The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-01-04
PRACTICAL REFORM.

In these days, when men are blatant
about reform, declaimlpg about abuses, cry
ing reform "reform" so that they may
ride into ofllcc--that being the extent OF
their comprehension of the word or of the
necessity for n correction of abuses-it is
refreshing to find men high in office ac-
complishing real reforms without making
a hue and cry about II. New England has
been as fortunate as she has been unfortu-
nate in the cabinet ministers furnished
General Grant. Two of her sons have had
charge of the portfolio of finance and
nothing became thcir official life so we'll as
their retirement from the cabinet. Another
son of the same state was placed over the
department of public justice, but as he re-
garded fitness Us an essential TO the appoint
ments to the offices under his control, the
Senate refused to confirm him as a Judge
of the United States supreme court. A few
months ago Connecticut statesman was
made postmaster general, and as he, too,
thinks and acts upon the Old fashioned idea
that integrity and capacity so hand III
hand with official position, ,will the Senate,
if opportunity offers, place him, too, in re-
iiremen, only to be returned TO public again
by the people For the first time, in 80 rs
we have n postmaster general determined
to correct abuses, reform the civil SER
vice" and make his department scf-sus-
tanning His is civil service reform that
speaks / l acts not words. Ec sigualZed
his enhance into Office by promptly re-
moving incompeier' and corrupt post
masters IN Texas AMI other parts Of the
south an where ne could not find sen
nf INTEGRITY and sufficient ability for The
Offices in the republican ranks, he dared 10
commit the objectionable sin of appoint
ing men guilty Of voting for Horace Cree
ley For this act an act almost unparal-
leled since the LAYS Of John Qui {, Adams
the threat was openly made tba, lie
shoa,d not be confirmed by the Senate. For
tunatcly for To- country, the threat
was not put in execution, and
Marshall Jewell remains 10 work out
out other reforms. In looking over the
country, he found that the larger postoillces
were practically sinecurcs so far as the in
cumbent of the office, the responsible post
master was concerned; that the postmaster
draws the salary willie all the work is done
BY subordinates that these sinecures were
simply held as political rewards for party
services that business offices were not
conducted on business. but Oh political
principles and so he prepares 10 strike a
blow at this abuse, remove the postofllce
from politics and effect large annual sa-
wing TO the country. Again he secs the
way in which, as it is alleged, Barlow,
Sanderson & Co., secure monopoly of
mail contracts at the far west, receive OK
orbitant amounts from the government
therefor, and, with one sweep of the pen,
down go ''straw bids" In spite OF tLcim-
portunitcs OF Senator Nipple Mitchell,
the postmaster-generalp persisted in the de-
termination to effect saving in the trans
poYtation of the mails, and Informed the
senator that ''he knew the service was in
the hands of ling, and that he would
break ii up if he had to let the mails of
Oregon rot MONTH The country may
well be proud of such cabinet minister
would that there were more of them. Here
is practical, ever day "ciyil service re-
FORM" wherein the "spoils' belong TO the
"victor" only when he is the best man for
the place. If tho President had more
Jewels and BIistows in his cabinet, and
fewer of another class, reform would moi
commence in resolutions and end the mo-
ment office was obtained Postmaster
General Jewell may not suit party zealott
and western mail contractors, but he does
the mass of the people without distinction
of party.