The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-07-01
tsN
Civil Service Reform.

| their earnest attention representation of
minorities and the reform Of the civil SER
vice. In their turn all political parties are
CALLED by the insolent rule Of "a bare majori-
ty, and the conviction is fast assuming prac-
tical shape that minorities, as well as ma
/ jorities, have theirrights; and are fully enti-
tied to voice in the legislation Of the coun-
try and the direction Of: its public affairs.
And the evils Of the present system OF dis
tributing official patronage as the reward
4 OF political fealty are no less fragrant, and
no less notorious, The spolls of Office are
now given to the official victor. AS each
! election comes round, the successful candi-
/ dates oust the, unfortunate officials who hap
pen tosbelong to the opposing party, or who
Iiwere appointed by its leaders Their expe-
:rience, their integrity and their skill count
for nothing. Out they must go to make way
forthe henchnaan ofan incoming Secretary or
The wife's third cousin Of dubious Congress
man. To be on the winning side is the only
test OF merit. et And it stands to reason that
the .insn will fight as hard to retain their
places, as the s'outs' will f;shtit to conquer
claim to the luscious Delights Of Office. These
contending interests account for much of the
chicanery and corruption which make party
politics o national shame and reproach.
They induce the ofice-holder to submit to
black-mailing process, to be used in bribes
by the party upon whose fortunes depends
bis continuance in Office, and the daily bread
Of his wife and children. They lead the
lean-visaged demagogue to spare no pains,
no trick and no subterfuge, to carry, by
hook or by crook, party election which will
give him claim for some pleasant place
varying from foreign consulate, or first
class collectorship, to a postmastership in a
tenth-rate town. Fitness and experience,
in ninety-nine cases out Of the hundred, have
| nothing to do with appointments to, or re-
movals FROM public Office. Political actlvi-
| ty and voting power are the gauge OF capaci-
ty and worth. These facts can no longer
be ignored. The sentiment in favor Of Civil
Service Reform grows stronger every day,
and there is reason to hor that Mr.. Jenckes,
its pioneer champion, will live to see the final
triumph Of the cause for which he has so
faithfully aud heartily labored.
| The Fortieth Congress did nothing in the
direction OF Civil Service Reform, and the
Forty-frst Congress will do no more But
Mr.. Jenckes is used to disappointments; he
has learned, by experience, the impractical
Bile, unmalleable sort OF materials with which
he has to deal, and he is doubtless satisfied
to wait until Providence and the popular
vote give us another House more able to un-
derstand, and more disposed to obey, the
I5wishes Of the people in this respect 1t is
true that Mr.. Jenckes's bill has received the
hearty commendation OF nearly oil the lead
ing journals OF the couutry, and that memo
rials and petitions in its favor, numerously
signed, lave been sent up from various
quarters of the land. But little impression
is produced upon Congress by such means.
To use homely phrase, the effect OF these
expressions of popular opinion upon the rep
resentatives of the people is like that OF
pouring water on ducks back.
Congress may deride the Civil Service bill,
may play with it and refuse to pass it. But
in the meantime the people at home are
realizing more fully every day the necessity
OF the adoption Of some such measure to re-
form and purify the administration OF the
government, and may hereafter send men to
| fill the places OF the present opponents OF
1.-THE bill who will carry the great reform into
execution. A cheering sign in this respect,
destined to be, we hope, but one among
many OF similar character, is noted
by the Baltimore SIN as coming to US
| from Pennsylvania, and from Congressional
district which inclades part of Philadelphia,
Ia State and city never famed for the supe-
rior freedom OF its politics from corrupt and
contaminating influences. MIR. Kelley, who
had written to his constituents that he would
accept denomination only upon condition
that pending the passage Of q Civil Service
bill he was not to be called upon to act as
an office or patronage broker, was renomi-
mated in party convention, on the 18th of
June, by a vote OF 81 to 27, and among the
resolutions unanimously adopted on the oc-
casion was the following:
..:Resolred, That we fully endorse the posi-
Etions taken BY him (Mr. Kelley in his letter
March s, 1870, addressed to large number
Of M constituents, allowing his name to be
submitted for denomination, and until the pas
i sage Of Civil Service bill by Congress we re-
\ commend him to observe the provisions of the
one submitted during this session"
f We are glad to be able to score ''one" in
! favor of Mr.. Kelley. Upon the platform OF
4Civil Service Reform he stands squarely
'fereet
! In England the whole system Of official
/ patronage, or, in other words, of official cor
ruption, is in progress Of demolition. The
wages OF sin is not place and profit More
than ten years ago, five remember Alright,
the civil appointments o; the East India Gov
apent were thrown open to public compe-