The times., 1899-05-30
TUESDAY, MAY 30. 1899.
The Presidents Civil Service o,


The civil service order modifying many
rules of the Civil Service Commission and
exempting four thousand or more Gov
eminent positions from the operations of
the merit system was promulgated yes
terday 1t was not a surprise nor dis
appointment to the public, while 1t GER
tainly amounts to a serious backward step
in the direction of the old political spoils
system. TO the political advantages and
conveniences of which the controlling ele-
ment among Mr.. McKinleys personal fol-
lowing is known to be devoted. In re-
spect of its scope, the order might have
been more disastrous than It appears
likely to be, in oversetting the work &C
complished for civil service reform by
successive administrations and the friends
of that movement throughout the United
States. In principle it violates both the
letter and the spirit OF the reform, and
deliberately writes down the Mckinley re-
gime as willing to open the door to its
destruction for partisan advantage.
1t need not be thought that having con-
ceded thus much to the ciamor OF party
leaders, heelers, and strikers. the Admins
1ration will not proceed further in the di-
rection of satisfying their demands. The
apology for yesterdays action, issued from
The fountain Of power, is lame and impo-
tent 1t recites that lat the time of the
issuance OF the civil service order in 1896,
bringing into the classified service prac-
ticaIly the whole of the executive civil
service not Heretofore classified, there was
quite a widespread feeling that the order
had gone TOO far and covered many places
that it would be found impracticable to
deal with under the civil service rules. :"
We are prepared to admit that this Ex-
ecutiye statement is true to the extent that
the political class represented by such
practical spoilsmen as Hanna and Grosyen-
or everywhere resented the extension
of the merit system, as they always
have antagonized the system itself;
but that among the thinking portions
OF the American people outside of
these enemies Of good government and ad-
ministration. there was any dissatisfaction
widespread" OF even sppreciable, we dis
tinctly deny. And equally it may be denied
that the closing sentence of the first apol-
ogstic paragraph has any proper or de-
fensible foundation. If. as the text con-
Jinues. THE effort TO enforce the civil
service rules in connection with many of
these places has resulted in much friction
and in embarrassing and irritating delays,
harmful to the service" it has been be-
cause the whole effort OF the Administra-
lion has been to dodge or ignore the rules,
and TO act in evasion or defiance of them.
The next statement in Mr. McKinley's
explanation" is the reverse of satisfac-
tory:
In order. as far as possible and necessary, IA
remove these causes Of friction and delay. and
to promote cficicnt and harmonious administra-
uon, certain amendments 20 the civil seryicG
rules have been thought to be necessary, and such
amendments have been for time in contem
plaiion. Their formulation and PRONUNCIATION
have. however. been delayed partly by the wal
and partly in the belief that the additional ex
psrieHce that delay would give would indicat,
lsith greater certainty the amendments that Wer,
most necessary.
There is smoothness and ease Of expires.
sion rather than convincing argument II
the above. Their formulation and promul
CATION have been delayed beyond doubt
and. strangely. unto a most convenient sea
released and rendered open to small politi
clans who could never have aspired to then
under a primary school standard OF ciyi
service examination. come in now mos
proyidentially to fire the souls Of the patri
ots who are expected TO do the preliminarl
work OF the Republican Presidential cam
paign Of 1900. They add handsomely to tn
forty-ive or fifty thousand places that thl
Twelfth Census. also prudently kept from
under the merit system. offers TO the faith
fal who have the fear OF Hanna in thei
hearts. We are told that the change ha
been held in reserve until experience shoul,
teach just what it should be and how far i
ought TO go. Doubtless there will be som
analogous explanation made when actor
is finally taken in the Carter court mar
tiai case. Reasons for delay in that mat
ter, too, OF the most virtuous description
will. OF course. be given; but the fact viii
probably appear, coincidently. that the de
lay itself has saved q lot of rich and re
sponsible parties from prosecution, througl
the statute of limitations, which VIII ap
ply about July / next
Among the Government branches whIcl
he might but did not injure by such re
turn to the spoils system as the order o
yesterday, Mr.. Mckinley left the Govern
= ment Printing Office alone. This Is some
thing in q small way TO be grateful for
" because It was feared that Senator Hann