Democratic Sentinel, Volume 2, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 August 1878 — Civil-Service Reform as Administered [ARTICLE]

Civil-Service Reform as Administered

by Mr. Haves.

Judge McLin, of Floiida, testified before the Investigating Committee that previous to his appointment as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of New Mexico he had been informed, “ at the instance of the President, by Mr. Cowgill, of the Returning Board, that he would be appointed, * * * the President having told Cowgill that he was under both political and personal obligations to Cowgill and witness.’ About this reform there is very much of the odor of the old doctrine, “To the victors belong the spoils.” Judge McLin further testified as follows: Among the prominent actors in the Florida election in 1876, the following had been rovided for as stated: Gov. Stearns was appointed on the'Hot Springs Commission. J. W. Howells, who got up Driggers’ return, in Baker county, is now Collector of Customs at Fernandina, Fla. Joseph Bowes, election inspector, charged with manipulating votes in Leon county, is ir the treasury at Washington. William H. Vance, e'erk at Archer Precinct No. 2, has a Federal position at Washington. B. H. Black, inspector at the same precinct, has a Federal clerkship in Philadelphia. Bell, inspector in Jefferson county, received a Federal appointment. George EL Leon, inspector in Leon county, is a elerk in the treasury at Washington. Dennis, of Alachua county, had recently a position in the treasury. Moses J. Taylor, one of the Returning Board of Jefferson, is in the Land Office at Washington. This is a forcible commentary on the platitudes of Hayes himself, and of journals like Harper's Weekly, on civiiseivice reform under the present administration. Those who did little and those who did much'in aid of the fraudulent returns, almost to a man, have been rewarded by official appointments. How inconsistent for an administration conducted in this manner to set up a pretense to a higher standard in the making of appointments than had ever been observed before! Men have been selected on account of political services as muen as under any previous administration. The principal difference is that but little regard has been paid to the more elevated and reputable kind of work for the party, while most of those identified wish the success of Mr. Hayes in the States which were carried by fraud have been rewarded.— New York Sun.