The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1877-07-21
clvll SERVICE REBORN.

III tate years We nave heard much.
bat have seen but little Of civil service
reform, Il has or had grown to be
beautiful ahstraction--au uDattainable
excellence which hung just out of the
reach OF nlortais. 1t possessed all the
charm OF an Arcadia yet unyisited,
Happy Valley yet unexplored, indeed a
veritable political Utopia How often
and ariently political patriots turned
longing glance in the direction where it
was supposed 70 haye local habitation
and name. Bat alas the national
capital gave out nothing but sweet
promises. Grant was at no time in his
presidential career strong enough TO
break with the coriGorants at whom
the new principal was leveled. With
him civil service reform was a pretty
thing to talk about, but when reduced
to practice, too many OF his friends came
or would have come under its ban. This
did not suit the presidential purposes
at all, al ALL and would have left the
third term idea high stranded on
political lea shore where inevitable
wreck would have been the sure re
suit.
Before the idea could assume form
and shape, 1t became necessary TO have
a president outside OF party, or who
could rise superior to its prejudices. 1t
matters not how Mr. Hayes came To be
without party so far As this discussion
Is concerned, it is sufficient that it
is so, and he is the very man to
put in operation the new and promis
ing principle. Ii he will go so far now
~ to appoint men TO position, or sup
plant inefficient or bad men with capa-
BILE and pure men without reference to
party, he will have taken the second
step forward. The first was really taken
the other day, when he ordered federal
officials IN Pennsylvania to abstain from
all interference in the conduct of local
political affairs. Let him but apply
this truly benehcent rule to Texas, and
how soon the few republican papers
| here would wither and die. Ii would
be bad thing tor the papers, but an
excellent thing for the publishers a.
well rs the public service. / has always
struck as as a terrible inconsistency that
an oiliceholder should us such be par
titan The minority has equal right
with the majority, and an officer serv.
ng the people dare not make distine.
tons. How, then, could he be active
in the daily affairs of party and serv.
the general public impartially II i,
necessary TO choice that there should
be two parties, but the moment thu
people have spoken that choice tn,
servant of the whole people created b,
il must, under this new principle, die
to party preiutices. 1t is "a grand idea
and if Mr.. Hayes does nothing els.
during his term, this is quite sufficient
to earn for him the deathless gratitud,
Of the American people
All our political corruption is clearl,
traccablo TO the partizsnship OF the of
fioeholder % the inyincible desire fol
reelection or in the service of politica
adherents or friends. When it is known
that the successful candidate will no
have 1t in his power to reward servic.
or push private interests, the interes
felt in him by ambitious expect
ants will sink to zero. The futur,
oiiiceholder is 10 be not only the choic,
of honest people. but he is to be theii
servant, and not the mere almoner o.
governmental favors for those who
were loudest in their advocacy of hi.
claims while his candidacy continued
Good comes out of evil sometimes
and the corrupt returning boards, anc
the corruptly partizan electoral com
mission, have dug their early graves
and they are wide. deep and silent
The returning board president has hi.
uses after all