, 1873-04-18


tho honest momhors Of the Council, ut tho next
moottng, hayo tho roll called, that the public
may 500 which Of tho Aldermen will vote against
this ordinance. II tho Railway Company shall
DO woak enough to pay any money, lot us hope
tho Mayor will veto it, md TINT every honest
Allermnn will suBsan tho veto
FAILURE OF THE GRANT-OURT1s CIVIL
SERVICE REFORM
Mr. George ". Curtis has, in an interview
with tho representative Of New York papur,
explained Tho facts lending to his rosignation as
Civil Service Commissioner, and, after explaining
tho particular caaos Of appointments to which
lie Ind objeotol ns violations Of tho Presidents
own rucH, thus gave his viowH upon tho present
status Of tho reform. Tint part Of the conyer-
Hation roads thus:
Roportcr-1s Gun. Grant nwaso that ho has aban-
loued the reform?
Air. Ourtta-I don't holoye be thinks ho has nban-
doncd 1t. It is difference Of opinion between Ill.
Our yiuwB differ.
nerorcr-l3e kind enough to givo ne your yiows.
Mr. Curtia-I think tho essential principle Of Civil
8eryce Reform ID filling tito Offices with honest md
capable men in q Which alnl put them beyond
mere political patronage or courBe when that reform
Is undertaken by tho President aone, unless tue pn-
cpo strictly adhered to- there viii 10 real chaugo
Of tho syate1 mud, consequently, thero woull 10 10
ndc1uato result Ut tho closo of lis Administration;
whi!o II tho system strictly adhered to there
would bo Mt tho close Of his Administration purity In
the country that wond dare proposo to return to tho
old sysfons. tplt that, matter of policy,
tho President Is in tho position to enforce tho systcm
entirely.
RopoEtor-Are tie lncmbors Of the Cabinet IN SYM.
rathy with tho movements
Mr. Curl38-Tls members Of the Cabinet arc dis
posed to carry out tho 1ulea faithfully Without think
any great fifth in The syBon, hoh regard to Its ad-
vtsabity and practicabay Their optnfou ts think,
that with clango Of tho Administration every office
in tho country largo and email, from the President
down to tho messenger at Ills door, ought to bo
changed, know that that Ia thoir feeling, md
that, from tho point OF view Of Civil Service Re-
form, simply rnakes evcry election . scramble
for plunder instead Of what It ahoula be-
q choice between grcRt principles Of government.
England would bo nearest model In regard to this
subject. Although the Executive ia permanent, tho
government ia carried by parties with us, and
tho systom works admirably. There they hayo the
three principles which Indispensable to good
civil servicc-narnely, entrance ut tho lower grales
probation, and promotion.
Reporter-And Is tho reform m outire failure?
h1r CurtiH-No, 1t is not an entire failure, but IT Is
l
from what consider an inconsistent enforcement
oft. '''
Tho present official condition of Civil Service
Reform, - defined by b1r. Curtis, ia that It ia
founded upon no principle, that tho Cabinet
lmve no faith in 1t, and al! prefer tho system as
it now is, a scramble for plundor;" that tie
rulos have no binding force, not evon upon the
President, who disrcgards thon Whenever thoy
Interfere with the demands Of local partisans
This fact has boon notorious from tho beginning;
nevertheless, much good might have boon done
by the President hal ho, oyon with his second
administration, adhered to his oft-repoated
declarations, and to tho rulos approved by him.
Mr. Curtis mentions The case Of the roappoint-
ment OF Casey rs aagrant violation Of tho
ruleB not because o waB tho prosident's brother
in-law,-that WIS matter OF tasto,-but be-
causo Of Caeey's official record.
1lr. Curtis has, however, declared the true rca-
son why tho plan OF Civil Service reform has
failed, md that il, thas 1t doos not rost upon
principle; in othor worda, it begina too low
down, and loavos tho contro OF tho system OK
posed to all tho corrupting influences whic, have
degraded tho syston1, and tAon expects tint tho
subordinatos can bo purified by m occasional
exercise Of Executive virtue. III tho famouB re-
port OF tho seyon Commiasionors mado In De-
eembor, 1871, and which tho PreRidont sent to
Congress- with his approval, 1t was declared as u
fact too notorious to be questioned that tho
chief national appointments wero no longor
made by the President, but by tho BeuQtorB
representing tho aoyeral etatoB whore the
appointments woro made; that tl1s prac-
tice Ind reduced the President aud bis |
8ocretarios to the moro appointment clerks Of |
Congress, from which body the Constitution hal |
carefully withhold tho appointing powor; that
this syAon destroyed ono Of tho fundamental |
safeguards Of thu Constitution, and that 1t was
impossible that tho Legislature should absorb |
tho Executive function Of appointment and re,
main pure Nor was this usurpatlon of Exeou-
Tive power oonhnod to tho sonato; ReproBonta-
tiyes, to securo tlcir OWL nominations and clec-
tlons, entcroa into contracts ia appoint various
persons to Office, and WHOM elepted comppllel
the President to execute their contracts. Tho !
Commissioners at that timo failed to recommend
any measure to reform this oyil3 they wore ON.
by tho fact that they had to lookto a
hostile Congress, 4 hostile Cnbinet, and I'll Ex-
eoutlve rendered powerlosa by The very owl that
Waa sought to bo reformed. Thoy therefore roc.
Qmmeudod 3 plan that was not founded on priuoi-
,.''t' ',..,