Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 October 1889 — MR. HARRISON CRITICISED. [ARTICLE]

MR. HARRISON CRITICISED.

Policy of Wholesale Kemoval* Condemned by the Civil Service Reform League. [Philadelphia special.] The National Civil Servici Reform League met here on Wednesday, Oct. 2, and began its session by re-electing George William Curtis as President. Mr. Curtis thanked the League for its confidence in him, and commented on the happy harmony that had always distinguished the League. The Treasurer’s report showed receipts for the year of $976 and expenditures of $716. In his annual address, President Curtis recounts the Republican party’s declaration that the spirit and purpose of [civil service reform shoald be observed in all executive appointments, says the 15,000 fourthclass Postmasters were displaced during the first five months of Mr. Harrison’s administration, most of them in violation of the Constitution, and inquires: How have the pledges of the successful party and candidate been fulfilled? Have fidelity and efficiency proved to be the sure tenure of office? Has fitness and not party service been the essential test in determining appointment? Has the interest of the public service alone dicta.ed removals from office? A few weeks ago a hilarious administration party organ at the capital of New York, one of the most influential and representative party journals, exclaimed: “Fifteen thousand fourth-class postmasters have been removed to date, and Mr. Claikson remains in Washington with his coat off and his shirt-sleeves rolled up. Go it, Clarkson! Out with the whole 55,000 by Jan. 1. ” It adds with natural enthusiasm that civil-service reform cannot command the support of a corporal’s guard of Republicans in New York. This is the tone of the larger part of the press of the administration party. No jeer is too contemptuous for reform, no epithet is too acrid. No platform of the opposition was; ever denounced by party fury with greater scorn than that with which a representative body of the administration press now spurns its own. Eminent Senators and Representatives of the party sneer with warmth at the cant of reform and dog the President for patronage. One Representative announces that he “will test the sentiment of the House on the sham civil-service law,” alleging that “nine-tenths of the members know that the law is a fraud and say so in private,” and the energetic Representative proposes “lo smoke them out and put them on record." Secretary Sherman S. Rogers in his annual address said the President and those under him had not kept their pledges regarding the civil service reform act. Hundreds of competent persons had been rushed out of the railway mail service and partisans rushed into their places. Thousands of others had been removed because they would not seek the favor of the partisian leaders. The league Protests against all this and declares the resident has flagrantly violated his ante-election pledges. The Secretary said Postmaster General Wanamaker had refused informatio n in reference to the changes in the railway mail service. During Cleveland’s term there were 1,999 changes in that service, and under Harrison 2,400 had already been made. Mr. Bell had also refused any information as to appointments. A platform was adopuby the league heartily indorsing the Civil Seivice Reform Commission, calling on clergymen to aid the league and decLiring that the President has placed appointments in the hands of bosses, thus enabling them to debauch the earvice.