New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-03-11
TIE LAST OF A REFORM"

And yesterday was the last Of it, With all
! the Formally Of Cabinet meeting they
swept out the room, put up the shutters, and
took down the sign. 1t was in its day a good,
nice, snug little Reform. 1t had proportions
| and outlines and system and Board, and
at one time the promise of quite career OF
usefulness. The Republican National COnven-
ton in 1872 said some pleasing things about
it, remarking in its fifth article of faith, in
the earnest and SINCERE way in which at day
| break the confirmed and consistent inebriate
deprecates stimulants, that "any system Of
L" the civil service under which the subOrdi-
L" nate positions of the Government are con-
sidered rewards for mere party zeal is IA
italy demoralzing.n The Convention accord
ingly favored "a reform of the sys-
"tem by laws which shall abolish the
"evIls of PATRONAGE Subsequently President
Grant in his annual message TO Congress pat
ted it on the back and said it was q good
little Reform and something ought to be done
for it by Congress. A few months later he
noticed it favOrably in his second inaugural,
and in December following he urged Congress
to do the handsome thing by it. Last Decem-
Der he repeated the suggestion that Congress
should legislate upon the subject, and intima-
ted very broadly that if something was not
done for the miserable little whiffet he should
stop taking care of it and would kick it out
of the house. But Congressional queer in
stitution Congress is-dd not lcgislate In be-
half of it, and yesterday the President fulfilled
his threat, and the poor attenuated sickly little
thing was put out.
The attitude of the President towards the
Reform has been upon the whole consistent.
His view of the matter was that, although
the making Government Offices rewards for
mere party zeal was demOralizing, he as the
Executive and appointing power, could not
help making such appointments. but that
Congress must tie his hands by legislation.
He made some of the worst appointments that
mortal man ever dreamed of, and demon
strated clearly the great truth uttered by the
Philadelphia Convention, that such system
WAS fatally demOralizing;" and when there
was great popular clamor against the unfiUness
and ndccency of them, he replied, in effect,
Why, what can l dot l have asked Con-
gress to restrain me by some sort of legis-
"lation, and it pays no attention to my re-
quest If there's anybody to blame, it is
Congress- am very anxious for q reform
repeatedly, but Congress won't do anything
"about it. and 30 L have to pursue this
"'fatally demoralizing system of making the
"subordiuate positions of the Government
"rewards for nero party SERVICE"
Meantime the statesmen in Congress who
had 80 solemnly resolved in Convention that
the practice of making Government offices re-
wards for party zeal was fatally demOralizing.
and had gone to the country upon that dec
laration, thrust their tongues in their checks
when tho matter was referred to, and init
mated that, as the President was the appoint
ing power he could inaugurate q reform or
establish system whenever he pleased, with
out any legislation or any other action by
Congress Mr.. Butler, whose advice in the
matter of appointments had more weight with
the President than that of any other man,
openly and constantly denounced the Reform
as a farce and a humbug, and other Repre-
sentatives and Senators who were deep in the
confidence of the President, pursued it with
ieers and deTisiOn. At one time an appropria-
ton was made for the expenses of Civil
Service Commission the Commission was or
ganized, and went seriously to work printing
pamphlets on the subject; boards of cxamin-
ers were appointed. and once in q while some
ambitious aspirant for official position who had
qualified himself to support the Constitution
and draw pay by carrying torch in procession
was put into a cold sweat by a series of in
terrogatores of the most startling character
concerning decimal fractions and the princi-
pal lake ports. The first Chairman of the
Commission stayed in it till he found it was
waste of time and retired in good order.
Mr. Dorman b. Eaton came up smiling and
succeeded him. Mr.. Eaton wrote some PAM
phlets and things about it, and became con-
WINGED that President Grant was the only
person in the country who thoroughly UNDER
stood tho Reform. The Commission made some
rules which the President took great pride in.
and constantly suspended. Thea Mr.. Butlor