Omaha daily bee., 1899-06-02
REVISED CIVIL SERVICE LIST.

Boston Transcript (rep): 1t is SOP to
Cerberus; a small SOP to be sure, aud
Cerberus is very hungry. The way to kill
spoilism is not to throw II small sops; It
is to give X nothing whatever.
| Philadelphia Record (dem); President
Mckinley, who in his capacity as legisla-
tor helped to carry forward the project Of
civil service reform. has been prevailed upon
! in his executive capacity to help undo his
own work in answer to the demand OF the
spoilsmen. He has been very badly advised.
Indianapolis News (iud): We repeat
that, on the whole, the president has done
we'll. We imagine that the spoilsmen who
were looking for ripping up OF the whole
classified service and were confidently ex-
pectlng reversion to the good old days
! OF feudal misgovernment will be bitterly
disappointed.
Courier-Journal (dem.) The president
has finally taken the plunge and removed
from the protectotn of the civil service laws
1000 Offices for his partisans. There are
few, II any, sincere civil service reformers
among practical politlcians-after they
! themselves get ofices in which they can
make capital OF subordinate ofices.
New York Times (dem.): 1t is a bad
situation, and especially 1t is bad with re-
gard to the duty Mr.. Mckinley has to per-
form in our new POSSESSIONS. The service
there must be of the highest type. Every
place in Il must be treated as a trust. 1t
is an i'll omen to abolish trusteeship as to
1000 places and treat them as the patronage
of politics.
Washington Star (rep): 1t is claimed on
behalf of the changes that many CT them
result from disclosures affecting the work
tn, - nt,.n ~,,lne Vat
1t is evident that the chief motive for the
1 wide scope Of the order was desire to
compromise with the political influences
which had been challenged by President
Clevelands move.
Chicago Post (rep.): One thing is GER
tain, however The order was not is
sued without prolonged and anxious study
OF the situation, and the president has been
too firm, consistent and determined a sup
porter Of the merit system to warrant
| sweeping condemnation of his step. II an
error has been committed the civil service
commission will fairly and candidly point
1t out.
Detroit Free Press (dem.): Against his
better judgment, we believe, and against his
conscience, he has yielded to the impor-
tunities Of the spoilsmen at the very mo-
ment when the exigencies OF the public
business are calling for the enforcement Of
the merit system as never before In our
history. At the critical juncture when
new colonial bureau Is to be organized for
the government of troublesome dependen-
cies Mr.. Mckinley has aimed a crippling
blow at civil service reform!
Philadelphia Ledger (rep.): The friends
of good government may not be disposed
to review the discretion Of the executive in
excepting from the provisions Of the civil
service law such positions as private secre-
taries or confidential clerks, special agents
charged with confidential duties and the
actual heads Of important bureaus. but the
list Of exemptions contains more than 1900
places which are exempted, apparently for
no other reason than willingness on the
part Of President Mckinley to yield to the
clamor OF the patronage mongers
Kansas City Star dnd.): Many people will
agree that private secretaries and conf
Dental clerks should perhaps be selected
freely from the country at large by the
men they are to serve, but there is no ex-
cuse for placing the offices of deputy revenue
collectors, and many others included in this
sweeping order at the mercy of the spoils
distributors. The republican party may
gain by this more in the effectiveness of its
machinery, but the administration has placed
itself on record thereby as unfriendly to the
cause of good government, and as not sin
oere in its advocacy of the merit system.
Philadelphia Times (dem.): The with
drawal for special reasons of 1000 out Of
$4,000 appointments included within the
classified service cannot be construed into
an abandonment OF the civil service prin-
ciple, and the president deserves to be sus-
tained in the matter until 1t is shown that
he has made mistake, and even in that
case criticism should not extend beyond the
| especial appointments in which experience
demonstrates that the service has retro
graded