The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-12-03

1Ho rFosloene ON Civil Service Re-
form-ForeshadowAng or Opposation.
The President avows his determination to
adhere to the policy of civil service reform.
Hitherto. he says, federal Offices have been
regarded too much as the reward of political
services, and no one will question the truth Of
the assertion. The doctrine that to the VIC
tors belong the spoils has assuredly been
potent in Presidential elections, and has
proved one of the most trying penalties Of
victory. What living man ever heard Of
valuable and influential federal Office being
bestowed upon any person but an active poll
tician, or of any other test than political in-
fuence being applied to candidates for subor-
dinate positions2 This pernicious practice
the President is bent upon discouraging, and
he looks to civil service rules regulating tho
tenure of Office and the mode of appoint
ments to aid him in the work, or at least to
secure continuance Of the principle after
his retirement from Office. "While am in
Office" says President Grant 81 will by my
appointments secure the greatest possible
civil service reform; but it will require the
direct action of Congress to render the en-
forcement of the system binding upon my
SUCCESSORS"
We wish the President every success in his
endeavors to reform the public offices, and we
have no doubt of his honest determination to
study character and capacity in his appoint
ments. But opposition is already foreshad-
owed to his proposed civil service rules. An
administration organ announces that Western
Congressman are in arms against the reform
and boldly declare that they carried the cleo
ton on the issue of opposition to the system.
II we had not avowed ourselves in favor Of
bestowing Office in reward for political SER
vices, and fathered the civil reform humbug
on the liberals say these representatives.
we should not have been successful at the
polls. We may therefore anticipate contest
between the Executive and Congress on this
question; for it will, no doubt, be pushed for
ward by the opposition if neglected by the re-
publicans, and brought to the test of vote.
The case Of the Philadelphia Postmaster has
alarmed the politicians, and, unless it can ba
privately explained away as harmonious ar
rangement all round, it is likely to induce
them to take very bold and open ground
against principle that may turn all their
ofice-seeking supporters adrift.
After all, of what real value are civil service
rules, and are they not over-estimated by the
President and other reformers? The best
protection against the appointment of incom-
petent and improper men to Office is to be
found in the honesty and firmness of the
appointing power. If a President, with reso-
luton and spirit to back him, desires to apply
to applicants the Jeffersonian test-''Is he
honest? is he capable? is he faithful to the
constitution" instead of the political test
elbow many votes can he control2" he will
do SO without civil service rules or any other
restrictions to bind him. His own conscience
is his guide in the matter. President Grant
intends to follow q civil service rule Of his
own, and the people are willing to trust him
to do SO. As to the necessity of Congressional
action to compel his successor to be equally
honest we would suggest to the President
first, that civil service rules however strin-
gent, can readily be evaded and made farce |:
and next, that when an opposition Executive is
elected he will probably carry with him an
opposition Congress, and in that event civil
service rules would be sweptaway much easier
than they can be enacted.
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