Conservative.
The popular sen-
CIVIL SERVICE timcut in favor of
REFORM. the application of
business principles
to the public service is growing every
day. The disinterested members of all
parties agree that political association
should bo no more considered in the ap
plicant for public position than should
partisan affiliation determine the choice
of an individual for employment in a
private business. President Cleveland
greatly stimulated the growth of these
liberal ideas during his second adminis
tration by a sweeping extension of the
merit system among government em
ployees.
In 1896 the platform adopted at Chicago
cage repudiated the work of Mr. Cleve
land , openly attacked the merit system
and advocated a limited tenure in the
public service. The declaration of the
platform and the interpretation of it by
the candidate alienated from the party
almost the entire support of the friends
of civil service reform. The latter
while repelled by the position of this
party were attracted by the record of
the opposing candidate , who , as a mem
ber of congress , had been a consistent
advocate of civil service reform.
In his first inaugural address Mr. McKinley -
Kinloy took no backward step but made
this patriotic declaration or ms views
relative to the civil service :
"Reforms in the civil service must go
on. But the changes should be real and
genuine , not per-
Inaugural Address. funotory or promoted
meted by a zeal in
behalf of any party simply because it
happens to be in power. As a member
of congress , I voted and spoke in favor
of the present law , and I shall attempt
its enforcement in the spirit in which it
was enacted. The purpose in view waste
to secure the most efficient service of
the best men who would accept appoint
ment under government , retaining faith
ful and devoted public servants in office ,
but shielding none , under the authority
of any rule or custom , who are ineffici
ent , incompetent , or unworthy. The
best interests of the country demand
this , and the people heartily approve
the law wherever and whenever it has
been thus administered. "
The friends of civil service reform
were delighted with this wise and
patriotic declaration. It was welcomed
with genuine enthusiasm among those
who believed in the merit system. They
looked upon the now president as a man
who would faithfully and fearlessly en
force the civil service law and continue
the splendid work begun by Mr. Cleve
land. Mr. McKinley has just completed a
term of four years service as chief execu
tive. Has his administration fulfilled
the expaotations of those who wore so en
thusiastic over his civil service reform
declarations when ho assumed his ex
ecutive duties ? Has he been faithful to
the trust reposed in him ?
The Indiana civil service reform
association have made public the result
of an investigation
A Disappointment. into the condition
of the Indianapolis
postofflce. It shows a most scandalous
condition to exist in that office. Sena
tors and congressmen have made it a
place of refuge for political favorites ,
personal friends and superannuated re
lations all in direct violation of the
letter and spirit of the civil service law ,
which Mr. McKinley so solemnly
promised to uphold. The reference
made by the association to the wily
scheme of Senator Beveridge is partic
ularly interesting as typical of the
methods employed to avoid the law :
"George J. Langsdale , the father-in-
law of Senator Beveridge , was appointed
to the postal service in Porto Rico on
April 15 , 1899 , without examination , on
the 'temporary' plan. He was trans
ferred to a clerkship in the money order
bureau at the New York postoffice on
July 2 , 1900. He was placed in the New
York office and in the classified service
without examination. In New York he
received a salary of $1,200. On Febru
ary 10 , 1901 , ho was appointed book
keeper at the Indianapolis postoffice at a
salary of $1,700. He is not a trained ac
countant ; there is no work for him to
do. He is sixty-two years old and in
poor health.
"Charles N. Elliott , secretary of the
republican county committee , and an
active political worker , reported for
duty on or about February 10 , 1901 , as
the postmaster's private secretary. The
place in this office was created , and the
appointment made , at the request of
Senator Beveridge. Mr. Elliott , much
to his credit , declined to take the place
when informed at the office that there
was no need of such an employee. "
The condition of the Indianapolis
postoffico is illustrative of many
others throughout the country. There
lias been a general disregard of the civil
service law. Political pulls have had
too much to do in determining the selec
tion of employees and the creation of
offices. All of which has been greatly
to the detriment of the efficiency and
economy of the public service. Mr. Mc
Kinley is almost as consistent in fulfill
ing his civil service reform pledges as he
is in carrying out his promises for Cuban
independence and self-government or as
he was in the performance of a "plain
duty" to Porto Rico.
Wail ! Wail !
CARNEGIE and gnash thy
PLUTOCRACY , teeth oh ! ye Popu
lists and Bryan-
archists. Andrew Carnegie the plutocrat
has placed five millions of dollars in
trust from the income of which disabled
workmen who have incurred their dis
ability in the service of Carnegie cor
porations , are to be pensioned. But
how insignificant are Carnegie gifts
compared to populistio declamations
about the poor and down-trodden from
the lips of peerless statesmen ? Carnegie
has placed these diabolical dollars above
the men. From their exaltation they
may drip down interest money year
after year to nourish those who have
fallen from the ranks of active labor in
the service of the dangerous Carnegie.
And could they not have lived more
comfortably and fared more sumptuous
ly every day if they had been furnished
with the succulent and fattening
orations of Bryauarohy instead ? To a
hungry man a speech from W. V. Allen ,
Champ Clark , Joe Bailey , Soliloquist
Morgan , the Peerless One or Bill Dech
would bo so much more nutritious and
reinvigoratiug than mere material food
purchased with the dirty dollars of
plutocracy. Let the vagarists build a
great home for aged fakes and endow it
with words !
Frank A. Van-
MORE COMMON derlip , who recent
PEOPLE. ly retired as first
assistant secretary
of the United States treasury depart
ment , is another splendid example of
the common people of this republic.
His career aptly illustrates the possibili
ties for a boy whoso capital is limited to
energy , pluck and brains. Conditions
have not materially changed since Mr.
Vauderlip started , as a poor boy , to
work in a local factory at Aurora , Illi
nois , and from this humble beginning
attained , at the age of 81 , a position
second to a cabinet minister. THE CON
SERVATIVE is indebted to the New York
Evening Post for the following sketch
of the career of this representative of
the common people :
"From a machine-shop to the second
place in the treasury department is the
brief story of the career of Frank A.
Vandorlip , who has just retired from
public life to enter private business un
der most flattering auspices. Mr. Van-
derlip was born in Aurora , 111. , about
thirty-five years ago , of poor parents.
As a bare-foot boy he seized every op
portunity to pick up an education ; and ,
his father dying , he was put to work in
one of the local machine-shops and
learned to bo a good mechanic. But ho
aspired to higher things , and presently
obtained employment on the Aurora
Post , a very small sheet , with a circula
tion of 856 copies. When not gathering
items as a reporter or assisting in the
make-up , he used to help push the cir
culation. When ho had mastered all
there was to be learned in Aurora , he
sought a wider field in Chicago , and on
one of the big dailies took assignments
to describe fires , write up police inci
dents , and the like. From that work he
was promoted to do the local markets ,
then the exchanges , and presently gen
eral financial reporting. It was while
thus engaged that ho met Lyman J.
Gage , who took a fancy to him for his
untiring industry and shrewd judgment
J