The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1869-03-20
:msht Cecil M.gata
The Civil Service RilI.

Mr. Jenckes, Representative from
Rhode Island was the first to bring
forward q bill in the House at the last
session, or the session previous to the
last, looking to much needed reform
in the matter of appointments to public
Offices That bill proposes an examina-
ton of all candidates for office under the
Government, by competent board,
which would grant certificates to ap-
plicants for examination, who proved
to be qualified for the duties of the
Offices they sought to administer; and
any person not holding a certificate
from the board, to be deemed ineligible
Such q law as this would go very far
toward breaking up the wild hunt for
office, which has grown into almost a
frenzy. In the majority of cases, men
the least competent to discharge the
duties of the offices they seek, are the
most clamorous and importunate in their
demands. The theory that to the vic
tors belong the spoils, has fostered a
species of morality in public affairs
akin to that taught on the quarter deck
of privateer There are few pursuits
more dcmoralizing than the inordinate
scramble for Office, and the evil grows ::
with injury to the public welfare as
we'll as individuals, constantly on the
increase, as the country expands in
wealth, population and resources
Older nations have been driven to
adopt similar systems of filling public
Offices to the one proposed by Mr.
Jenckes, where the incumbent receives
the Office because of his fitness to per-
form its duties, more than as regard
for political services rendered or as is
the case more frequently CLAIMED tc
have been given. A public officer hold
ing position under law of the kind
proposed, would retain his place during
good behavior, or for n specified term
of years. The latter we think would
be the most approved, as rotation in
Office is Republican principle. The
officer would then quietly serve his
time out and vacate the place for his
successor, or enter on the duties of a
second term. There is an earnest feeling
throughout the country among honest
people that such law as that proposed
by the Civil Service Bill of Mr. Jenckes;
shall be passed and th& the corrup-
ton which the hunt for "spoils,' as
Government patronage is termed, shall
be stayed ere its degrading influence
shall have poisoned every fountain of
the Government. Until qualification
and fitness are made legal test for
appointment to office, and some protec-
ton from the gambling spoil hunter
thrown round the honest officer, the
Government must continue to suffer by
the loss of millions through dishonest
and incompetent officials.
THE PRESS discussing this subject
concludes an able article with the fol-
lowing remarks:
First. The separation of political
from business appointments to Office.
Second. The permanent appointment
TO Office upon conditions of moral and
official qualification.
This is what the Jenckcs civil service
bill looks to, and this is the system OF
official appointment and tenure to which
other nations have been driven by
stress of circumstances, and after long
years of disastrous experiment, and to
this complexion must we come at last
ourselves. We may as well save our
selves by fastening on the day. Gen
Grant is President under whose adj
ministration every effort towards re.
form will be honestly seconded, and
there is no better time for action than
now.
Let the substantial men of the land
the men who create the wealth of the
country and pay the expenses Of its
government-organizc and clear on;
the party rats. There is no reason on
earth why there should exist in any
well-organized community a class OF
men banded together to divide among
themselves what they so aptly call the
"spoils of office" Their presence is
danger Their removal at once and
forever will cleanse the blood and
strengthen the system of the body poll
tie.