National Republican., 1877-07-13
CLIIL SERHICE REEORM.


those who were reluctant to abandon posi-
lions, which, in many instances, gave them
vast political power The opposition to
llat measure has come chiefly from the
politicians The people have everywhere
joyinlly hailed IL rs an indication that the
pledges made by both political parties in
the last campaign will he carried into effect
by the President rs speedily as possible.
The facts revealed to the public by the
Presidents order were amply sufficient to
prove the wisdom Of issuing 1t. That al
most all the political machinery of the Re-
publican party was in the hands of men
who were holding offices, which bound
them TO devote all their time 20 the service
of the Government, was an unswcruhlc nr-
grment in favor of the expedicucy of and
the necessity for the order. especially in
view Of the wen known ihct that political
managers in past times were almost inva-
riably notorious for their incflicicncy aud
their neglect of their official duties.
We believe that the Pre- sidcnt's order is
right in principle; that 1t is approved by
the people, and that il is The first and most
important of long series of measures, many
of them equally radical, which it win he
found necessary to adopt in order to con.
struct n harmonious, efficient and pcrma.
mancnt system of civil service reform.
There are certain important fundamental
truths which should he borne in mind in
considering this subject. The system can
not be made n success il il is left dependent
upon the good will of the President tor the
time being; therefore, it will never he Sc
curely established until its fundamental
principles are cngIaited into the Constitu-
tion itself As the matter now stands, how
ever as much disposed rs the President may
he to carry il toprnctical effect, it is with
in the power of the members of Congress
drectly and indirectly, to render all his cf-
forts Intellectual, by failing to cooperate
with him in good faith. This Is really the
greatest danger which the reform has to
encounter. especially when il is remembered
that the Republican platform explicitly de-
clares that members of Congress should not
in any way interfere with appointments TO
Office.
II would be hard to eXaggcratc the diff
Cultics which the President must encounter
in this work. We believe that no such
difficult task was ever laid upon any of his
predecessors, for the old system has obtained
and political life of large class of people
that the President will have many serious
obstacles to overcome before his efforts can
be crowned with success The class whose
interests will be uniavonbly affected by
the reforms are active and familiar with
the methods of political management, and
they will not be slow in making use of their
knowledge and experience to thwayt de-
signs which, if successful, would destroy
their influence and reduce them to ohscur-
ity.
These considerations render it important
that the people should watch with unre-
mitted attention the progress of the rresi-
dent in his good work. His strength lies in
the popular support. The conduct of all
public men should he carefully scrutinizcd,
80 that all open or covert Efforts to defeat
the reform may at once be detected exposed
and condemned.
This work could he greatly aided often by
practical suggestions as to the mode in
which its details should he carried ont. In
this connection we wish TO suggest that it
might be well to issue an order to all the
heads Of Departments to keep in their re-
spective Departments, open to public in
spection, lists Of the names and places of
the residence of all applicants for
Office, the positions applied for and
by whom recommended. No appointment
should be made until at least fifteen days
public notice has been given by placing the
plicants for Office being open to public in
spection, would of course be published in
the newspapers, together with the names OF
the persons recommending them. The
names of all persons resignng or retiring
from Office should likewise be given to the
public In short, the whole appointment
business should be brought out into the
bright light of day, so that everybody could
see how everything is done.
The advantages Of this proposal are nu-
merous and obvious. Men would be more
careful about who they indorsed if they
knew their recommendations would he pull
lished to the world. Recommendations for
political reasons, being rcpugnant to the
SYSTEM would, OF course, disappear 1t is
notorious that in many eases heretofore the
appointing power has been grossly imposed
upon by recommendations in favor of in
competent and unworthy men, and the re-
| fined and respectable ladies in the service
have too often been insulted by having bad
women thrust into their company by the
secret influences of politicians, This could
seldom, if ever, happen if the lists We're sub
iect to the proposed public inspection. We
! believe that such measure rs this would
strike at the root of many of the most
serious evils of the present system.
orr MEXICAN RELATIONS
The character Of the instructions given ia
Gen. ORD Us TO the course to be pursued by
him for the suppression of Mexican raids