The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-04

Frederick L. Siddons. of this city. who
is we'll known as an advocate of the en-
forcement of the civil service law and
rules. in speaking last night with a re-
porter for The Times, and in condemnins
the hypocrisy of the Administration,
said:
Il observe in the closing days OF the
campaign that the Republicans are max
ing claims for their party and ticket upon
the grounds of the Administrators OBJ
servance and enforcement of the ci"il
service law. These claims are little short
of audacious, for it can truly be said
that since 1883, when the civil service law
was enacted, there has not been an Ad-
ministration that has failed SO complete
ly in enforcing the law in question as
has the one headed by Mr.. Mckinney
With his advent into Office, the National
Civil Service Reform League, that, Tor
twenty-five years had been urging the
reform in the civil service, expected
great things. not only in the further OK
tension of the law. but in the vigorous
prosecution of violations thereof. out the
league and all other believers in the re-
form have been grievously disappointed.
Not only did Mr.. Mckinley strike from
the wholesome operation of the law more
than ten thousand places heretofore co.,
cred by its provisions. but he aud the
members of his Cabinet have, by nom
action, at least refused TO pay attention
10 the evidence submitted by the league
and the Civil Service Commission of re-
peated and gross violations and evasions
of law.
Indeed. the law has only been invoked
by the Administration when an appoint
ment sought was not desired to be made,
and disregarded whenever il was supposed
to stand in the way Of an appointment that
the Administration wished to make. The
law. under the treatment it had received
from Mr. Mckinley and his associates in
the Government, has become a by-word and
in contempt everywhere, and finally the
Civil Service Commission itself, or rather,
] should say, the majority OF the commits
SION consisting Of the two Republican
members have of recent months blocked
the way OF the National Civil Service Re-
form League In its investigation of alleged
violations of the law. Up to the time when
the supposed existence of party politics re-
quired that as little as possible be pub
lished regarding the operations of the law,
the commission, by a series of decisions.
held that free public access to its records
was in every way desirable; but suddenly,
and by the ruling of the two Republican
members, this policy of the commission,
coeval with It's establishment, has been
completely reversed, and the public can
only secure such information from the COM
mission as II sees fit to give. These facts
speak volumes, but they are not all.
with a few exceptions, the appoint
ments in Cuba have been far from desir-
able. No better illustration Of the evils
of the spells system is needed than the
appointment by Mr.. Mckinley of the In
diana politician who has since turned out
to be an embezzler of Cuban revenues.
And while in the Philippine Islands the
government has been in the main con-
Quoted through military channels. there
is every reason to believe that as soon
as the censoring of newspaper dispatches
from the Philippine Islands is ended We
shall have story of loot and incapacity
on the part of many officials there that
will astonish as well as shame the Amer
lean people. We hear a good deal just
now from the Republican press and or
ators regarding the proposed civil service
law for the Philippine Islands.
News of the intended action by Mr..
McKinley's latest civil commission there
has been published in the last few days
of the campaign, but even il the people
could really hope for anything OF value
from that commission, when it has shown
itself willing to prostitute its position
to make campaign documents for Mr.. Nc
Kinley and his friends, the reform now
promised must at least be regarded as
sort Of deathbed repentance. No; the
people of the country have nothing to
hope from the Republican administration
of the Civil Service law. In its hands
theIaw has become dead letter, and ar
IDENTIFY as believe in the soundness OF
the doctrine of civil service reform: anx-
ious as am to see that law honestly en-
forced and improved where necessary, /
would much rather take my chances with
Mr.. Bryan and his candid views on the
subject than to leave it in the hands of
those who hypocritically pretended to be
its friends and then destroyed it,
Mr.. Siddons is a member of the law
firm of Ralston & Siddons, and is Secre-
tary of the Civil Service Reform Associa-
ton OF Washington, d. c.
y a