The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-12-15

orally, they tried to justify their step. as
men who suddenly find themselves in a
false position often do, by giving all sorts
of reasons for their act-reasons probably
also suggested by their ingenious subordi-
nates-which made the effects OF their act
and their own situation even much worse
than they otherwise would have been.
This is my candid belief; and that belief
Is not in the slightest degree shaken by the
statement made by the Secretary of the
Treasury in his public defense. that several
of the exemptions were never demanded of
him by any politicians. No wonder, for the
politicians knew where they could put in
their work much more effectively below.
The real motive power was in any case
the greed of politicians for patronage and
their pressure upon the administration.
Those who believe this as / do. can render
the administration as well as the cause
of reform, NJ better service than by laying
bare the true nature and tendency Of what
has been done. and by expressing at the
same time the hope that after a sober and
careful re-examination of the matter the
President may see his way clear for retrac-
ing his step. After such a REORGANIZATION
he will hardly fail TO recognize the fact
that his order Of May p, with the reasons
given for it has been the most hurt
full blow civil-service reform has ever re-
ceived since the enactment of the law, as
the reception that order has met with from
friend and foe must nave convinced him
that the people generally regard IL as
such, and that subsequent excuses and ex-
plantations have not altered that judg-
ment."
ROOM FOR ENCOURAGEMENT.
Mr.. Schurz noticed a general backsliding
tendency in regard to the merit system
since the issuance of the order of May %;
it's enemies, he said, are more active, and
the levying of assessments on federal en-
ployes has again assumed formidable di-
mansions. He said he was unable to derive
much comfort from the Presidents mes
sage relating to the civil service, because
the paragraphs referring to 1t may be
summed up In one sentence-that every
thing is now in satisfactory condition.
By way of contrast to the retrograde ten
denotes in the federal service. he called at
tention to an encouraging progress of the
merit system in New York State. Even
in the city of New York, where the sinister
genius of Tammany Hall devotes itself
with the accustomed ZeSt and skill to the
task of circumventing the civil-service law,
and where the local Civil-service Reform
Association cooperating with the State au-
thorities has TO fight over every foot of
ground, many valuable successes nave been
s~Cored-at least in crossing Ubiquitous
schemes and In making the ways of the
tranSgreSSOr duly hard. Also on the other
side of the continent, in San Francisco. dis
tlnct progress has been recorded by the
adoption of a city charter providing for the
introduction of the merit system in the
municipal service"
IneTe Il ENCOURAGEMENT also, ne SalO, ana
cheering assurance of the final triumph of
the reform in the striking evidences of the
growth of the cause in the favor of public
opinion. The Importance of the merit sys-
tenn is now so freely acknowledged on all
sides that the league is no longer required
to devote its time to propagating the cor
rect ideas, but can direct its energies to
battling the efforts of the opposing forces.
Those forces, he said, consist OF the small
politicians who covet the offices for their
personal advantage. the political leaders
who seek 10 control the Offices as party
spoil in order to hold together and increase
their following, and the unsteady states
men in power who, while processing, often
not without sincerity, to be "also" in favor
OF cfvil-Service reform, have indeed courage
enough to assert their professed principles
against their party enemies, but not firm
ness enough to maintain them against their
party friends.
But however powerful this opposition
is" he said in conclusion. sit is far from
being invincible. We cannot forget that
| against the same old combination the civil
service reform movement has won all its
successes, one after another, during periods
of time when 1t was far less intelligently
and vigorously supported by the public
opinion of the country than ii is to-day.
While it's friends nave recently suffered a
grievous disappointment, they nave no rea-
son for being discouraged. To retrieve the
lost ground and to advance their cause
further toward the final contamination,
they have only to follow their own course
/ Witn militant Courage anu CCHSldlcy, 10
watch with keen vigilance the happenings
in the public concerns; to gauge every
measure taken by those in power by the
| true standard, recognizing gladly every
step forward, and permitting nothing TO
| pass that is not genuine; TO aid the author
tiles whenever possible with Information
and candid counsel; to expose to the pub
lie eye the abuses they discover, the cor
rection of which Is refused-in one word,
to tell the people the truth without favor
and without fear. A resolute and persever-
ing appeal to public opinion. to the good
sense and patriotism of such a people as
ours, will not be in vain. So good a cause.
supported by dauntless devotion, can never
fail"