New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-12-20
AN EMINENT POLITICIAN ON CIVIL SERVICE
REFORM

The political views of so venerable poll
ticiGn Mr.. Thurlow Weed must always command at-
tention His letter Civil Service Reform printed in
of city journals is very pointed and pungent he
does not believe in tho principle embodied In the
scheme which Mr.. Geo. VIM. Curtis has so painfully
elaborated and which the President has OPP
proved. He thinks this principle is designed to
build up an olcehoIdnS arstocracy It 10 making Just
such close institution inside the civil service ot the
country as the Naval and Military Academies to the
navy and army He thinks the drones ard mbeces OF
society largely recruited from colleges and other
institutions Of learning. Mr. Weed says:
II all the people have not right 10 compete for the
honOrs and en0luments OF Office republican institutions
sham and fraud. The Senators and journals that
have hOwed longest aud loudest In OF "Clvl Ser
vice Reform" would be the last to adopt 10 II they had
obtained power, Indeed no man, when he comes prac.
ucay 10 eal With the question can fail 10 discover the
mpOssibity OF adherng to it, The great burden of the
cry against President Grant that he bad filed the
And yet eject applying this Civil Service"
doctrine VIII be 10 keep all tncse unworthy lncumDeus
in office for indefinite perod 1t converts the DEPART
at Washington the Custom houses aud postOhces
IN large cities into close corporations When vacancy
in an important office the President instead OF
being liberty cast his eye the Union to ud the
most capable and deserving man. required 70 appoint
a subordinate. In many instances this would work well
enough for NOT untreQuenty the that subor
dinae, by long experience and welltriod Integrity, Is
entitled TO promotion. have often In such urged
tue appointment OF subordnates to fill vacancies occa
stoned by the death resignation OF heads OF DEPART
ments prevailed upon President Lincoln through the
late Secretary Seward to appoint the late William N.
Taylor Postmaster In this city, the grounds that ho had
served faithfully and honestly cher clerk and assist
ant for Is years. capable and although Lot acive
politician. had always vOJod the Wing aud Republican
tickets. When the late Preston King Cled, urged the
appointment OF his deputy, Mr. Cnnch Collector, bo
cause having credtaOly discharged most OF the duties
under half dozen administrations, knew that his APP
pontment would acceptable 10 our merchants. And
Tor KINDRED reasons again. when Gen. resigned tho
Naval ONCE urged the appointment OF his capable and
mertorOus deputy. Mr. franklin These, however,
exceptional cases. AS rule, IL cannot and VIII not
work. Ii tho "cvil service" doctrine had obtained ~
the close OF the Rebellion, what would have been tbs
fate OF several thousand wounded Union soldiers who
In reward for their patriotism and gailantry.
usefully employed in our CustOm-houscs and Post
0ficesf
Mr. Weed thinks that promotion In Office TO Ill
eies will found to work WELL This is his plan for
regulating appointments:
The rule laid down by Mr. Jefferson. regulating "cvn
appointments, was, after all, the golden one.
faithful to the Constitution 2" Neither time expert.
furnishes any better test than this No system or
policy which practically and arbitrarily excludes nine
tenths fourhfbs OF American electors from fair, open
aud equal competition for the civil OF the Gov
eminent be put into practice Nor II IL posi-
BILE do so, would 10 work WELL for when established at
least two sbarpers for honest would pass the
examinations. The best and truest service that the
people render the country il, FIRST 10 elect oapDo
enlightened rulers aud then require suoh rulers W
Ill the clvl service" with honest IL is not con-
siituuons laws systemic policies or programmes
which the safety the Government ana the Melarc
OF the people depend. Tho general security ana inul.
vdua prosperity rest upon tho men chosen ana seooted
TO obey anu execute the Constitution aud laws.