The times., 1899-06-10
SATURDAY, JUNE 10, 1899.
MIR. Gnge and the Spoil. order.

Ihere are some people VINO seem 10 De
incapable OF knowing when they are we'll
off, and we are very much afraid that MIR.
Lyman J. Gage, Secretary of the Treasury,
is one of them. Unique among his official
fellows. he has passed through the vicissi-
tudes of the last year unscathed by the
dignitate of his pleasant Office. with its
social and financial advantages and oppor-
tunities, entirely free from the fierce crit
icism which has blistered the hearts and
burned up the regulations OF others in
equally high places. Far from bsing
pleased with this immunity from attack.
Mr. Gage is beginning TO act as if he felt
it a grievance. and he evinces a heated dis
position to enter the ring and get some of
the knocks that abound in that circular en-
closure for anyone who properly invites
them. He was not built for public con-
troversialist life spent in the back
parior of a bank, where there is but one
answer TO any proposition. and that answer
reduced TO the formula of 'One per cent
a month"; does not tend TO equip man
for the wordy arena. and certainly does
not conduce to the even and equable
frame of mind necessary to fit ons for put
ting on the gloves with critical Americ n
newspapers. We are sorry to see this dis
position in Mr.. Lyman J. Gage. because it
will be likely to get him in trouble. And
il is rather a surprise, too. His brother
David never would have fallen into such
an error. However. people make their
own beds. and often have to lie in them.
and their best friends and well-wishers
cannot help it.
In the course of human events it has
pleased the subject of these remarks TO
exploit himself as the defender Of and
apologist for Mr.. McKinley's spoils system
order. and TO denounce all and singular
those journals. associations. and people
who do not see in it. not only a harmless
and necessary revision Of civil service rules
but an actual forward step in the direction
of civil service reform. He is particularly
hard on the Civil Service Reform League
and accuses that respectable organization
of scholars and business men of misstare-
ment, Justification. and desire 10 be-
SAuAiNn Int AOpEico0As PLAN anu AAoNI-ltl
record OF our great and good President
As a bit OF partisan assertion and at
tempted argument. without any particular
care for or reference to facts, the in
terview" which Mr.. Gage yesterday
printed in the Administration evening
paper in this city, and which he carefully
withheld from the press otherwise, until
after such publication. is not without in
terest, although it is not worth reprinting
No doubt it might be more or less con-
yincing to people who are in complete igno.
rance of the real intention. scope. and
operation OF his chiefs decree proviIinl
for practical overturning OF the entir,
merit system, but, as TO all Others. it IL
time, nerves. and irascibility wasted upor
q mocking world.
Mr. Gage deyotes his defence" to III,
minor matters involved and as to which
while they share in the general criticism
Of the Presidents action. do not amount t,
a great deal and he does not meet tn,
main issue squarely; perhaps because h,
knows that neither he nor anyone els,
could do so with success. He denies tha
the changes in the system of appointment,
involved In the exemption OF many thou.
sand places from the classified list hav,
been made with any political motive, an,
yet he viii hardly have the assurance tt
say that they have not been made by Mr.
Mckinley hesitatingly and as a result o
continued and insistent demands on III,
part of Republican party workers witt
strictly partisan objects in view.
MIR. Gage may try to befog the situation
and to dodge or ignore the facts as much q.
he pleases. but he cannot explain away
what stands forth as prominently as tn,
English language can make it, from tn,
text Of the ignoble order. He cannot show
that it does not permit heads OF depart;
ments to appoint persons as unclassifeJ
.iaborers and then promote them to place.
Of importance in the classified service
without any examination as 10 fitness
other than such as their Individual yiewi
and purposes may make It convenient t,
prescribe. He challenges the record in tn
matter OF the exempted places when b.
INSERTS that, the claim that this ordc
has been the letting down o; the bar
Cor political appointments is not borne ou
sy the actual situation" We have alread,
printed in these columns the statement 0
or New York correspondent, corroborate
by several leading Journals in that city
that q large number OF Democrats en-