The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-15
FOR CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
League Denounced President McKIn-
ley's Famous Order.

Indianapolis, Ind, Dec. 14.-At the oper-
ing meeting held this afternoon the Ma
uonal Civil Service League openly attack
ed the administration of President Nc
kinley in regard to the order of May %
removing certain offices from the list
A letter was read which had been sent
TO President Mckinley by a COMMITTEES
OF the league, calling attention to prom
Use said TO have been made by the Pres
ident that he would extend the civil serv-
ice rules to a large number OF places at
the same time his exclusion order was is
sued. The promise, it is alleged, was new
er carried out.
A resolution was adopted censuring Sec
rotary Gage for refusing to give access to
certain public records.
AT the morning session Clinton Rogers
woodruff Of Philadelphia read a paper on
civil Service Reform as a Factor in Pol
tiles" and silas w. Burt of New York
discussed The competitive plan in filling
Of the offices in the higher grades"
The evening session was held in Ply
mouth Church and was taken up entirely
with the annual address of Carl SchurZ.
- FASSAOho NCiiQLGldllOD OF the altitude
OF President Mckinley against civil SER
vice reform was applauded enthusiastical-
ly by the large audience present Mr.
Schurz said in part:
The centennial anniversary of the death
OF George Washington, which we observe
to-day cannot but be full of solemn adj
monition to every American. He was the
very embodiment of the principle that pub
lie Office is a public trust; and il is one
OF the greatest Inspirations of our work
that we are conscious of endeavorng to
make the public service what he designed
II to be Speaking of the national civil
Service Reform League as to its relations
With President Mckinley Mr.. SchurZ said:
We all know that this league accepted
his early promises with warm demonstra-
lions of confidence, and greeted with ex-
pressions of grateful approval every one
OF his words or acts that looked like a
tulfllment of those pledges. 1t was pro-
fuse in its commendatiou of his order of
July q, 1897, concerning removals, al
though that order contained also the ex-
emption from the competitive system of a
much larger number of positions than it
added to the classified service; and for
a long time the league carefully obtained
from public utterance of it's misgivngs a
to the tendency of certain acts of the ad-
ministratiou in order to avoid every pos
sible injustice to the Presidents intentions.
THE most conspicuous and important
event of the last year was the Presidents
civil service order of May %. The spoils
politicians and their following hailed it
with a shout of triumph. The general ex-
preston of public opinion through the
press, even through not a few papers 9TH
erWise strongly favorable to the admins
tration, was a decided disapproval of the
act.
THE fact in which the friend of civil
service reform may find the most cheering
assurance of the triumph of his cause in
the future, consists in the striking evil
deuces of the growth of that cause in the
favor of public opinion But when six
months ago President McKinley's order
curtailing the area of the merit system
appeared, the manifesto of popular dis
approval was far more general and earnest
than the orignators of the measure had ex-
pected and the friends of the merit system
had dared to hope. Not even party
spirit usually so potent in such cases, was
proof against the popular feeling or dis
appointment, not few journals other
wise stanch partisans of the administra-
lions, giving voice TO that feeling with re-
markable emphasis.
1.-The reason is simple. The people know
that civil service reform as embodied in
the merit system is simply the application
to the public service of the plainest prin-
ciples of common sense and common hon.
esty. Even it's enemies are at heart rec
ognizing it's virtues. A resolute and per-
severing appeal to public opinions, TO the
good sense and patriotism of such PEG
pie as ours, will not be in vain. So good
a cause. supported by dauntless devotion,
can never fail"
Hon. Clinton Rogers Woodruff, who adj
dressed the league said in part:
THE city may be reviewed from two
standpoints. We may regard it as the
servant of the people and its assets and
offices as a trust to be administered in
their interest and behalf; or we may re-
gard it as the servant of a political ma
chine and it's assets and offices as means
by which that machine maintains and per-
petuates itself The former we call the
merit system; the latter the spoils sys-
tenn"
"Prvate ownership of municipal monop-
olies is iudissolubly linked with the spolls
system They foster and support each 9TH
err They are essential one to the other.
The spoils system means the utilization of
public assets for private proit-so does
private ownership. Monopolies and pri-
vate companies enjoying municipal fran
chises frankly admit that they are not in
business for pleasure or public veal. They
are in it to make money and as much OF
it as possible The politician is in politics
for the same purpose. A similarity of pur-
pose leads to a unity of interest. Show me
private ownership and nine times out of
ten I will show you the political machine
in full force and operation. It is con-
spicuous instance of a vicious circle of
selfish interests. What then is the rem
edy? An extension of municipal functions
and the introduction of civil service re-
form These to keep the power from the
machine and corporations and bring mu-
nicipal business under municipal control
on business principles l care not which
comes first, in order of procedure, so one
comes The other will surely follow"
KILLED IN PRIZE FIGHT.