The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1871-06-22

CIVIL SEvIcE REFoRM.-The President has
recently appointed Commission to prepare
rules aud regulations governing the admission
of applicants into the civil service of the Gov
eminent The Commission is to meet at the
Department of the Interior, in Washington on
the 18th of this month, but we place little
faith in their labOrs resulting in any permanent
good. 1t has not been the practice of the
present Administration to apply the Jefferson
ian test of honesty and capability" in the Sc
lection of our public servants, but, on the con-
trary, consanguinity to the reigning dynasty,
however remote, coupled with devotion to
New England ideas and Radical theories, have
constituted the touchstone of fitness for official
positions, either of honor or of profit.
Men have been nominated for important Of
fetal positions at home and abroad, who were
so VIGOROUSLY incompetent as to cause surprise,
even in Radical circles, that their names had
ever received serious consideration for office
Of any kind; and when their incompetency
and dishonesty have been exposed by Senators,
instead of the nominations being withdrawn
the party lash has been freely applied and the
wishes of Grant became law for the Senate.
The great parade which is attempted to be
made in the direction OF reform in the civil
service of the Government, is but piece OF
political strategy to hoodwink and deceive the
people, who have become thoroughly aroused
to the unprecedented system of bribery and
corruption which has been nourished and fos
tered by the present Administration, aud which
extends throughout all the ramifcations of the
entire civil service of the General Government
The New York Sun (Radica), in comment
gestions which should not be overlooked or dis
regarded by the Commission, and which would
no doubt receive the hearty endorsement OF
the "ofice peddler" who occupies the position
of Chief Magistrate of this GLORIOUS Union"
1t is suggested that no matter what rules may
be necessary ip the case of applicants gener-
ally, they should not apply when the person
seeking Office ais member of the Presidents
iamly, or TeiatlVe OF any member Oh MS
family, or member of his wife's family, or a
relative of any member of her family" That
all persons who can show that they are con-
nected in any degree, however remote, either
by birth or marriage, with the President or
his family, should be held fully qualified for
any Office within the gift OF the Administration.
The same principle, says the San, should gov
ern in cases where the applicants have made
presents to the Chief Magistrate. They should
be held fully qualified for any Office or offices
upon due proof that present has been made;
and the only question to determine would be
to grade the offices in accordance with the
value of the present given by the applicant
Thus: bull pup might be sufficient for a
country postoffice, while it would require a
span of horses for the office of Collector of
Internal Revenue, and brown stone front, or
q pocket wallet filled with Government 5.20's,
would constitute sufficient qualifications in the
applicant for Cabinet Office, or frst-class
foreign mission. We think the suggestions to
the point, and should they be adopted Grant
will doubtless suitably reward the members of
the Commission.