The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-04-09

Civil Service Reform.
While approving the efforts of Secretary
Schurz to reorganize his department in ac-
cordance with sound ideas of an efficient
civil service we trust that reform in that
direction is not to be limited to the volun-
tary action of members of the administra-
ton. Unless something more solid and
enduring is attempted the civil service re-
formers will build upon the sand, and when
the winds blow and the floods come their
ediice will be undermined and swept away.
If this reform is of any value it should not
rest on the discretion or caprice of indi-
vidual officers of the government. They
hold their places by frail tenure !;
they come and go; it frequently happens
that there are several successive heads of the
same department in the course Of one ad-
ministration, and so long as the civil SER
vice is left to be regulated by the mere
views of transient heads Of departments we
can have no assurance that what one officer
does his successor will not subvert. 1t is
indispensable to put this important sub
ject under the stable control of law and not
leave it to the caprice of individual men,
1t so happens that Secretary Schurz has
distinguished himself by jealous, persistent
advocacy OF n reform in our civil service,
and he is bound in all consistency to prac-
tise what he has preached. But it
is unfortunately true that major
ity of our experienced public men do
not share either his views or his zeal, and
If, by the accidents of politics, he should go
out Of Office next year or the year after there
are many chances that his successor would
be Indifferent to his reforms. Neither in
this matter nor in any important matter do
we want government Of individual caprice,
but government Of laws. Playing at
civil service reform is merely writing in the
water until we can regulate the appoint
ment, qualifications and tenure of officers
by strict and stable law. Congress might
pass efficient laws, but it is not expedient to
trust this matter even to the discretion Of
Congress- The laws passed by one Congress
can be repealed by any other; and demo-
cratic Congress which found all tho Offices
filled by the republican appointees OF pre-
ceding administrations would be strongly
tempted to repeal laws which prevented
their party from receiving what it would
consider an equitable share of the Offices.
The only effective way to grapple with the
evil is by amending the constitution, as
President Hayes acknowledged in his inau-
gural address. The one term amendment
which he recommended would remove the
chief temptation to abuse the appointing
power, and if this were accompanied by
another amendment making minor civil off,
GERS irremovable except for dishonesty or
ineficiency there would be no further
trouble on this head.
As provisional reform, until the constitu-
ton can be amended, we would gladly see
law passed by Congress forbidding, under
severe penalties, the payment of money for
election expenses by federal ofice-holders.
1t should be penal offence, involving for
fixture of Office, either to solicit such money
or to pay it. Such contributions are in the
nature of brides paid by ofiice-holders to
retain their places, and it ought to be treated
with as little mercy as any other kind of
bribery practised in connection with cleo
tions or with the acquisition of Office Such
a law, and one or two others that might be
suggested, would do great deal toward
divorcing our civil service from active
politics.; but the only effci ent remedy is to
be found in an amendment to the constitu-
ton. On this great subject nibbling reforms
are no real reform at oil.