The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-08-10

der notes by gradual and safe process,
tending to release the present business
distress. If charged by the people with
the administration of the Executive Of,
fee, l should deem it duty 80 to exer-
else the powers with which il has or may
be invested by Congress as best and
soonest to conduct the country to that
benifcent result.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
The Convention justly affirms that re-
form is necessary in the civil service.
Necessary, in order that ordinary en-
ployment of public business may not be
a prize fought for at the ballot box; a
brief honor assigned for proved compe-
tency and held for fidelity in public en-
ploy. The Convention wisely added that
reform is necessary even more in the
higher grades of public service. The
President, Vice President, Judges, Sena-
tors, Representatives, cabinet officers,
these and all others in authority are not
a private perquisite. They are public
trust.
TWO EVILS
Infest the official service of the Federal
Government. One is prevalent and de-
moralizing. The notion that the 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 the servants of the people.
Under the influence of this pernicious
error public employments have been
multiplied. The number of these gath
cred into the ranks of Office holders
have been steadily increased beyond any
possible requirement of public business
while ineAiCiency, peculation, fraud and
malversion of the public funds from the
high places of power to the Lowest have
overspread the whole service like lep-
rosy.
The other evil is the organization of
the official class into body of political
mercenaries, governing cauCuses and
debating nominations of their own party,
and attempting to carry elections of the
people by undue influence and by i'm
mense corruption frauds, systematically
collected from the salaries and fees of
Office holders. The official class in other
countries, sometimes by its own weight
and sometimes in alliance with the army
has been able to rule unorganized masses
even under universal suffrage. Here it
has already grown into gigantic power,
capable of sitting inspirations of sound
public opinion and of resisting an easy
change of administration, until misgov-
ernment becomes intolerable and public
spirit has been slung to the pitch of
civic revolution.
THE FIRST STEP IN REFORM.
Is the elevation of the standard by
which the appointing owerseleCts agents
to execute official trusts, The next in
importance is a CONSCIOUS fidelity in the
exercise of authority, to hold to account
and displace untrustworthy or incapable
subordinates. The public interest in
the honest, skillful performance of official
trusts must not be sacrificed to the inter-
est of incumbents. After these immediate
steps which will insure the exhibition of
better examples, we may wisely go on to
the
ABOLITION OF UNNECESSARY OFFICERS,
And finally to patient, careful organ
ization of better civil service system
under tests wherever practicable of COM
potency and fidelity. While much may
be accomplished by these methods, it
might encourage delusive expectations.
TN FAVOR OF ONLY ONE TERN FOR PREsI-
DENT.
If / withheld here expression of my
conviction that no reform of the civil
service in this country will be complete
and permanent until its Chief Magistrate
is Constitutionally disqualified for re-
election, experience having repeatedly |
exposed the futility of selfimposed re-
strictions by candidates or incumbents,
Through this check only can he be effect
ually delivered from his greatest tempta-
ton to misuse his power and patronage
with which each Executive is necessarily |
charged. Educated in the belief that it
is the first duty Of citizen Of the Re-
public to take his fair allotment of the |
care and trouble in public affairs, have
for forty years, as private citizen, full
filled that duty. Though occupied in an
unusual degree during all that period |
with concerns of government, / have
never acquired the habit of official life.
When a year and halt ago, entered |
upon my present trust, it was in order to
consumate reforms to which, had already |
devoted several of the best years of my
life. Knowing as | do, therefore, from
fresh experience, how great the differ
ence between gliding through an official
routine and working out reform of sys-
TENS and policies, it is impossible for me
to contemplate what needs to be done in
the Federal Administration without the
anxious sense of the difficulties of the
undertaking. If summoned by the suf-
frages of my countrymen, to attempt this
work, l shall endeavor, with Gods help,
to be an efficient instrument of their
will. SAMUEL j. TILDEN.
To General John A. McClernand, Chair
man; Gen. W. B. Franklin, Hon. j.
Abbott, Hon. H. j. Spaunhorst, Hon.
H. ]. Redfeld, Hon. F. s. Lyon and
other members of the committee.