New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-04-01
TIE PEOPLES CANVASS.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.

Wv Ill SEkNlCE hLfOhM.
A CHANGE OF PARTY RULE NOT GUARANTEE OF
GOOD c OvERNMENT-THE HIGH CHARACTER OF
THE ARMN-A NEW CIVIL SERVICE NEEDED.
To the Edftor Of me Tribune.
SIR: isn't this an opportune time, amid all
the surface reveangs OF venay in public office, TO stop
and inaure into its causesl thing is very certain
If reform does not begin the United States VIII
not enjoy second centennial. How Is reform TO be
brought about9 Let us begin at the civil service in
oamest-nOt with stray pop-gun but win the Whoie
battery of public opinion Let competitive eXainna-
ton be established from all political influence and
let the successful competitor havethe assurance of hold
ing his place life good conduct and that when he
ge, ola he will be pensioned. Let him also enter INTO
the lowest grade in his department ana receive
promotion as vacancies and his conduct merits
Among the many prominent reforms which this VIII
bring abou. are FIRST infinitely better class OF men
IN positions nonelectve they will have every incen
tive to make themselves good public servants second
il viii give us better class of in elective Offices or
rather win take from them the possibility Of thai
damnable faint of baIterns many offices for one ms
pr missing and giving many small Offices for consider
able one has come be respectable and looked upon
as the legitimate thing. but how far removed IS the
United states senator Representative who bargains
for his Office with Office nom the one VINO gives ahG
takes gold The newspapers have frequently pointed
of late to army officers as models OF hoi,r anu
men. but his weaknesses hedged around ana tue
system of his accountability is so rigid hat ne Is con
assurance of fe Office and increase OF honors with
year, Furthermore, his honor Is sharpened 10y an I'M
write law better any that 10 ne found in the c1
code. Conduct unhecomiug an oficcr and q genie
man covers VAST area aud woe he to the careless
daring one who stray INTO that domain Auothcf great
evil which is caused, perhaps by the present had system
ACCOMPANYING the election of officers, deserves careful
consideration. viz che loose way OF making laws, enact
ing hose winch constantly appeal to mans cupd} aud
eXactiug eXoTbltant ris which VIII never IN honestly
collected The world stands horrorStrcken at the crime
OF The late Secretary OF War but LET the void stop ana
think and 1t will find that Gen. Bclknap was no worse
than the majority or men would b. III MS place
Lead IL, GOT INTO temptation ought not only 10 he our
PRAYER the guide all and especially thai OF our
lawmakers Human nature Is 10 more minnie IN lts re-
sistauce than any visible substance, therefore shod
ayed and shored on all sides ana have temptation
removed from il possible Many plans Tor r.
form viii suggested and advocated especially tlht
hackneyed one change of party, but the cN is deeper
than the necess ~ of The hulk % TIE Nc,scI
is w0meateu and her bottom cosgGi with hallacrs
aud no new crew make her sail unt she l. tdhcn 10
the dry ana cr bottom s"rdped ana new lanbS
inserted What the Democrats did under IN" motto,
Ito the victor belongs the spols The Republicans have
repeated and what TIE Republicans have done thc Dem
ocias will continue TO do. O.
Fort LearonpOrth, kan, March l6, 1870.