considered by any person making an appointment or examination. The Act
prohibited political assessments in a provision that "no person shall,
in any room occupied in the discharge of official duties by an officer
or employee of the United States, solicit in any manner whatever any
contribution of money or anything of value, for any political purpose
whatever."

The Pendleton Act was a landmark in the history of the reform and
indicated its certain triumph. The Act was faithfully executed by
President Arthur in the appointment of a Commission friendly to the
cause, and under the Act the Civil Service Rules have since been
extended by Presidents Harrison and Cleveland until the operations of
the reform embrace the greater part of the service, including fully
85,000 appointments. It is not probable that the nation will ever again
return to the feudalism of the Spoils System.

No two men have done more for the cause of Civil Service Reform than
George William Curtis and Carl Schurz. When Mr. Curtis died, in 1892,
the presidency of the Civil Service Reform League, so long held by
him, worthily devolved upon Mr. Schurz. It may be said that in the last
twenty-five years of Mr. Curtis' life is written the history of
this reform. His orations on the subject have enriched our political
literature and they hold up before the young men of America the noblest
ideals of American citizenship. He gave unselfishly of his time and of
his exalted talents to this cause, and his services deserve from his
countrymen the reward due to high and devoted patriotism. Refusing high
and honorable appointments which were held out to him, he preferred to
serve his country by doing what he could to put her public service upon
a worthy plane. The oration from Mr. Curtis included in our text is one
among many of his worthy productions.