The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1876-08-15
CIVIL SERVICE REpoRM.


CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
The Convention justly sllirms that re
form is necessary in the Civil Service,
necessary to its purifcation,. necessary
to It's economy and its efficiency, neces-
sary that the ordinary employment of
public business may not be prize fought
for at the ballot-box, a reward of party
zeal instead of posts of honor, assigned
for proved competency, and held for
fidelity in public employ. The Conven
ton wisely added that .Reform is nee
essary, even more in higher grades of
public service, President, Vice President,
Judges, Senators, Representatives, Cab
| met officers These and all others in
authority are not a private perquisitei;;
tthey are a pnhiic. trust Two evils in
fest the official service of the Federal
Government. One is prevalent and
demoralizing notion that public service
exists not for the business and benefit
of the whole people but for the interest
of office holders, who are. in truth, but
servants Of the people Under the in
6uence of this pernicious error public
employments have been multiplied, the
numbers of those gathered into the
ranks of Office holders have been stead
lily increased beyond any possible re-
quirement of public business, while in
efficiency, peculation, fraud and malver-
sation of public funds, from high places
of power to the lowest, have overspread
the whole service like leprosy. The
other evil is the organization OF the Of
fetal class into body OF political mer-
cenaries, governing caucuses and dicta-
ting nominations of their own party,
and attempting to carry elections OF
people by undue infuerce and by i'm.
mense corruption funds, Systematically
collected from the salaries of fees OF
ofice-holders. The official class in 9th
er countries, sometimes by its own
weight and sometimes in alliance with
the army, has been able to rule unor.
ganized masses even under universal
suffrage. Here it has already grown in.
to gigantic power capable of sitting
the inspirations of sound public opin'
ion, and of resisting an easy change oi
administration, until misgovernment be
comes intolerable and public spirit has
been stung to the pitch of. a strong rev
olution.
The first step in reform is the eleva
ton of the standard by which the ap-
|pointing power selects agents to execute
official trusts. Next in Importance is 9
conscientious fidelity in the exercise OF
authority to hold to account and dis
place untrustworthy or incapable subor-
dinates Tie public interest in an hon
est, skillful performance of official trust
must not be sacrificed to the usufruct of
iincumbents. After these immediate
steps, which will insure the exhibition
of better examples, we may wisely 60
on to the abolishing of unnecessary
offices, and, finally, to patient, careful or.
ganization of better Civil Service sys-
TEN, under tests, wherever practicable
of proved competency and fidelity.
ONE TERM ONLY.
While much may be accomplished by
these methods, it might encourage de.
lusive expectations if withheld the ex.
preston of my conviction that no re.
form of the Civil Service in this coun-
try will he complete and permanent un.
til its Chief Magistrate is constitutionally
disqualified for reelection, experience
having repeatedly exposed the futility
of self.imposed restrictions by candi-
dates or incumbenls Through this So
lemnity only can be be etfectually deliv-
cred from his greatest temptation to
misuse power and patronage with which
the Executive is necessarily charged.
Educated in the belief that it is the
first duty of citizen of the Republic
to take his fair allotment of care and
trouble in public affairs, have, for for
ty years, as private citizen, fulfilled
that duty. Though occupied in an unu-
sual degree during all that period with
concerns of Government, / have never
. acquired the habit of official life. When,
year and half ago, / entered upon
my present Il ust, it was in order to con-
| 4
devoted several of the best years of my
life. Knowing rs do, therefore, from
past experience, how great the differ
ence is between gliding through an Off
cial routine and working out reform
of systems and politics, it is impossible
for me to contemplate what needs to be
done in the Federal Administration
without an anxious sense of the Difficult
ties of the undertaking. II summoned
by the suffrages of my countrymen to
attempt this work, Ishall endeavor, with
Gods help, to be the efficient instru-
ment of their will.
SAMUEL j. TILDEN.
To General A. McClernand, Chairman
General W B Franklin, Hon. j. j
Abbott. Hon H. j. Spannhorst, Hon
! H. j. Redfeld, Hon. F. S. Lyon, and
4 others of Committee, &c.