The New York herald., 1877-10-19
THE CIVIL SERVICE.

A MEETING OF RKroRMERs AT ASSOCIATION
HALL LAST EvENING-soME PLANS AND
PROJECTS CoNsIDERED.
Last nights meeting OF the civil service reformers
ut Association Hall was numerousv attended. bc
tween two and three hundred men only, mostly well
advanced in years, and few ladies being present
There was scarcely enough applause to indicate a
lively interest in subjects discussed, tho speeches
being received very placidly
shortly before eight o'clock Rev Dr. Bellows ad-
vanced the front Of the platform and said hc had
the honor naukuratc the FIRST regular meeting OF tho
Civli Service Reform Association, an organization OF
ctzcns without regard party aliations united for
the purpose OF promoting civil service reform. He
then proceeded 10 deliver long address,
Government he said, is the greatest. most serious
and widely influential form of business; The officials
or clerks who carry out the rules ana execute the
and plans OF the rm which In this case is the
nation, acting through Congress and finally through
the Executive head-the Presidcnt-are the agents
through whose fidelity, zeal and competency
know perfectly well that In every great
private concern company, involving the necessity
OF many agents, clerks aborers. the efficiency OF
the business and It's prosperity depends largely upon
the judgment and the sound principle upon which its
employees selected, promoted and sustained Now,
tho methods aud rules recognized In private
as conditions OF success obviously moro
Seuelcent moro necessary ana more binding " en-
the business concerns directly The whole country.
EARLIER EFFORTS FOR REFORM.
The efforts hitherto made Tor reforming the civil
ful-none the less honorable and useful for having,
Tor various been deemed partially
conducted with high Intelligence aud great labor,
and am not convinced that they have not wrought
very tho main IN as as
all such movements in this country, has
been IN pIOo n .enton aou and ealing on.
the people ~ large, In calling their attention 10 the
working Of the governmen. machine, upon whose
power without often considering how the machine
works Nothing Is 50 fatal to honesty anc virtue as
the habits Of easy living fastened BY previous pros
prosperity gone, but with their established
for meaas ana Of s .ns
There arc principles which ought to govern the civil
service which would leave very tow changes or ap-
pontments at the mercy OF any new adm nstration.
FIRST that candidates should DO selected, hrst and
foremost lor fitness and character Second, that
they should De made, as much possible, class Of
persons expecting devote their lives
and narrowed to the smallest possible humOer-a
iustve ana injurious disposition OF kundrediold
more than can ever attain Office and fortie source
merit and length OF service should be and not
excsption that aithtulness might expect It's
rewards IN the natural course OF that whch had oeea
adopted AZ profession and last that long and faith-
u services should end In rotiracy on hait pay, like
the military and naval commissions.
rARrY CONSIDERATIONS.
With all our party cries and supposed devotion 10
party there unhappily little real allegiance to party,
IN the good OF the word, IN this country. we
neither faithful TO leaders principles
but only 70 success Tho arst party that adopts the
principle of absolute separation between tho MINOR
merely ministerial auxiliary Offices OF tie country
and political measures, and goes before the people
with an earnest and wholly sincere determination TO
the civil reform in all Its spirit will
be surprised at the preparation that exists receive
their doctrine and 10 maintain II with votes.
OTHER SPEAKERS
Hon. Oswald Ottondorier, tho next speaker, said,
among other things
Our political parties constituted they at present
are, have right to exist They are a conttnu uous
danger TO the best interests OF country; they
threaten suck the marrow OF the nation; they
know Is OF the principal sources OF the prevailing
corruption II In earnest with the reform. Tor
the promotion OF which this meeting was called, II we
sincere and true advocates of civil service reform
then our rs resolution must be TO contribute 10 the
fullest extent of our ability to the dissolution and
abolition OF present political parties, and to make
use overy opportunity that occurs 70 accomplish
| that purpose
Professor Dwight said he fet the great mistake poo
pie ma We made Is to believe that to hold olico
accepted the right OF person who has helped the
party power to place. As a remedy he suggested,
FIRST should emanclpate the appointing power.
The President of the United States did no wrong ACT he
said wncn he SAID TO the oice- holder, "A ithdraw
IRON politics THIS does not abridge his liberty 1t
Is calculated to enhance hts efficiency In the probes
SION has selected ana from which he must earn his
living.
Rev Dr. Hitchcock, the last speaker, said tnat he
civil service reform advocates were stlgmltzed as
scntimcn tsts and drcamcrs, but TO the critics wao
called them so he would say the dreams OF to-day, u
true become the battles oil tomorrow aud :he vico-
ries the day alter The political parties OF to-day
cared little Tor this organization, but II had deter
! There was great middle wave that would 60 with
! other party supporting civil service reform.