Which of the following demonstrates early civil service reform in the late nineteenth century?

While the Sherman Antitrust Act, passed in 1890, aimed to combat monopolistic practices and promote competition, it does not relate to civil service reform. Instead, it focused on regulating business practices to protect consumers and ensure fair competition in the marketplace.

Enacted in 1914, the Clayton Antitrust Act built upon the Sherman Act by addressing specific practices that stifled competition. Like the Sherman Act, it is concerned with economic regulation rather than civil service reform, making it unrelated to the question.

The Interstate Commerce Act of 1887 was designed to regulate railroad rates and practices to ensure fair shipping costs. While it represents an effort to regulate industry, it does not pertain to the reform of civil service or government employment practices.

The Granger laws refer to a series of state laws enacted in the late 19th century to regulate railroads and grain elevator rates to protect farmers. These laws focus on agricultural interests rather than civil service reform, thus making them irrelevant in this context.