New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-10
ATTACKS Of THE MERIT SYSTEM

The Pennsylvania State League OF EepupIcan
Clubs, which met the other day IN KARLSRUHE
plainly forfeited It's title to represent KepuDli'
can sentiment when it adopted series oil reso-
lutions demanding the repeal OF the fcderal
Civil Service law The Harrisburg conyentoh'
we are told was made up Of about two hundred
and fifty delegates most Of them active party
workers in Philadelphia and Pittsburg- 'He
declaration denouncng the Civil Service system
WIS rushed through this body without reference
10 \ committee and without debate. The rcsoIu-
lions which had been rejected after fuller con-
sideration at previous gatherings OF the STATE
League. voice the stock objections 10 the merit
scheme raised 10y Interested politicians. Ih"y
assert that the present law 'paccs premium
CON Theoretical knowledge 10 the dctrment oil
..the practical man: that il is "calcula''d ID
establish an office holding class Is IN
A1ncrican' and unconstitutional and, nnaily'
threatens to create in this country an Hrlslo
cratic or monarchical government II i
curious commentary on the blindness 81 30
called practical politicians that su'h 'p'I'"'
and uuconvincng ahsurdities should De Hp-
rlauded and accepted hy the pennsylvania
League for in approving tnem the Harrisburg
leaders must have known that they were IT.
fronting all intelligent and serious party Sehu-
ment and rcpudiating policy to Whcn Dol"
State and National Republican orsaniza Mons
have been committed for many years.
II is not reasonable. perhaps 10 auach
marked Significance 10 The Leagues evident a.
sire 10 hrslk with the party traditions ana ''e
party's uniform and crediiahle record on inc
civil Service issue The resolutions pasSeu ~
Harrisburg were not Incorporated, II seems III
the formal platform issued by the League con
vention. Nor did any one Of the speakers WHO
addressed the Acknowledgement stone Lieu
tenant Colonel Barnett, the Eepuhlicah 'ahul.
date for State Treasurer: General "oplh anu
Secretary Iata-makc the slightest aiuSlon 10
the offensive appeal for return I" 'he spo"S
system" which had previously been Ad"pl'''
NJ Kcpuhjcan State Convention ia P'nIiSYlNh-
,,io could be brought. Of course To sanction su'h
q dcnerture from party doctrine, nor would any
Rcnuhlican candidate for Office venture 10 take
tho field on a platform hostile 10 the merit iea'-
urcs in the present scheme Of Federal appoint
ncnfs Every important Republican newspaper
.- ,,o Stoto has EXPRESSED It's dsapproval or
tho stcp taken on Wednesday ny the League
managers. and that organization influence III
STATE politics IS more than likely 10 De 'A'ln-
or,ishcd hv its exhibition OF pctulance and Will
fitness AT Harrisburg.
40 real discouragcmcnt TO the cause OF 'i'l
Service reform is involved in such sporadic OUT
breaks Of unfrlcndy sentiment within the h'-
puhlican party. In Pennsylvania as IN Ne"'
tucl;y. where the platform adopted by the N''
uuhlicans mas for some years past coh'a heu an
attack on the merit system, the proiessi"nai p'i
itician's old itching for unhampered coh'r'l oi
Federal patronage is 10 he cured only oI re-
heated dcnials and diSappolntmcniS Now ana
then the chagrin Of failure becomes acute ana
an explosion Of Indignation at the "unc'hSt,"
tiouar and "un-Amcrcan' character OF inc
civil Service law is the natural sequence hu'
the general public can well afford TO remain IN
different to these casual and meaningless 'pu'-
ltlons. for they only emphasize the complete
ness with which appointment for merit has been
accepted as a vital feature Of the American
political system.