New-York tribune., 1877-05-16
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
DOES REFORM REFORM
| "NFLUENCED As 4 FACTOR IN TIE PROBLEM WHICH
CANSOT BE ELIMINATED

"INFLUENCED As A FACTOR IN TIE PROBLEM WllSH
CANSOT BE ELIMINATED.
To the EdttOr or The Tribune.
SIR: Does Reform reform ALI that is the
question Having been a witness To many changes OF
bureau administration well national adminlstra
ton and looked az this question Of reform from the in
side less than the outside, having good chance for
both and perspective views in more than one lie
partmcnt aud in uaHy Ollie ~ | constrained 10 say
that with all the writing the subject all the speaking
in social science conventions, and all the learned reports
of committees of Congress and other Influential bodies,
there vcI mt known the subject Of reform among
the people al large.
The country has had period Of lG years OF reform
since 1851. Mr. Lincoln it true, asnot pretended re-
former; bu he had in his Cabinet the ables minds then
in the country who attention to the evils Of admin
istton way, but without attempting change Of
system Seward, Chase Stanton Blair. and Pitt FesSen
den The abcst men OF the period aud were I'm oiee
darug the war, when the cXgeuces OF tine public bust
demanded the assistance OF gstcass suhordnates
That they able to manage the Immense business OF
the without confusion Is good evidence that they
assisted by competent and efficient whose ser
vices they individually and earnestly commended When
tie Finance Committee of the Senate were about to levy
the first tax, special for the carrying o the war; Mr.
Fessendeu. who close-istcd Yankee from state
Whose habits strictly Of tEe economic order, made
estimate Of The probable cost OF the collection and fixed
upon II per the proper figure aud provision was
that The actual or assessing ana
Letting 10 June So 1s63 314 per cent? to June 3d.
1864, PAT; 70 June 30, 1868, 2.9O-beng aver
age only 2s5 the first term Of Lncoln's admins
tralion. only onc-ffh much the estimate Of Mr.
Fcssenden. In 1876, when by years OF experience IN
thwartlng the officers and cheating the part
OF taxpayers acting under tue instructions Of cunning
lawyers aud expert eX-oGirers the collection has become
much difficult. the cost OF collection had rs'u only
i cent, and is stI abOut four times chcapy done
estimated 10y the Wiscst Of statesmen in 1861, in
taUso palmy days when tnc people had rot been cor
rupcd by currency and the spOs system was less
hoGry by rs years OF rank growth ana accumulated
energy.
Reform therefore does not reform The dose, whether
administered by kbJlitlJnis Chase, JOhnsOnian McCu
loCh Wig EcSsrGan, Republican Boutwell,, Democratic
tie Morrill,, somehow fails NJ SchurZ 20 apprehends
and now hc comes IN with change OF system lie Ge
poses influence. and, instead making appointments
huis. u. has rclegaed the matter To board, and now
hear mat the problem solved But is hi, sure
With my knowledge Of boards should that lniiu
not unknown to them. not much and while sccle-
tury ScIurZ does well 10 acknowledge that he would
probably not be able withstand it, what assurance has
h. that beard of suHOrdlnaes cant HE entire sum
total ~ the change that, instead appointing bis
friend, and The friends OF his friends, he allows the board
tO;'p puUt theirs and hat ia the total outcome.
Mr Hayes proposes 10 escape II, but he won't In ap
pointing Mr hey Postmaster General the dominant idea
Influence Southern opinion IN favor ~ his policy,
and Southern opinion more OF the same knd OF
noWishment, aud the argument which convinced the
President ~ the propricy of pacic0tiOn by inserting
Mr. Key INTO the Cabinet u Just stiOngm pleading Tor
continuance of fayOrs until the whole siuntiOn H. u1
locked When the combinations mature the Influences
viii become too strong ior any To resist ana the
mOdcln Samson Hl have in. II is 10 be-
merely question Of time; and very hong uir either
washington, D. e., Apr H. 1877. A. PAGE.