Orangeburg news and times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1875-1877, 1876-09-23
The Candidates and the Civil
Service.
From IIarpcr's Weekly, Aug. 81. |

~" }ii'rPPrS > hcckiy, Aug. ~.
Many newspapers have published
the passage Of Coy. IIaycs's letter
that trcUs Of The reform OF the civil
service side by side with that Of Mr..
Fildens. 1t is the best way Of show
ing the real position OF each candi-
date. Coy. Hayes speaks i'll the tone
OF clear perception and profound con
vic'ion like man Of courage OK
pcc'ing quietly to face the contest
which his declaration in:okcs; Gov.
Tildcn, i'll the vague and cvasivc tone
Of one who knows that the public
opinion, which he wishes to propitiatc,
demands the reform, while the party
upon which he must chiefly rely for
election dcspiscs and nouts it. There
Is, moreover, an essential and radical
difference. Gov. Hayes believes sin
ccrcly aud has long believed in civil
service reform. Ills views are not
assumed for the purposes ofthis can
vass. III his inaugural address us
governor Of Ohio, in July, 1870, Gen.
Hayes said, allu,ling to partisan
patronage as the basis Of the civil
service,
'I'hc evils Of this system in State
affairs arc perhaps OF sm@ moment
compared with those which prevail
under he same system in the trans:,c-
ton OF the business of the national
government. But ut no distant ,lav
they are likely to l,ecomc serious even
in the administration Estate affairs
e :" : A.radical reform in the civil
service e the general government
has bccnFpropoScl 8; 8 :; The intro
luctinn Of this reform will be attend.
cd with some difficulties. But in re ;
vi<ing our State Constitution, If Ills
object is kept constantly III view.
there Is little reason to doubt that il
can be success ully accomp!iShcd'
Again, III 1872, ina public speech as
Il candidate for Congress, with no
more expectation Of Il nomination for
The presidency than the reader Of
these lines, Gen. Hayes, after a visor-
Gus description OF the evils of the pre-.
sent practice, said -
9Th, system is il bad one. 1t dcs-
troys the independence ofthc scpar-
ate departments Of the government,
and it dcgradcs the civil service. Ii
ought to be abolished . :; ); We ought
to have q reform Of the system Of
appointments to the civil sci lvicc,
thorough, radical, and complete
These are the words Ola practical and
experienced public man, who has sin
ccrc convictions and purposes upon
the subject. Gov. Tildcn, so far as
has ever appeared, has no opinions or
convictions upon it whatever, except
that public officers should not be
thieves and knavcs. He has crown
old iii the school OF Tic spoils." He
has never, TO our knowledge said Il
word III favor Ola reform Of tic spoils
system, on of non.parlisan service,
which is the substance Of reform, and
in his official acts he has CONFIRMED
strictly to the practice which it is the
object Of q thorough reform to de-
stroy. lie would undoubtedly have
honest men III Office, but llat is not II
reform ofthc civil service system.
in his letter Of acceptance Gov.
Tildcn says that there arc two evils in
our civil service: one is the prevail
cnt idea that it exists, not for the
benefit Of the people, but for that Of
the oilicc.holdcrs; and the other, the
organization Of the Office, holding class
into q band olpolitical mcrccnarics
he first step i'll reform lie states to be
the elevation ofthc standard Of clcc-
ton, and the second Il conscientious
exercise Of tho power Of removal.
After these wc may abolish unnccoss.
airy Offices, and then proceed to Tie
careful organization ofa better system
But no reform will be complete until
the President is disqualified for re
election. Gov. Tildcn snccrs at "scli:
imposed restrictions by candidates or
incumbcnts,' meaning the declaration
Of Gov. Hayes that he should not be Il