New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-05-09

Mr.. s. s. Cox and Mr.. Milton Sayler, bOth I'M
derstood to be candidates for Speaker and
each having. like Mr. Randall and others,
large majority of the members already pledged.
But it was not known until within a few days
that both were running as Administration can"
didates Ii is now known, from developments IN
connection with recent appointment, that Doth
these gentlemen, being entirely satisfied WIN inc
Southern policy of the Administration, had put
themselves in personal and somewhat conil-
Dental communication with the PRESIDENT
Singularly enough, however, both gentlemen
entertained lingering doubts as to the fresi-
dents sOundness on the other great iSsue-to
wit, that of reform i'll the civil servlce-anu
desired to put him to the test. what Is more
singular STILL and by most remarkable CO.
incidence, both happened upon the same test
and recommended the same appointment.
Both recommended Mr. George II. Butler Tor
an appointment as pOst-Ofiice agent to the
BLACK Hills. Mr.. Cox, with great effusveness,
commended him as "a nephew of Gen. But
"ler,r with "much of the Generals genius,
Except this-that he is a ready writer, as
"ready as the General is with the ora;" also
adding that he had "nevcr met a more de-
" cial -. that he bad "had difficult trusts"
and "wields the readiest pen of any para
"Craphist in the United States" Mr.. Sayler
spoke of HIM as :" man of remarkable ability
"and energy" and said he would be every
"glad" to see him appointed.
Mr.. Butler was appointed. 1t did begin to
look as though President Hayes and these
Democratic leaders were at one upon the sub
ect of reform in the civil service, and that both
could run for the Speakership on the Admin
istration platform. Something has happened
since then. Mr. Butler, upon receiving his
commission, started for DeadwO0d In the
highest kind of spirits. Not content with his
reputation as "paragraphist," but emulous
of the fame of his uncle, he took especial
pains to show to his fellow passengers that he
was as "ready with the oral" IA he was
with the pen His flow of spirits, with
which he is said to have been amply
supplied, and his readiness with the
"oral," which from all accounts appears to
have been rather too highly favored for any
thing this side of DeadwOOd attracted general
attention, and the notice among others of a
Methodist minister who had the curiosity to
write to Washington, making inquiries as to
the sort of reform in the civil service this
agent was a sample of. This communication
disclosed to the Administration the fact that
Nessrs. Cox and Sayler had an entirely differ
ent idea of what is meant by reform III the
civil service from that held in the departments.
The view held by the two statesmen named
turns out to be that reform in the civil service
means not that the service is to be reformed
or needs to he in any way, but that 1t Is to be
used as all instrument for reforming persons
whom no other agency can reach. Under
Democratic administration doubtless thousands
of such officers as Mr.. Butler would have been
put into the service to reform. That beng
the Democratic idea, it was not strange perhaps
that Mcssrs. Cox and Sayler should desire to
put the Administration to the extrem-
ut test They doubtless felt assured
that il The civil service could reform
Butler il could do anything. Upon
the discovery Of this radical disagreement
between the Administration and Mr.. Buffers
hackers as to the nature of reform in the civil
service, Mir. Butler was removed. Messrs.
Cox and Sayler will have to find some other
place for HIM This will not I've difficult Iii
case either of them shall be elected Speaker
And so il happens that there still remains
vital difference between the Administration
and the Democratic party. They differ widely
as To tbe real meaning of reform In the civil
service Mcssrs. Cox and Saylcr are no longer
running as Administration candidates. They
remain opposed to the Republican theory of
reform.