National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-03-24
NEEDED CIVIL SERVICE Reform

| ucpIlvuS tuem ID tu0 power 10 secure %
pointments In the executive Departments
The details of the bill were so carefully
drawn as to render the attainment of it
object certainty as the consequence o
its enactment. Of course it failed to pass
for the evident reason that 1t was an ex
treme measure. and calculated to belittle tn
position and consequence of Congressmel
as well as to destroy one of the creates
sources at their command of politica
favors with which TO reward the labor Q
active partisans. Thus, while it was Anne,
at q very great evil, 1t oyershot the mark
and the evil remains to this day q curse t,
the dominant party. temptation to official
both in and out Of Congress, and bio
upon our civil service system. The RICH
of the successful party in the Government
to care for its friends &ill not be denied, q
least by the Democracy. one of whose mos
eminent leaders crystallized the custom
Into the single and forcible phrase tina
"that to the victors belongs the spoils :
but after years Of experience It Is learne'
that abuses Of that kind are imposed upo1
the executive officers of the several Depart
ments through the agency Of the very mel
whose duty it is to create needed reforms
The case Of General Baker, Commits
sioner of Pensions, just now prominen
topic of public consideration, serve.
to furnish an illustration of what we mean
He came into civil Office from the army,
and had barely assumed his duties when he
discovered that the rolls of the bureau were
incumbered with the names of persons who
did not expect to perform any labor, wht
did not perform any, and who have beer
fifty characterized by him as ''drones." Al
later period another or other names wert
placed upon the rolls Of people of the SAME
stripe. As conscientious officer the die
tates Of duty compelled him to call the at
tention Of his superiors to the evident lille
gality Of the payment of salaries to thes,
people and to recommend their dismissal.
Unexpectedly to him, however. his recon-
mendations were ignored. Satisfied tina
he had done his duty In the premises, III
rested quietly until recent occurrences Jus
titled him in exposing the facts to which
we have alluded. No explanation has beer
authoritatively vouchsafed of the character
of the mysterious influence which prevailed
to overcome his recommendations; but it il
safe to surn,ise that in one instance 1t wa,
the act of high official prompted by a
feeling of personal friendship. and in another
the assumed necessities of political party,
In either instance an indirect violation o.
law was incurred and direct misappro
priation of the public funds ensued. The
man or party of men bold enough to at
tempt to defend acts Of this character would
dcservedly lose the confidence Of the people.
In the first instance. the violation of law
and the misuse Of public money could only
be excused on the insufficient ground of
friendship. while in the second no explana.
ton can be afforded commensurate with the
contemplate penuriousness of the act
Although It may be said to be the act Of
men In the service of . great party, 1t can.
not and does notredect upon that party OF
upon Its principles but it does reflect most
directly upon the character of the response
BILE persons. The small sum of one hundred
dollars per month, or perhaps one hundred
and fifty. was thereby saved to the party
treasury. While the members of the party
in New York, in this city and elsewhere,
were able to and did contribute Thousands
of dollars to aid the cause, and while others
were defrsying their own expenses In an
extended canvass, 1t was not necessary that
for the purpose of sending documents from
Washington to partisan friends system Of
political petty larceny should either be
inaugurated or followed. 1t is in vain that
the excuse b offered that the Democrats
while In power did the same thing; the
principle remains despicably distinguished.
the same - It would II no precedent had
been found for 1t. We know that the
Democrats did worse; that they virtually
took Thousands Of dollars ont of the Treasury
or from the people for compaign uses. and
they would do it and more again II the op-
portunity was offered them; but al this
offers no palliasion for the particular offence
Of which we speak. Il Is an abuse which
the people will not fail to rebuke, and one
that can only be remedied by the enactment
of some bill like the one Of which Mr..
Trumbull was the author. Let Il be %
drawn - to provide for the rigorous punish
ment of persons who are In any way con-
nected with such transactions. Bureau
oaicen, and others whoss duty Il b to %.