Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1902-09-26
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM
How One Time Supporter Has
Become a Destroyer.
DISCHARGE OF REBEooA TAYLOR


speech Denied 60 All EmpIoSe es of
the Government Who DO Not stns
the Gangs Praises.
Civil service reform has been brought
70 It's lowest ebb by the order ISSUED by
President Roosevelt. This Is the moro
extraordinary In that when the presi-
dent held his first oflicc of civil service
commissioner under President Cleve-
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, ana the partlsans who
now control the departments have full
sway 10 promote the efficiency Of the
service" by getting rid OF those under
them who raise 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 I'm his administration OF the ri
ippine Islands and was summarily
missed from the service for so dOlnl =
n 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
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 ana jury Of the
fitness OF the clerks under them and
that the least show OF independent
thought Will be cause for dismissal
This will result I'm the removal OF all
the Democratic clerks I'm the govern.
ment service unless they bow the knee
and keep their mouths shut on impcri.
nlism, 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 Rcbcc.
Gu Taylor committed. II We can Judge
10y the facts I'm the ease. ON May l."
n communication from her appeared In
the Post OF Washington In 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
TO the notice OF President Roosevelt.
for few days after II appeared Sec
RETRY Root notified the chief OF the
bureau I'm which Miss Taylor wns en-
ployed To- ask her IL she had written
the communication I'm the Post. This.
or course. was an Official formality. as
her name was signed TO Il. and she nc
knowlcdged that she wrote Il. Her
dismissal did not follow at once. hut
on June she was notified that SHE had
been dropped from the rolls.
During this time. from May - until
June ). the president made II new and
extraordinary ruling on tho civil scrv-
Ice, as follows:
CIVIL SERVICE RULING.
Whereas certain Observation-Disclosures have
existed I'm regard TO the proper conRtruc-
uon or section OF ciVil service rulo 2
which provides Rs follows:
mo removal shall be made from tho
competitive classified service except Tor
Just cause and for reasons given i'm writ
Ing, and tho person sought TO be removed
shall have notice and be Furnished n coDv
or such reasons and be allowed "A reason
able time for personally answering the
Same In writing. Copy or such reasons,
notice and answer and OF tho order OF re-
movnl shall he mado "A part OF the records
or the proper department or office and
tho reasons for any change I'm rank or
compensation within the competitive
classified service shall also be mado a
part or tho records OF the proper depart
mcnt or Office"
Now. for tho purpose OF preventing all
such Misunderstanding and improper
construction or said section, 10 IN hereby
declared that the term "tust cause as
used I'm section s. civil service rule q ~
intended TO mean any cause other thnn
ono merely political or religious which
will promote the efficiency OF the service
and nothing contained In said rule shall
be construed TO require the examination
of witnesses or any trial or hearing ex-
cept I'm the discretion OF the officer max
Ing the removal.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
White House.
Approved May %. 1902.
It is impossible TO escape the convic-
ton that this ruling was made express
ly TO cover the case OF Miss Taylor. It
would have been extremely awkward
for the president and Secretary Root
TO have given reasons I'm 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.
That 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. II will be
difficult to make any unprcjudiced 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 haz-
ards. '"rhe flag shall stay put" is poll
ties pure and simple. the Republicans
claiming that the flag must never be
lowered when once raised and the
Democrats claiming that It should be
hauled down II improperly raised or
the best interests Of the country re-
quirc IL.
The other horn Of the dilemma for
the president TO take hold OF Is that
Nice ht.r 4