The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-01-31

condition, is VIGOROUSLY bad. 1t is costly, in
efficient, wasteful, corrupt. Under every admin
istration IL is essentially the same. 1t has de-
generated from an honest organization for the
performance of the subordinate duties of the
Covernment into contrivance for sheltering
and fostering the campfollowers of the party
in mower. 1t has brought to perfection the art
chow not to do it, and gives to unscrupulous
nortisanship every possible facility for accom-
fishing unworthy ends. 1t drives the deserving
from The public service, and offers unlimited
announcement to the scamps and blockheads
whom the professional politician finds it con.
yenient TO use.
mal.adminis traton, but spring from the inhe-
rent vices of the system inaugurated by jack
son. In other walks OF lie, employment implies
certain qualifications OF character, aud GER
tain fitness for the work to be performed. Tne
merchant or banker looks to the capacity OF
those he employs, and makes the continuance
OF the engagement contingent upon the EN-.
cheney and trustwOrthlness OF the Individual
and the requirements OF bis Tn business. Per
manence and promotion are found essential to
the acquisition and retention OF good men, VINO
in turn are stimulated by opportunities ana
assurances of advancement to devote them
selves assiduously to their employers interest.
In the Government service all these conditions
are disregarded, Its army of clerks Is enlisted
from classes whose prime qualification is their
ability to secure the influence of politicians.
Care is seldom taken in their selection in the
only sense that renders it meritorious.
They are not required to prove themselves
morally respectable or in any respect qualified
TO discharge the duties OF the situation to be
filed. II Is enough that they are useful adhe-
rents or helpless pr0teges of member OF Con-
gress, or the friend of member, or of the Presi-
dent or the head of a department, or their
friends respectively. Provided the approving
smile of the dispenser of patronage be obtained.
the ability, the industry, or the integrity OF the
20 ho nfuAad ie Of
Appointments thus acquired are held by
tenure as precdrious as ii Is demcralizing. They
are subject to the vlclssitudes and degradation
OF partisanship. They are exposed to forced
1evies for party purposes. And they are con-
stantly liable to dismissal, with or without
cause, as the caprice or the convenience of par
tisan managers may dictate.
service thus organized and controlled neither
commands the respect OF the community nor
fosters respect among its own members. De-
graded by partisanship, 1t lacks the first ele-
ments of efficiency and the first motives to re-
form. Intelligent, energetic, self-relant per-
sons seek other roads to fortune; they have no
relish for positions that afford no guarantee of
permanence or promotion; and the deld is in
the main lett to the undsturbed possession of
the listless, the lmprovident and the NOISY
hangers-on of party. Evil influences dominate
and corrupt the good. The number of ap-
pointees exceeds the requirements of the SER
vice: the work is after all inefficiently per-
formed; and an amount OF dishonesty obtains
which the country has not yet learned to
realize.
How dishonest the system is-or rather how
much dishonesty the system permits with i'm.
punity-the recent Investigations of Congress
sional Committees in part attest. Without de-
scending TO particulars, it is known that
enormous frauds have been perpetrated by OF
with the connivance of subordinate officers Of
the Government; and though dismissal has fol
lowed detection, the frt.uds have gone on, modi
fed in accordance with experience, perhaps, by
those who came after the original offenders
One set of knaves has been succeeded by
another, each apparently acting on the rule tina
he should take care Of himself during the un
certain tenure of Government office. More
effective supervision might, indeed hold ever
knaves in check but the real remedy for civil ser
vice dishonesty lies in the reform OF the service
ITSELF by the introduction OF competent anC
trustworthy men.
The evils OF the system do not end here. The
higher officers of the Government suffer, and
are not seldom corrupted under its influence
The vast appointing power virtually centres in
the President, who is tempted 60 use it with
reference to political eXigencies more than to
the actual requirements OF the service. Public
interests are prejudiced by the attention which
the President and the heads OF the Departm ents
devote to q subject which, 10 them, derives all
its importance from partisan considerations.
Great interests are neglected, chat the claims OF
q crowd OF applicants for minor offices may be
balanced and decided. The power of the EXecu'
tive is in this manner enlarged to degree not
contemplated IN the original adjustment of the
functions of the Governments; and it is a power
exercised for purposes with which the welfare
OF the country mas no connection.
The whole system requires reform. 1t needs
reform with view OF restraining the Overgro WI
power of the Executive. 1t needs reform with
view to the efficiency OF a service which has as
6umed colossal proportions. And it needs re
form as a measure Of retrenchment, called fol
by the wants OF the Treasury and the crushing
taxation borne by the people. For the civl
service, reconstructed on the basis of intelli
genCe and worth, would admit OF a large reduc
tion III the number employed, would perform
its functions with an efficiency now unknowl
and would obyiate the losses by dishonesty from
which the country now suffers. The Joint Com
mittee of Congress on Retrenchment estimate
that by this process "the number OF officers ma,
be diminished one-third and the efficiency O
the whole force of the civil service Increases
One-halt, with Il corresponding reduction o
salaries for discontinued offices, if a health
system of appointment and discipline be esta
blshed" for the government of the inferior Off
Gers of the country.
The subject is before Congress in a shan
that admits of early action, The speech whlc
Mr.. Jenckes on Tuesday addressed to the House
explanatory of the bill to regulate the ciyi
service, covers the ground to be traversed /
the discussion of the reform he desires to prC
mote. His exposition of the weakness of th
present system, and the mischief of which
is the fruitful source, Is calm and conclusiv,
1t is impossible, we think, to follow him in h
statement of facts and his explanation of cause
without conceding the fairness of his repr
eentations aud the necessity OF amendmen
But whM shall the amendment be How sha
the corruptions incident to colossal and irr
sponslDle system OF patronage be removed, an
t1elr recurrence prevented BY what methC
shall the CIVIL service be made available fl
worth and capacity, as against the debasiI
influences which now control the mass of a
pointments!
The bill reported by the Joint Committee q
RetTenchment, and of which Mr.. Jenckes hi
charge, supplies feasible answer n anni
10 the whole body OF inferior officers of the Go