Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-08-28
Civil Service Reform.

Civil Service Reform.
The Springfield Republican loses no OPP
portunity to inquire of Mr. George William
Curtis, chairman of the Civil Service Com
mission, why no greater progress is made in
reforming the civil service under Mr. Curtis
new rules; and it not unfrequently makes
good point against the editor of Harper's
Weekly. Mr.. Curtis has recently made
speech in advocacy of Gen. Grants re-elec-
ton, in which he says, " have come to the
conclusion that no thorough reform of the
civil service is possible without the coopera-
ton of Congress" In an editorial of some
length upon this speech, while admitting
that Congress is now a great obstacle to any
successful civil service reform, and express
ing reasonable distrust of-any help from
that body, the Republican says
No, the journalist of civilization is mis-
taken. The reform must begin at the othe4
end of the avenue. The shortest road to it,
the only sure road, is the election of one
term pl resident, on a one-term platform. -
the arrival at the White House of man who
does not ask or want a reelection, and who
therefore, has no temptation to swap off pat
rOnage for congressional influence. This
road is now open TO US. Mr.. Greeley is
pledged to the one term principle, not only
by the platform on which he strands, but by
the consistent teachings and utterances Of his
whole life Such q pledge is irrevocable
there is no chance or possibility Of it's viola
ton. We can understand without much
difficulty why some civil service reformers
including Mr.. CurtIs-are now exerting
bar 70 II ole
But it is certainly curious illustration of
human Inconsistency.
The Republican, it seems to US, is twice
mistaken in this conclusion. Members Of
Congress do not want patronage to help re
elect a President. They want it to pay
their own political debts and help reflect
themselves If a President were ineligible
by the constitution to a reelection, members
OF Congress would be Just as clamorous as
now for the control of the patronage in their
districts. President Grant attempted at the
beginning of his administration to ignore the
politicians in his appointments He was
beaten at the very start; and not because he
wanted a reelection, but because be wanted
peace and the friendly cooperation of the
party which elected him Does mt the Re
publican believe that Mr.. Greeley and Mr.
Fenton would have supported the Philadel-
phia candidates, if they (Greeley and Fen
tom had been able to keep or put their
friends in Office in New York And is not
their opposition the offspring of their own
disappointment and not the desire for any
honest reform in the civil service
The Republican is also mistaken in suppos-
ing that Mr. Greeley, of all men, would
bring any reform to the civil service, if elect
ed on his platform and remaining faithful TO
his pledges In his speech at Portland he
other day, lie expressly pledged himself to
give the Offices to the men who vote for him.
This means clean sweep Of the officials in
office. Now, without reference to the wishes
of those who are in and don't want to 20
out, or Of those who are out and want to 20
IN, does the Republican look upon such a
course as the beginning of any valuable civil
service reform? Will it not be, on the con
trary, a disgraceful scramble for the spoils
and would not Horace Greeley be obliged to
feed bis hungry followers Would Fenton-
ism in New York be better than Conklingism
Is Mcclure in Pennsylvania better than Cam
eron? 4 Banks in Massachusetts, better than
Dawes, or Sumner than Wilson Mr. BOWles,
editor OF the Republican, said. Just after the
Cincinnati convention, . But with his usual
perversity Of temper and openness to hattcry,
Mr.. Greeley will probably continue TO give
his faith and attribute his success to those
that iawn upon him that they may use him,
and to SANDER and abuse those Drawer and
truer friends who dare expose these creatures
to him and the world, and to tell him the
truth that he needs to hear, even if he does
not like it Is that the character Of the
man likely to give an impctus.to civil service
reform
We desire as earnestly as the Republican
can, thorough reform in the civil service,
and we see as plainly as the editor of that
paper some Of the difficulties in the way
Gen Grant has not done all that he might
have done but he has done more than Mr.
Greeley would have done in his place. III
the President were let alone We don't believe
he would change any official in the Service
except for incompeteDcy. But he cannot be
let alone. Congressman will not let him
alone Ofice-seekers will not let him alone
When the people demand this reform 1t vii
come, and not before. Some Of the coalition
Mr.. Greeley undoubtedly desire
1t, but the majority of the party would kick
Mr. Greeley out Of the house which he ex-
poets to enter through their votes nextlMarch
if he should attempt it There is nothing
in Mr.. Greeley's record and nothing in the
record Of the bulk of his.supporters to give
the least hope of any reform in the civil ser
vice in case of his election, except a new
distribution Of the federal patronage; and
the Republican well understands how much
reform there would be in that
or the Freeman.
The Result of Local SeIf-gOVern-