The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-11-04
OUR CIVIL SERVICE.

NCh VI LII SAhAe ANGs
uEAvY ONSLAUGHT UPON THE SYSTEM OF PoLITI-
CAL. 1oE-HoLDNa-LEcTURE BY GEORGE
WILLIAM CURTIS.
A lecture was delivered on Tuesday evening
in the hall of the Young Mems Christian
Association, in New York city, by Mr.. George
w. Curtis, on "Our National Folly-the Civil
Service" After few Introductory remarks
the lecturer said that at present offices were
given away at the solicitation of Senator'S and
Representatives, whose dirty work had been
done by the candidates whom they thus bene-
6tted. The knowledge and fitness of officers
for their offices were wholly disregarded.
All that was looked for was fierce
and unquestionable partisan zeal. He
did not wish to exaggerate the danger
of this to the State; but the springing of
the leak was the beginning of the end of the
ship. We now violate the first principles of
administrative economy Not only were
States defended by arms and money-national
honesty was the greatest resource of people
in time of peril. If it were true that under free
institution, the dominant party must always
find places for its retainers, then it was certain
republican institutions were doomed because
they were more wasteful and oppressive than
any others. This theory of political Office
holding was not believed in by the men who
framed our politicalsystem. Mr.. Curtis quoted
several passages from the letters and speeches
of George Washington upon this subject, in
which he advised that offices should be given
only to gentlemen who were capable and
honest, and that these should hold their
places during good behavior. President
jackson was the first to remove ofice-holders
on account of their political opinions. Dur
ing the first forty years of our independence
there were only seventy-three removals of
public officers for cause, while under Jackson
alone thousands of office-holders had been re-
moved. Under our system of the spoils
being grasped by the victor, the country was
always the victim. President Graut o year
ago had declared that he would not remove
officers for wholly political reasons, but had
since found it impossible to brave the hos
tility of this system. This system pushed
the best men out of Office, and honor
and ability with them; and unless it were
changed we should ultimately come to the
present state of the French people--a state
of moral disintegration Every four years
the country presented the most revolving
spectacle. Politicians of even the highest
grade became mere office-brokers, the coun-
try seethed with corruption, and every man
did his best to make hay while the sun
shone. Economy, honor, honesty we're once
of some importance in this country, but now
politics were mere scramble for office.
The public service of the United States was
now wretchedly performed and at a higher
rate IMAM Une SERVICE OF any private corpora
tion or mercantile house in the country.
There were, no doubt, men of the highest
character in the civil service, but they were
exceptions. How could modest, faithful
man be attracted by a competition of impu-
dence, not of integrity or capability? If the
civil service were placed on the same
footing as the army and navy, il
would become national glory, not q
national shame. Only last year it had been
proved that Congressman had sold, openly
sold, various offices. This was revival OF
the practice of political parties in the last
and worst days of ancient Rome. Wher
Rome was rotten then it was that her posts OF
honor and profit were put up to the hlghes
bidder. The evil of the policy of remova
from Office for political reasons did not stoE
with the Government. The same principle
had been carried into other corporations
that is to say, the principle of employing
men for other reasons than competency anc
honesty. If there we're any man in the rail
way interest of the country who brought dis
grace upon the American name, the Govern
ment itself had been his teacher. Mr. Curti
closed by replying to the principal objection
against reform in the present system, suc
as that no standard of measuring men coul
be established, that the new proposed system
of life appointments would make favore
and aristocratic class, and, further, that
was borrowed from Europe.