Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-11-01
NO. A.
CIpIL SERVICE RBF0R.u.

cbhs ~ - TT OEfsHs
There is no single agency within the
reach Of the American people which would
do so much for the purification of their
politics as q accommodated and thorough
of the civil service. We are glad, on the
whole, that IL is not a party project, for it
leaves us at liberty to discuss it, and rem
ders it easy for pure and true men of all
parties to unite upon it. Under the pres
ont rule of practice, every representative
in Congress claims the privilege of divld-
ing and awarding the federal patronage of
his district. He relies upon this for secur-
ing his own election, and preserving intact
his influence among his constituents. lie
sells himself to the office-seekers of his
district to win his place, and they sell them
selves to him for what he pledges to them
in case OF his election. 1t Is notorious that
if the President interieres with the assum.
ed right of the congressman in this matter,
and makes an appointment independent of
him, he brings upon himself the enmity
of the latter-personal and political. The
President is made TO feel that he cannot
afford to act independently, whatever his
convictions may be and w. if any, who
have occupied the presidential chair have
found themselves strong enough to disre-
gard the rule The entire civil service.
from the top downward TO the lowest bot
tom, thus becomes matter of bargain and
sale. Personal fitness for service has been
for many years secondary consideration,
in elections and appointments. The man
who can do the most for his party and his
friends wins the day.
There is really very little chance for ar
gument in the matter. The advocates of
reform, in any open meeting of intelligent
and fair men, would carry nine in every
ten Of them by a simple statement of their
position. Everybody knows that competi-
tive examinations for all offices demanding
definite technical knowledge on the part of
those appointed to them, and permanence
in office during competent discharge of
duty, would secure a class Of public SER
wants vastly superior in capacity and mo-
rality to that which now occupies the offices
under the federal patronage. 1t can never
be good class Of men who are willing to
take an appointment to- day which they
may lose tomorrow, through no fault of
their own. Political "bummers," men
who have failed in business. drifting and
unsteady men, Adventures, rifl-raf, cap
talns Of low crowds-all sorts of men who
nave nothing to lose, seek for these places
and get them. The machine could not be
made to run without some good men, of
course, who stay on and on through many
administrations but the mass of those
Wh" come ana go IN public Office are men
VINO nave no illness for their place, and are
never selected on account of any supposed
fitness for it.
The foreign appointments of the govern
ment are almost uniformly made without
reference to good qualifications. SO, instead
OF having class of courteous and accom-
pllshed gentlemen in the foreign service,
we nave multitude of Doors who are not
on'y unable to speak the language of the
PeoPie among whom they are located, but
are is"oIan' OF that one language which
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s"e ho' 'eii,,ii'"'' ior 'Ie .uuca''oh Oh men
ioi o'Nii oli'e, 's II Is 70 nave Il school ior
eu"c"'ion ior ''ie army ana navy we saw
III inc iale civil war Just now lltle political
qualifications were worth in military life,
ana they are worth Just as much and no
'i'Oi' IA 'Hc N4NH Impairment Vi the gov
school ar thc certificate of hoard Of ox-