in 1883 by Hon.
George II. Pendleton, that prepos-
ferrous and gigantic humbug known
as the Civil Service law, or merit
system, at once became unpopular
with the people, has become more
unpopular as time passed ON, and
today II stands one the most ahhor-
red and despicable laws that was
ever placed upon the pages of a
statute book.
To say that the law has friends
Is an undeniable fact, but what kind
of friends support this absurd and
deplorable imposition upon the peo-
pie of this great country? They
consist of a lot OF what might be
termed mugwumps,
who are either benefited or have
friends who are benefited by it.
How many people disinterested in
this humbug are In favor OF it?
How many members of Congress
who supported this measure last
winter are in favor Of it now?
It's friends in Congress are de-
serting ii, with but few exceptions,
and the few who still favor it, can
didly and frankly confess that in
voting for such an absurd measure,
they, rs Senator German pertinent
ly expresses it, surrender their
judgment to their hopes"
The law is un-American and an
encrOachment upon the rights of
the people. 1t is not what the
author intended it to be, and has
grown rapidly worse from year to
year. The people have deferred
action In the matter until now it has
become a question that interests
everybody.
Instead. of eliminating politics
from the Civil Service, the people
have been eliminated. The orly
advocates this so-called merit sys-
tenn has are those who think them
selves better than their party, and
those weak-kneed fellows who are
exceedingly gracious before their
nomination and election, bnt wbo,
after they have been elected, forget
all about the men who control the
primaries, who carry the torches,
and who work and devote their en-
tire time and energy in securing the
votes that carry the election.
The last time that Hon. George
III. Pehdleton, the author of the
original Civil Service law, was in
the United States, at that time be.
ing ClevelaDd's minister at Berlin,
and about three months before his
death, in answer to an accusation
that be bad brought much trouble
upon BIS par, yfffends, he said.
eyes, that is very true, but it is
not the fault of the law; At * N6e
fault Of the bastard Civil Service
that has grown mp under it. II was
never contemplated by me, as its
author, that a tenure should be con-
ferred upon ofFice-holders longer
than the life Of the administration
under which they were appointed.
and its aim was to prevent the dis
charge Of officials who refused to
pay political assessments.
We believe every intelligent citi-
zen ls opposed to life tenure in Of
fee, hnd much more bitterly oppos-
ed td$paying pensions 60 Civil Ser
vice hployees. 1t has been stated,
and " hrmly believe that all public
men whostand by this so. called mer-
1t system, court political oblivion. As
an incident we respectfully refer to
the authoS Of the law, Hon. George
Fl. PendlstOn, who was quietly and
peacefully retired forever. 1t will
be remembered that it rendered the
nomination Of Chester A. Arthur