New-York tribune., 1908-12-18
PRAISE FOR PRESIDEN I
CIVIL .SERTICE REFORM.
League Congratulates Mr- Rooseueif
Joseph II. Cboate Speaks.

Joseph II. CBoate Speaks.
F.sttsburE. De- I7-Delegates 20 the twenty eiEath
E-nral convention Of the National civil service
t17efo-r-l League. which opened here TO-DAY. are
I1srAl1 e1afes over the recent order granting q
barge number fourtl-clsss nostn1asters me pro
+ection Of the merit system The president OF Iie
league Joseph H Closte- former Ambassador TO
Great Britain was instructed 10 telegraph Fresi-
i6enf Roosevelt congratulations upon his recent
Lcrder .fn aid Of civil Service advancement
A. rhe srarr of his speech NJ cnoste sketcheo
briefly rhe early struggle for civil Service reform
l7erf--inz IN 1s4- and told of the organIzslon ot
-he National civil Service League IN lASl he
named Thomas Allen Jenckes, of Rhode lsian9, as
he pioneer who niazed the way with MS nrsJ oil
81 1ss5 As the pioneer Of the reform IN this country
Er5 described The services in the movement OF the
azre Ta-Tef G. Gilman from 1870 10 1917 president OF
zre league of Grover Cleveland. both as Governor
e Nev York and President Of the United states
sEnd of George William Curtis and carl Sohlrz
IN referring 70 President Roosevelt's champion
ssrF- ~ f=vf1 Service reform ard his activities IN
dts heEa T. he said that lso. when Nj RooseVelt
fa-a~rs President the classified list covered l'es7'
rr 60 an entire service q S576s- but AZ this mo
-rerr 81 far IS official figures ara ootainane, the
.essSsfHe7 competitive service amounted IN round
numbers ro zg5 .-t than double the nslTe al
which fr stood when ne entered upon the PTesl-
se7cv cur NJ q total executive Civil Service of
-s521os Adding rhe labor list subject TO exarina-
non =aa brought the competitive list At the pres
-- r-e 70 i1cIu6e almost rwo-rhirds OF the enIlre
federal service fn- which increase the pTlncipa-
..-z=-- 7rzs sra ~ -re President Re reminded his
!Fe=-e -r=- 81 -he closing months of his official
se-z-- ~ President had sriT further extended rhe
Erslsra-o- n rhe merit system ny bringing within
isrs provisions less than 1freen thousand IoIlh
- Iasz uoS-u7zSte-s
NJ r--oa-e er7-rastz he fact that never had
frra Civil Service Iaz prohibition of political assess
rnerrs been strictly enforced Al present Re
l<-z-1f-c TIRE ac-fv+ry federal off7ceholders IN
tolfrioaI campaigns NJ Choate said inst perhaps
b. dan
iexe-cse5 n e given section. where there was no
sitics1 division Of The party as 70 candidates But
isrs moral effects were obviously detrimental II
was sn ev3. heVeve~. which. despite Civil Service
.-uarrrner-s. would flourish untl adverse PUBIC
sentiment 6ecreed its downfall
Continuing. the speaker said,
The -ereut act Of President Roosevelt which 50
-=-7- r-o--7s II. record a. civI service reforuer
3 one blow h. has brought the fourth class post
ssnase-s The whole region north Of the ono ana
tessr q The Mississippi within the clsssnea Lst
and snarcded fifteen tnousal1o eI1le=-S a ,iF
stroke rom lhe eiuJe o. Je 1IS sg-s
soT - ne last stronghold OF rhe spotls system
HOPE OF THE FUTURE.
-z-,.- --a consider The wonderful progress that
-ofce IN America from cor-L.Erlo since ne - 80
s- ~-l 49, zi--I - e.e--ior which resulted in
: -Le-ra - nz--v when We remember what an
army II Office seekers besieEed the White House
and e-ery executive chamber sL @le commence
governors a1c senators and 12asE & E7-leo t s az -
tlrne6 a-7 almost I'aTs-Ez@d II ne ps--o-Le-- -
Their legitimate Official duties ny Ile necessity q
= -o---7--i9- md 5ss-z5atior which infected our
whole ctclsl Ire during fe preTalece q ne @ CO
era-ge5 we nav vel look forward with nope 70
- 4-z1 -r5-7--- 7f cur cause vren what was
-r--=-5 p re 1a----f-r IS q visionary idea shan
fave proved Itself u indeed very stern reality
1aere las ben IN the last seven years a
sTskellE or ne nln-lc .=lo7 -. -.
recognition Of the duty Of thc average citizen u
@,ref-fo- - ne -orE nan of the country study
e-z za---a 45,a-,zai7as each according 10 his de
gree and measure ri MS capacity 10 The pub
lic service. has wrought a change which has gone
.s~ n remove The rerosch constantly cast upon
7E foreign nations that We were willing 70
a5sndc2 our cardinal doctrine Of self-govern-1ent
and u leave r - 2 the politicians 49, ---.--
A-c rl@n- 80 the standard Of Official conduit
no-l the state zn6 rhe nation has been steadily
- ------s,- - -,.---7----- z-=-1
- he ferrere5 out and punished. there Is stern
e775e 70 have -lsr properly done and ali eviiaoe-s
b-oGEhr 10 light exposed and visited with the con
sequences which their crimes deserve
which or theories % set-gove-n1nent aad Of hon
= ne lofty standard which has already been ex-
e1cised II some other countries
general STANDARD of financial integrity has also
advanced and great r-arsactlens N finance. which
Ezed fo- by those Who were concerned n them
upon cLs ground -hs- they were according n the
nan -e- -eE-s 40 arz --E-ss~-Er-s -r q e.--5iz-
character would hardly now he regarded as pos
No1ld gladly promote ana indulge in them +
17=T t7CFshr -1e- could safely do It. but the
-es- ~ ---- s-TE1e-- and the higher @ The
public con 1erlrsIion have rendered Us pretty
ss-s against them for the time being. e least
N--l no. UNDERTAKE 20 appCrtlCl the credit for
f2ese great ana notable advances during this
snort period. bur think YOU all know % whom
much q me credit should be given. and how
SFer " NAV differ from MIN particular meas
STes ne balance Of credit In his favor when the
Fisto--cs- books Of accounts be written
ID W--i he very large indeed Let hope that
1lls successors for years viii march in -re
same direction and VIII achieve much
The report q the council OF the league was sub
.Iicred by Richard H Dana. OF Boston chairman
te Ioio q cHe success q the council IN defeating
ne patronage provision Of the C-Irnpacke- ceus5s
hil st chs -asc session OF Congress but regretted
'2at tEe House lss- week had passed census bill
VIII s2ois provisions Referring 70 the protection
-ecsrI-y given fourcH-clsss posr-uasters north o-
the Ohio River and East OF the NIississiBpl the
-epo-t expresses The hope that al such postulasters
81 soon have ne same protection.