The New York herald., 1876-11-27
A Great Opportunity for the Dcme-
cratic Party.


mark and distinction, men of honor, public
spirit and undoubted capacity. Both are
committed by all their antecedents to pure
and economical administration and to the
exercise Of their powers for the benefit OF
the people and not of their party allies.
Both take hold of power with the new year,
and we wish to point out to them and to the
influential democrats with whom naturally
they will advise that they have remarkable
opportunity to serve at the same time the
people of the State and city and their own
party interests.
The country is at last thoroughly awake to
the necessity of reform in the civil service.
1t has seen for many years, and never more
conspicuously than in the recent political
canvass. the office-holders used to influence
political action and the country burdened
with the payment of men who gave their
time and skill to party management.
A reform of this great and continually grow
ing abuse is imperatively demanded. The
people require that appointments to office
shall be made for fitness and fidelity, and
not as the reward of partisan services and
they require further that the occupant OF
subordinate Office shall not be turned out if
he is capable md honest, but shall hold his
place regardless of his political opinions.
1t seems to us that Governor Robinson and
Mayor Ely have an unusual opportunity to
gain public approval for themselves and
their party by using every effort and all
their constitutional powers in aid of this re-
FORM
Governor Robinson will, ut the opening
Of his administration, have the duty of Sc
lecting two of the most important State
officers, the Superintendent of Public Works
and State Prison Inspector, who take the
place of two boards under the constitutional
amendments. The high character and long
experience in State affairs Of the new Gov
ernor leave us in no doubt that he will make
excellent selections for these places. Indeed,
this matter could not be in safer hands. But
we advise him not to stop there. He ought
to lose no time in scrutinizing the character
and fitness of all the State officers over whom
he, together with the Senate, has the power
of removal and appointment. Some of these
are democrats, more are republicans (; many
are capable and honest officers, some per-
haps are neither, and some, no doubt, are
superhuous The fact that the Senate is re-
publican will not, we hope, deter him from
recommending removals where he finds i'm
proper persons holding Office or resisting
changes where the public interests would
not clearly be benefited. In the present
temper of the public neither party will ven-
ture to oppose measures of reform, and no
Governor of New York for many years has
had SO good an opportunity as Mr.. Robinson
will have to institute and establish reform
atory policy. Whatever the politicians may
say or do the people Of the State, regardless
of party lines, will zealously support him in
oil he does or attempts in this direction, for
everybody knows that the public service
needs to be purified and established on per-
manent and sound business basis.
What is true of Governor Robinson is
equally true of Mayor Ely. He has great
and singular opportunity to benefit the city,
and he will have the support of all good
citizens in his efforts. We do not doubt
that he will use his patronage" for the
public interest. But this, at present, is
only a negative virtue. We advise him to
go further; to examine carefully the civil
service of the city; to prune excrescences;
to remove idle, incapable and corrupt men
to insist on the abolition of sinecures to
retain and make secure in their places capa-
BILE and faithful public servants in short,
to use all his influence fearlessly to estab
lish here in the administration Of munich
pal affairs the same system which he would
insist on in his own private business.
II in pursuing such policy Governor
Robinson and Mayor Ely should find them
selves confronted by the opposition of
politicians, no matter Of what party, they
need not fear or hesitate. They will have the
support of all honest citizens, and of the
most influential indeed, the only infuen
tial-presses They will gain reputation by
fidelity to the people, and can lose it only
by submission to the politicians.
The democratic party is fortunate that it
has the power to lead the way in this ur-
gently needed reform here in the most pop
ulous State and in the principal city Of the
Union, and no less fortunate that the two
officers whom it has just chosen ore men
who favor such n reform, and have the abil-
ity and strength to carry it out. II Mr..
Tilden should become President Governor
Robinson and Mayor Ely can do very much
in this direction to strengthen his hands,
to enable him to resist partisan pressure and
to keep the public attention fixed in his
support. If Mr. Hayes should become
President tho democratic party cannot wish
for better opportunity to gain the public
confidence than it will find in the energetic
action Of the Governor and Mayor Of New
York toward reforming the civil service ofthe
State and city. The public no longer doubts