Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1900-07-07
LARGEST
WEEKLY CIRCULATION
IN CHICAGO.
A DEMOCRATIC OPPORTUNITY.

The Republican national platform of
1896 contained this declaration and
pledge:
THE civil service law was placed on
the statute book by the Republican
party. which has always sustained IL.
and We renew our repeated dcclara-
lions that IL shall be thoroughly and
honestly enforced ana extended whcr.
ever practicable"
Mr.. Mckinley In his letter accepting
his first nomination used these words:
THE pledge Of the Republican Ma.
tional Convention that our civil service
laws shall be sustained and thorough
ly and honestly enforced wherever
practicable is In keeping with the posi-.
ton OF the party for the past twenty
four years, and will he faithfully OBJ
served. our opponents dccry these ~
forms. They appear willing 10 aban.
don all the advantages gained after So
many years agitation and effort. They
encourage u return To party favorit.
ism. which both parties have often tie
nounced, that experience has condemn.
ed, and that the people have repeated.
ly disapproved. The Republican party
opposes this rcactlonary and entirely
unjustliiable policy. IL Will take no
backward step upon this question. II
will seek 10 improve. but never de.
grade, the public service
These declarations, II not quite Just
10 its opponents, fairly stated the atti.
tude OF the Republican party 10 the
cause of civil service reform since II
became "A burning question in Amcri.
can politics. IL Is to be widely regretted
that the record of this administration
renders them no longer true. by his
executive order Of May 30. 1899 Mr..
Mckinley Withdrew more than ten
thousand places from the classified ser.
Vice, declared regular about one thou
sand appointments made temporarily,
without examination In many cases, in
direct violation Of law, authorized per-
Inanent appointments In the War De
partment from the list of many thou.
sands OF persons who We're temporarily
employed during the course of the war
against Spain, altered the rules so as
10 authorize transfers from the unclas-
sihcd To the classified service AMI from
one grade 10 another without compcti.
tive examination, and provided for the
reinstatement In the discretion of de.
partmclt officers Of persons AT any
time separated from the service.
Congress, 10y an act Of July, 1895, cN.
empted from clvil service rules all
clerks and Others 10 he employed for
war emergency purposes. Under this
act many hundreds of civil appoint
m'nts were mad. by the War Depart.
mcnt without examination, Ia the eX-
cluSion Of candidates regularly quail.
fed and registered on the eligible lists
Of the commission. In the following
session al Congress the census bill was
na sscd with provision that the great
force of clerks and statisticians re-
Tuired should be chosen by the director
without competitive examination II he
"a chose and without the participation
of the Civil Service Commission. This
action was taken, although il appeared
in part from the testimony Of previous
directors that the census Of 1890 was
'xtrayagantly costly and imperfect be-
ranse the bureau was then organized
on the spoAs basis. The President, al.
though exercising absolute power In
unr new acquisitions Of territory, has
nowhere introduced the merit system
Of appointment 10 office
These violations Of solemn pledges
have been accompanied by slack adj
ninistratiOn and growing disregard OF