New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-12-30

deed, there were bad boys III schooI
who sneered at the teachers and scoffed
at the lesson, among whom Butler, Morton,
and Carpenter were conspicuous, but they
were all Republicans at that time the Dem
ocrats were wonderfully unanimous and en-
thusiastic in approval of the report OF tho
Civil Service Commission. We should ike 10
see that document reprinted and placed in tho
hands of every member of the present Con-
Crcss 1t ought to be-we do not presume TO
say that it would be-benefcial also to the
newly elected officials OF the House, whose Sc
lection of subordinatcs has been, with scarcely
an exception, in violation of the principles
therein taught
This report, signed by George William Cur
It's, Joseph Medill, and sundry other leading
Republicans. declared that the radical evil was
"the perversion of the service to personal and
"paIty ends" Democrats answered with great
fcrvor, "Amenl" 1t complained that "the
Cuisines of the nation, the legislation of
"COngrcss, the duties of the departments, were
call subOrdinatcd to the distribution of what
ais well called the spos.' The evil
"systcm under which the country suffers tends
(" to change the election from choice of policies
:" into a contest for personal advantage. 1t Is
"becOming desperate conflict to obtain all the
Offices, with all their lawful salaries, and all
"tbeir unlawful chances The consequences are
unavoidable. The moral tone OF the country Is
"debased. The national character deterioratcs.
"No country or government can safely tolerate
:" such surely increasing deterioration" Do
we not all remember with what loud Outcrics
of lofty patriotism and passionate piety the
Democrats approved these declarationsY
Alas they were out of Office then, and self
ishness gave zeal to their desire for reform.
1t is painful to note the conduct of the same
men now In one branch of the Government,
and only one they have power to distribute
the Offices, and we beg to ask whether there
has not been something very like disgusting
scramble for Office about the doors OF Con
gress. If some Democratic journals have not
been misiniormcd, the rush and clamor have
been quite as disgraceful IA ever before. We
all know that the oldest and most experienced
servants of the House have been turned out,
to make room for new men wholly unac-
quainted with the work needful to prompt and
efficient dispatch OF business, whose only merit
is that they are Democrats. Is it not noton-
Gus that the legislation of Congress
" has been subOrdinatcd to the distribution OF
"what is well called the spoils ~
This is the only branch of government in
which Democratic professions have yet been
subjected to trial. Are we to infer that their
performance in other branches OF government,
if intrusted with larger power, would be after
the same order7 Perhaps there may be Dem
ocrats who would like change, but will they
have controls Meanwhile, what has become
of the zeal OF Democrats for public service
not thus perverted to personal and party
"ends 7" Do they want us to understand that
they are in favor of reform only when they
are out of Office and power. and when reform
may mean the putting OF some Democrats into
oilice7 This would be harsh conclusion, we
grant. But if Democratic conduct compels it.
what can we doi The fact is, we fear, that
the Democrats were "a great deal too cnthusl-
aStic over that report in 1871, and never took
the pains to study it. We commend it to their
careful perusal. There are great many Rcpub-
leans who thoroughly believe in its principles,
and the country well knows that if the hide
pendcnts, or those Republicans whom Mcssrs.
Curtis and Mcdill represent should gain the
power, there would be an honest effort TO carry
out those principles. DO the Democrats think
they can afford to stand on the record they are
making in tho H0use7