Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1902-10-03
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM
How One Time Supporter Has
Become a Destroyer.
DISCHARGE OF REBEcoA TAYLOR

Lead OF the German Emperor-Free
Speech Denied to All Employees OF
the Government Who DO Not sing
the Gangs Praises.
Civil service reform has been brought
to its lowest ebb by the order issued by
President Roosevelt. This is the more
| extraordinary In that when the presi-
dent held his first Office OF civil service
commissioner under President Cleye-
land he was most stanch supporter OF
the most strict construction OF the law.
Under the present administration OF
the law by the Republicans there has
been complete reversal OF the record
on the subject, and the partisans who
now control the departments have full
sway to promote the efficiency OF the
service" by getting rid OF those under
| them who raise a word OF protest
against the policy OF the Republican
party on any question. The case OF
Miss Rebecca Taylor, who criticised
the political policy OF President Roose-
welt In his administration of the Ph
! ippine. Islands and was summarlly
| missed from the service for so doInl s
sample case under the new ruling
that the president has set up. No
! charges against her character or work
were made by the war department.. In
fact, there Is every evidence that she
1 was most exemplary employee of the
government
The rule as now laid down by the
president is that the partisan chiefs OF
bureaus are to be judge and jury Of the
nfnaSG oil
that the least show of independent
Thought will be cause for dismissal.
This will result In the removal of all
the Democratic clerks in the govern
ment service unless they bow the knee
and keep their mouths shut on imperf-
alism, the protection OF the trusts.
Cuban reciprocity and ship subsidies.
Most OF all, they must not utter
any word that would reflect. on the
presidential dOings and sayings. That
would be leze majesty.
That was the crime that Miss Rebec-
ca Taylor committed, IL we can Judge
by the facts in the case. On Nav IL
communication from her appeared in
the Post Of Washington, I'm which she
criticised the speech of President
Roosevelt delivered before the Sons of
the American Revolution on The Flag
Shall Stay Put"
This communication evidently came
10 the notice of President Roosevelt.
Tor few days after IL appeared Sec
Rotary Root notified the chief OF the
bureau In which Miss Taylor was en-
ployed to ask her If she had written
the communication In the Post. This !
of course. was an Official formality. as
her name was signed TO it, and she nc |
knowledged that she wrote II. Her
dismissal did not follow at once. but |
OH June she was notified that she had |
been dropped from the rolls.
During this time, from May 10 until |
June 8. the president made n new and |
extraordinary ruling on the civil sery- |
ice, as follows:
CIVIL SERVICE RULING.
hereas certain Observation-Disclosures have
existed In regard TO the proper construc-
uon or section S OF civil service r,,la .
which provides as follows
NO removal shall be made from the
competitive classified service except for
just cause and for reasons given I'm writ
ing. and the person sought TO be removed
snali nave notice and be furnished a copv
OF such reasons and be allowed n reason |
upIe time Tor personally answering the
notice and answer and of the order of re-
moVal snail be made a part of the records
OF the proper department or office and |
me reasons for any change in rank or
compensation within the connective |
classified service shall also be made a
part or the records OF the proper DEPART
ment or office"
now Tor the purpose OF preventing all
such misunderstanding and improper
construction OF said section IL Is barah,,
declared that the term lust cause as
used In section s, civil service rule is
intended 10 mean any cause other than
one merely political or religious which
VIII promote the efficiency of the service |
ana nothing contained in said rule shall
De construed TO require the examination
OF witnesses or any trial or hearing ex-
cept In the discretion OF the officer maxi
Ing the removal.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
White House.
Approved May %. 1902
1t is impossible to escape the convic-
ton that this ruling was made express.
~ TO cover the case of Miss TAYLOR. IT
would have been extremely awkward
for the president and Secretary Root
10 have given reasons In writing for
the dismissal. as the old rule REQUIRED.
SO new ruling was made to fit this
case and any other case In the future
Ihat the letter and spirit of even this
latest partisan ruling have been violat-
ed by the administration in the case Of
MISS Taylor is also certain. 1t will be
to make any unprecedented per
son believe that the removal was not
made for merely POLITICAL reasons.
Political exigencies require that the
republican programme in the Philip-
pines shall be maintained at all baz-
ards. THE flag shall stay putt is Doll
les pure and simple, the Republicans n
'lalihing that the flag must never be
oWered when once raised and the Z
Democrats claiming that 1t should he !.
lauled down If improperly raised or Il
he best interests OF the country ra.
luire It, q
The other horn of the dilemma for h
he president to take hold Of Is that
diss Taylor hurt his pride by her crIti. r
ISM and he, like his crowned friend