Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1902-10-10
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Bearn TIA 1Ihs Kind You Have kxays Bought
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CIVIL SERVICE REFORM
How One Time Supporter Has
Become a Destroyer.
DISCHARGE OF REBEooA TAYLOR

speech Denied 40 All Employees OF
the Government WHO DO Not sina
the Gangs Praises.
Civil service reform has been brought
to It's 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 Cleve-
land he was a most stanch supporter OF
the most strict construction OF the law.
Under the present administration OF
the law by the Republicans there has
been a 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 I'm his administration OF the Pf
ippine Islands and was summarily
missed from the service for so doin.
a sample case under the new ruling
charges against her character or work
were made by the war department. In
fact. there Is every evidence that she
was most exemplary employee IT 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
fitness Of the clerks under them and
that the least show OF independent
thought viii be cause for dismissal
This will result In the removal OF all
the Democratic clerks I'm the govern
meDt service unless they bow the knee
and keep their mouths shut OH imperi-
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. If we can judge
by the facts I'm the case. On May u
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
rotary Root notified the chief OF the
! bureau I'm which Miss Taylor was en-
ployed TO ask her If she had written
the communication in the Post This,
Of course. was an Official co-' Iaiity, as
her name was signed to II, and she ac-
know lodged that she wrote II. Her
dismissal did not follow ut once. but
on June she was notified that she had
been dropped from the rolls.
During this time. from May u until
June S. the president made a new and
extraordinary ruling on the civil serv-
ice. as follows;
CIVIL SERVICE RULING.
| Whereas certain Observation-Disclosures have
existed in regard TO the proper construc-
ton or section OF civil service rule 2,
which provides as follows:
mo removal shall be made from the
competitive classified service except for
| just cause and for reasons given in writ
ing. and the person sought 20 be removed
| shall have notice and be furnished copy
OF such reasons and be allowed a reason
able time for personally answering the
I y
| notice and answer and OF the order OF re-
movai shall be made a part OF the records
OF the proper department or office, and
the reasons for any change In rank or
| compensation within the competitive
classified service shall also be made a
| part OF the records OF the proper depart
ment or Office"
Now. for the purpose OF preventing oil
! such Observation-Disclosures and improper
construction OF said section. II is hereby
| declared that the term ''just cause as
| used In section s. civil service rule 2. Is
| intended to mean any cause other than
one merely political religious which
| Will promote the efficiency of the service.
and nothing contained in said rule shall
| be construed 10 require the examination
| or witnesses or any trial or hearing ex-
cept In the discretion OF the officer max
Ing the removal
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
White House.
Approved May %. 1902
1t Is impossible to escape the convic-
ton that this ruling was made express
ly to cover the case of Miss Taylor. 1t
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 tit this
case and any other case I'm the future.
|
latest partisan ruling have been violat-
cd by the administration In the case Of
Miss Taylor is also certain. 1t will be
difficult 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 bag
ards THE 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 1t should be
hauled down If improperly raised or
the best interests of the country re-
quire IT,
! The other horn OF the dilemma for
the president to take hold Of is that
Miss Taylor hurt his pride by her criti-
cism. and he. like his crowned friend
or Germany. considers it crime to
! question tho Wines - 1of,,.. - a. -.