The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-12-16
civil SERVICE LEAGUE
Criticises the Administration Of
President Mckinley. "a
DECLARES TIE RULES IGNORED.
In Criticfxing Ex-Secretnry Bliss the
League Declares That "No Branch
of the Government Suffered Like
Sho

In Criticfzing EX-Secretnry Bliss the
League Declares That "No Branch
of the Government Suffered Like
the Indian Service"
Indianapolis, Ind. Dec 16.-The res-
Olutions adopted by the Civil Service
league, in session here, declare that
the Mckinley administration, upon its
incoming, showed the same indisposi-
tion shown by its predecessors to obey
the law In newly classified branches,
such as deputy internal revenue coll
lectors. employees of the United States
marshals pension examining surgeons,
etc. The practice Of appointing per-
| sons without examination as laborers
and subsequently assigning them to
clerical or other classified work was
increased. The failure to extend the
system where practicable has been AZ
patent as the failure to sustain It. {
The report charges that the census
bill providing for 5000 appointments
was passed with deliberate rejection
of the competitive system, after a de-
bate. It charges that In the treasury
department appointments are made
ward, and that those who fail are kept
In their places. y
In the postofflce dejartment, Is Is
charged, clerks are appointed without
examination at small postoffices about
to be brought within the classification
Of the free delivery system and then
are Immediately transferred without
examination to similar appointments In
larger offices and even to other depart-
ments. -
The report on the scope of Presi-
dent McKinley's order of May 20 last
in part was as follows:
1.-THE present review deals with the
order Of President Mckinley on May
20. as apparent after six months of ac-
tive operation, and its results, as in
dicated by the present condition Of the
service. In order to appreciate the
significance Of the presidents action,
it must be remembered that the Repub-
lican party came into power in the fall
of 1897, pledged by its platform to sus-
tain the civil service law and rules, to
enforce them thoroughly and honestly
and to extend their application wher-
ever practicable. and that Mr.. Nc
Kinley, in accepting the nomination Of
his party for the presidency, indorsed
and reafiirmed these pledges, declar-
ing that no backward step would bo
taken. nlS
"The principal test of the Mckinley
administration to uphold the civil SER
vice law came naturally in connection
with these branches that had last been
classified. The original classification
of 1883 embraced 1924 places. OF
these Mr.. Cleveland, during his first
term. added 1889. During the admin
istraticn Of President Harrison the
rules were further applied to 1903 po-
sitions. During the second Cleveland
term there were added 36,705, making
total to that date of 32,997 to be
credited to Republican administrations,
and 3S,644 to be credited to Democratic
rule"
The report on the Indian service
under President Mckinley" says:
The committee finds itself cOmpell-
ed to report that probably no branch
Of the federal service has suffered mors
from the ravages of the spoilsmen
during the present administration than
the Indian service.
THAT such should have been the fact
is not only a misfortune, but disap-
pointment The choice Of Mr.. Cor
nelius N. Bliss as secretary Of the In
terror was accepted by many friends
of the government as an assurance that
promises made during the two former
administrations would be continued, or
at least maintained. Such was not the
case; no serious attempt seems to havc
been made by the president or by Sec
retary Bliss to conduct the service on
non-partisan principles. On the con-
trary, the secretary was influenced al
most wholly by partisan considerations
in making appointments and removals.
Mr.. Bliss total want of sympathy with
the merit system was sufficiently in
dicated when he remarked In substance
to one who urged the retention Of u
very worthy and efficient officer that
he believed there were plenty of good
Republicans fully as capable as the
official in question:
The committee cOmmends Commits
sioner Jones and continuing Its report
on the action Of the department, says:
"The appointments and removals
made purely for political reasons are
SO numerous that it was impossible to
review them adequately in the limited
space available"