The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1905-04-20
CIVIL SERVICE
No. 3

But the most remarkable thing
about this remarkable system is the
hypocrisy in its administration
There is not an officer in the United
States from President down, no
matter whether he is an advocate or
opponent of the civil service, but
has passed sleepless nights in
devising schemes to violate its
provisions or evade the regulations
set up by those in control. There
has not been an hour since the law
was passed but it's provisions have
been violated, either in spirit or in
letter, by those in authority.
There has never been a CIRCULATION"
announced by the Commission but
what it's terms have been evaded
before the typewriter could take a
chew of gum after she had finished
the job of writing it.
When the Democratic admins
tration succeeded that of President
Harrison there was a general
shaking up in all the departments.
There were not many dismissals
from positions covered by 'civil
SERVICE" but thousands were pro-
noted and thousands were reduced
in rank for the 'sgood of the
public" The curious thing about
it was that the public welfare
always demanded that Democrat
should be promoted and Republi-
can reduced. When Democracy
surrendered control, this shaking
up was repeated, but strange to say
this time the 'swelfare of the
service" demanded that Republicans
should be promoted and Democrats
reduced, this in face of the fact
that it is just as much violation
of the ''civil service" law and
regulations to promote or reduce a
man for ''politicaP' reasons as it is
to discharge him. One of the most
stringent regulations is that a
"civil service" employe must not
take an active part in politics, yet l
remember that the Democratic
employees on the reservation in 1894
whooped it up for Mr.. Boen, my
opponent, and the Democratic
ticket generally, and Cleveland did
not dismiss them when he heard
about it, and when | was candi-
date for Congress there was quite a
number of government officials in
my part of the country that were
perniciously active in the interests
of President Mckinley and myself
and they are still holding their
positions, although some of my
Democrat and Pupulist constituents
wrote to the President and told him
about it. When 1 first entered
congress, Democrats were holding
the best places covered by "civil
service" Now this is reversed and
the Republicans are on top and the
Democrats are subordinate. Dur
ing the last six years ten Republi-
cans to one Democrat have secured
places under civil service regula.
lions. The pretended non-partizan-
ship of the "civil service" is the
seediest kind of fraud. The
humbuggery of the so called "merit
SYSTEM is apparent. Not day OF
hour passes but men and women
are as a result of influence, surrep.
titiously struggled into positions
that are covered by the "civil
service" without examination. OF
with only the mere form of one.
Everybody knows that an
ordinary member of Congress seek
ing place for a constituent il
confronted with the stone wall Of
"civil service" but those who hav.
a pull, either by reason of subservi
ency, great ability, or commanding
position are furnished with the kew
of collision wherewith to unlocl
the gates and enter at will into tn,
sacred enclosure. Why is it tina
Joseph Cannon, James S. Sherman
j. T. McCleary and others l Nigh
name have more persons in posi-
tions covered by civil service thar
other members? Is it because Their