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convention in St. Louis had put these words in its platform: “The civil service law was placed on the Statute book by the Republican party, which has always sustained it, and we renew our repeated declaration that it shall be thoroughly and honestly enforced, and extended wherever practicable.” When the Republican national convention adopted that pledge, President Cleveland's executive order of May 6th had been in operation for several weeks. It had not gone into force unobserved. The friends of good government had praised it, the spoilsmen of both parties, Republicans and Democrats, had denounced it. It was thus with full knowledge of its being an integral part of the civil service system then existing, that the Republican party in national convention assembled made its pledge. Neither could anybody pretend that it was a mere haphazard promise made inadvertently; for one national Republican platform after another had repeated the same declaration for many years. Nor could there be any doubt as to the meaning of the pledge. Nothing could be plainer. It was to enforce, honestly and thoroughly, the civil service law whenever it was then in operation, and to extend, wherever practicable, the operation of the law beyond the limits within which it operated at the time when the pledge was made. And then Mr. McKinley, the Republican candidate for the presidency, made the pledge of the party his own in the letter of acceptance by which he asked for the votes of the people. He accused the opposition party of “decrying this reform”; of being willing “to abandon all the advantages gained after so many years of agitation and effort”; of “encouraging a return to methods of party favoritism which both parties have denounced, which experience has condemned, and which the people have repeatedly disapproved”; and he assured the country that “the Republican party earnestly opposes this reactionary and entirely unjustifiable policy”; and that “it will take no backward step upon this question, but will seek to improve but never degrade the public service.” And when introduced in his office as President, Mr. McKinley reiterated the vow in his inaugural address.
If there ever was a party pledge clear, unequivocal, and specific—if there ever was one sanctioned as a definite party policy by constant reiteration, it was this. And yet no sooner
