The Portland daily press., 1869-11-04
Miscellany.
Reform of the Civil Service.


In his paper upon the Reform of the ViVli
Service read before the American Sociai
Science Association, Mr.. George "iiiian Our
tbs sought rather to call attention 10 the ne
cess,ty of the reform by exposing the present
condition of the service, and the inevitable
\ result of the existing system, than by consid-
ering the details of a method. He began by
relating an anecdote of President Lincoln's
Humorous Impotence of the importantly of
politicians seeking to control appointments.
The present qualification for the civil service
OF Tue oh'tea states is INSCRIPTIONS party
zeal. Our system is therefore the most igno-
rant, wastt1ul and destructive possible IL
not only. fosters political corruption, but 1t
polsons the springs of moral action IN the ma
Ton Itself, and so endangers its permanence.
Violating the fundamena principles OF thrift
and economy, we furnish the internal condi-
ton that an enemy most loves 10 see. Inc
can alone preserve it, These are the plainest
of truths, but we despise them. 1t is claimed
that ours is government of parties, and that
parties can be etfectualy managed only by
patronage But actually this is a govern
ment OF the people through parties, and when
1t is urged that the dominant party must be
supported by the public treasury, it is really
w. 1871 ut AMY, SulCleucy. anu uOHeSiy
81 incompatible with popular government.
The oflcer, taught by the system to con-
slder his office an insecure prize, seeks to
make the most of it in the shortest time. he
is judged by the appointing power, not by the
manner in which he does his duty, but by the
zeal with which he serves his party. He
must do the ''head work. of the campaign,
and so sophisticated has the public mind be-
come that an ofice-holder writes that Office
holders ought to take the active business of
pal ties into their own hands. The public
yields. and the consequence and the result is
that we are Obliged to vote for candidates
nominated by those who are selishly inter-
ssted IN their success. OF course, the reputa-
ton OF the service is long since ruined There
are, indeed, men of the highest honor, indus
r try, and ability in the civil service of the
United States; but these qualities do not
make them any surer OF their positions They
Know better than any of us that position
procured without qualification, and lost with
out iadlt, post without honoi or promotion,
cannot appeal 10 the ambition OF worthy men,
But the system is not only absurd anq waste
30 ful. bV exasperating party spirit it makes
the food oil thousands OF families depenGsut
upon The result of an election, and so embit
tiers the election to a perilous degree. Nor
are its evils lin ted to the service. The bad
example vitlates every department of activity
and industry. 1t fitness is disregarded in
public office, it will become less valuable in
private employment. Moreover, the moral
STANDARD OF the country must inevitably de-
cline, AMI we shall see conspicuous citizens
publicly protesting respect for those whom
tuey would not welcome to their homes
These facts must at last force home the ques-
ton whether nation becoming morally rot
ten can long endure. The civil service re-
form, there fore, be gins with the assertion that
there is no reason in the nature of things, nor
in the form OF our Government whv the
United States should not manage its affairs
4 with the same economy, ability, and honesty
that private business is managed, and that to
do this the most obvious means must be
used. The basis OF any good system must be
8 so kind Of competitive examination.