The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-03-13
Politics in the Deal.
Editor of The Tribune.

Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: This is tho head Of an article in
a Sunday paper rejecting upon the ac-
tion of Hon. William Connell in causing
the appointment of second board Cf
examiners for pensions in this city. The
article accuses our congressman of an at
tempt to evade the civil service rules
Now, as a matter of fact, the position of
examiner for pensions has always been
a political one Upon change of admin
iStration the old boards have been uni
vcrSally turned out and new boards OF
different political complexion appointed.
When Grover Cleveland was elected and
moved by his sympathy for the survivors
of the war of tho rebellion appointed an
ex-Confederate commissioner Of pen
sions. the Democrats of this county at
least, lost no time in ousting the old
board and causing the appointment of
new one consisting of Democrats entirely.
Now when rotributive justice overlook
Grover. and he saw his political grave
was dug. and that the corpse was nearly
ready for burial in the excess of his
sympathy and love for the veterans Of
the war; and the wards of the nation"
he resolved to perpetuate the existence
of the various boards appointed under
| the beneticicnt influence of the Hon
| Hoke, and he therefore in his last dying
| effort arose to the sublimty of heroic
| sympathy and cast the mantle or the
classified service over the examining
| boards then in existence, and the whole
Democratic party raised up it's voice and
exclaimed. well done. thou good and
| faithful servant. Requiescat in pace" or
! words 10 that effect
Now let US see If this civil service
\ claim if put to the test will hold water
! II is a prerequisite for an appointment in
the classified service that competition
! examination shall be held and that only
/ those who reach a certain percentage of
| excellence shall be eligible TO appoint
! ment. and this irrespective of the appli-
cant's religion, politics of previous con-
dItion OF servltude"
| Now if such an examination had been
! ordered here in Scranton and the APP
pointments had been made upon the basis
of merit there would have been no cause
for complaint. but the true fact of the
case is that President Cleveland used his
| authority To override the fundamental
principles of civil service reform when he
arbitrarily placed the Democratic boards
| of examiners In the classified service,
The fact that the present board In this
| city has enjoyed two years of existence
under a Republican administration IS
| conclusive evidence the Hon. William
| Connell has been in no haste TO exercise
his preroEative in naming another board
for this city II was In answer to the ex-
pressed and unanimous wish OF the old
| soldiers of this county that he finally
took this action and politics" had moth
Ing to do with 1t.
The board as at present constituted
conforms to the rules laid down by Hon
VI. Clay Evans upon his induction into The
office as commissioner of pensions; l. O..
to appoint one army surgeon, one middle
aged practitioner, and one younger ply
sician to constitute II board. The board a.
at present constituted is as follows: DIR
G. II. Fisher, president; Or. Herman
Bessy. treasurer, DR.. James Stein. sec
retary.