The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-05-07
what Is civil Service Reforms

D~"'
wishes and will need the support of all
thoughtful citizens but there is a good
deal of curiosity everywhere, among the
enemies as we'll as the friends of this
reform, to see how he will go about it. We
have the best evidence that he understands
tho question in the fact that he did not
begin his administration by receiving and
obeying the commands of Populations OF
hack and machine politicians, who came in
crowds to tell him how to form his Cabinet
and to demand offices for themselves. He
made his own Cabinet, rs he had right to
do. He framed it in such manner as he
thought would make it most helpful to him
in carrying out his policy. and that is the
sensible and, indeed, the only way. Hav-
ing done this he took another and not
less important step in civil service
reform by refusing to listen to OPP
plications for Office and sending the
officc-seekers home disappointed. to howl
against his Southern policy. BY these two
strokes he redeemed himself from the
slavery to which the machine politicians
confidently expected to subject him, rs they
had done previous Presidents. He struck
two valiant and successful blows for reform !;
people now wait curiously to see what next.
The single object of reform of the civil
service is to divorce it entirely from partisan
politics. When that is done the civil SER
vice will give the country but little concern.
Until it is done no amount Of examinations,
no laws or regulations or good resolutions
will be worth the paper on which they are
written. When a United States Senator
complained recently that the President had
not appointed single one of his men to
office, and asked, ''How the mischief am I
to get myself reelected ifthis kind of thing
goes on" that showed where reform is
needed. This Senator, and not he alone, but n
considerable proportion of members of both
houses, depend upon the appointment Of
their favorites to Office for their own re-
election; and men who thus sustain them
selves by the use of patronage are always of
a kind who can easily be spared from Con-
gress. Again, when federal United States
marshal becomes chairman Of partisan
State committee, that is n place where re-
form is needed. He is grossly misusing the
influence OF his place. When Cabinet off,
Ger consents to be chairman Of his party's
national committee, that is perhaps the
most scandalous and unblushing civil SER
vice abuse, for it sets bad example to every
other public officer Fortunately we do not
expect to see such scandal under President
Hayes.
Whenever federal ofice-holder, great or
little makes himself prominent as party
politician, he commits a serious offence,
for which he ought to be summarily re-
moved. If that were IN memorable rule we
should need no further reform of the
civil service. In fact, if the President
should issue tomorrow public proclama-
ton or order declaring that no clerk or
other subordinate officer in the federal SER
vice shall hereafter be appointed or removed
for merely political reasons; that no federal
officer shall be asked or allowed to pay po-
litical assessments, and that if any such
person takes any part in partisan politics,
aside from voting, he shall be at once re-
moved, that order would, SO long as it was
strictly adhered to, be sufficient to reform
the civil service All the abuses complained
of in the federal civil service arise out of it's
connection with partisan politics. General
Sharpe the other day testified before the
Custom House Commission that promi-
nent public man applied to him three times
to reappoint person who, he knew, had
been dismissed from his place for defraud-
ing the public. The dismissed clerk was
probably a good party "worker." On
Thursday Mr. Wentworth, n paymaster in
the Custom House, was asked if he knew of
any men or the payroll of the laborers who
drew pay but did no work; he impudently
replied, Next you will be asking me for their
Names" but being gently entreated by the
Commissioners, he presently admitted that
there were men on his payroll who did no
work and others who only walked about the
District nice distinction, by the way; and
further. that of the three hundred and
lightweight men on this particular roll one
hundred could be dispensed with. "The
men" he added, ''are appointed partly with
regard to political nfuence"-particularly
those. we suspect, who do the tall standing
around and walking about. Being still fur
Their Intercepted Mr. Wentworth admitted
that the thirteen weighers could BIO reduced
to six. They got two thousand five hundred
dollars year, and the seven who could be
dispensed with and who are probably zap
pointed partly with regard to political influ-
ence" cost the taxpayers thirty thousand
dollars q year. So far only the Custom
House officers and managers have been ex-
amined by the commission. 1t is extraordi-
nary that they generally admit that the
force in their different departments can be
reduced from ten to twenty per cent. If
the Custom House were put on a strict bust
ness basis, if it were absolutely divorced