Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-06-04
T8eOrrmont 4Banit.
DRATTLEBORO:
FRIDAY EVENING, JUNE 1, 1875.


AT the late meeting Of the Social Science
Association at Detroit, Mr.. Dorman b. Eat
on read paper on the experiment of civil
service reform in the United States. lie
began by saying that, unless we have been
mistaken as to the need Of better admins
tration, our first duty is to comprehend the
causes OF our defeat. The humiliating
truth is that the abandonment of the civil
services rules was without justifiabo OK
cuse, involved the breach of a public
pledge, aud is a national disgrace. The re-
form was begun in 1871 by the republican
patty, which party, at least its managers,
has, in the three years since 1871, suffered
an eclipse Of faith in the higher sentiments.
But for such Generalization il would be
impossible TO explain the levity aud the
reck lessness which characterized the treat
ment Of civil service reform by the party
leaders both in and out Of Congress in 1873
and 1874. Little demagoguos and sinecure
officials everywhere tried to make ii APP
pear that the civil service commissioners
were alone responsible for the rules, and
ins listed that those who stood by public
pledge, and for public duty, rather than
those who connived at Reputation and
sighed for return of the spoils system,
were fiji subjects Of ridicule and pity.
Even, said Mr.. Eaton, if the greater re-
sponsbilty for the disaster rests upon
Congress aud the party managers, il may
be asked if the president had been with
out fault Though by no means able to
justify the extreme and indiscrmale CEN
hapt,,un1 Ii, I,
those influential journals which, at one
time, did o much for civil service reform,
but whose disaifecton did SO much to
weaken II after the presidential election,
yet hold il true that the president gave sad
occasion for criticism, and that he has been
the cause Of most OF the trouble the reform
has cost him. Pressed by partisans, he did
not, as he might easily have done, wholly
put stop TO assessments, and, yielding to
his sympathy for the soldier and TO lis
love of obliging his friends, he tolerated
departures from the lower grade of clerk
ships. But far worse than all this, his en-
thusiastic nature failed TO give the impress
sion Of his real earncstneSs IN the cause,
an d he never took il up with that stern res
olulion which its magnitude and the pow
or of its adversaries demanded; never
made those adver.ares feel the force of that
mighty will which, on other fields, had
made his enemies tremble and inspired his
friends with courage and confidence. Still,
the pre- sidcnt is entitled TO justice, which
will award him no small praise. He was
the first president who had the moral cour-
age and the disinterestedness to attempt
the overthrow Of the spoils system, and
he was the last of the great forces of his
party TO leave the field. lie sustained the
contest amid the most outrageous Gsper-
sions of his motives, and faithfully ropuls-
cd the solicitations of friends and parti-
sans, beyond the example Of any of the
late presidents.
Let us dismiss, said Mr.. Eaton, the de-
fusion that the President Or Congress will
nc hieve the reform for us. They are least
of all persons, free to do so or likely TO do
so unless coerced by public opinion; for
they are fearfully tempted to pledge offices
to gain votes, and when once elected. they
are beset on all sides by those demanding
reward for services rendered, and seeking
Offices for which services are promised. In
conclusion, Mr.. Eaton said / ct us not any
longer be so short-sighted as not to see
that the battle for civil service reform is 10
be fought at our own doors, as well as at
Washington. We must separate the bust
ness rom the political class Of officers, and
select the latter on business principles.
There never was a better time than now,
in the centennial period, which recalls the
glorious deeds of our ancestors, and the
greatest Of which was that they bravely
met and overthrow the abuses of their own
times, o enter in earnest upon the vial
duty of administrative reform in the niu-
inequalities, III the states, in the nation.