The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1877-07-18

Anent the latest phase of civil
service reform-the Presidents order
forbidding ofice-holders to take q
part in politics-Col. A. C. Sands of
Cincinnati, in a published letter to a
friends make the following pithy and
sensible remarks:
As to civil service reform | am
free unhesitatingly to declare that
the Administration has made a mis-
take. The declaration, in the Presi-
dents inaugural address,, that tenure
of Office should be secure so long as
reputation remains untarnished, and
the performance of duties satisfactory,
is in a measure commendable. i
would, however, for reasons which
seem to me defensible upon the high
est principle, couple with it. as requi-
site to retention in Office, "fealty to-
party Aparty in power is respon-
sible for the excellence of its civil
service, and it but invites it's own
destruction by proposing to retain
enemies in its own camp. One of
the most thoroughly democratic Presi-
dents that aver lived-I use demo
cratic" in the sense of popular" and
mean Mr.. Jefferson-declared as his
rule of civil service, upon attaining
power, that he would not interfere
with the politics of Federal officials,
provided they were not openly antago-
Eistic to his Administration. In that
contingency be promptly discharged
them, as serious obstacles to his
usetulness-a course which / take to
be both expedient and commendable.
So as to the order prohibiting Of
ice-holders form taking part in
political management. The best men
OF the party should certainly be
selected for Office and as certainly
the best men Of the party should not
be excluded from It's political man.
agcment. To bar out, for
example, from active participa-
ton In political affairs, the 5000 Re-
publicans holding Office 10 the State
of Ohio, is to discharge the flower of
your army at the very moment when
you are entering upon q fight. They
are the men most experienced in po-
litical. work; they are the men from
whom we have the most right to ex.
pect the work; and If they be of that
cbaracto- which alone could Justify
in Office. / can see no
earthly reason. as l certainly can see
no earthly right, for declaring them
from exercising that highest preroga-
tive of an American citizen-the
.~rerogatise CT making his own
And as TO the converse of the
above rule-tbe~ question OF whether
Office should be given as a reward
political service. there lisa vast
deal of illogical demagoguery uttered
upon that subject also. In all de-
Of public life good service
commands pecunisry recompense.
1t should command it from the Gov
eminent. as well as from the mer-
ehant-from the party as we'll as
from the corporation. That virtue
its own reward may hold in alb
straot ethics; but We well know that
10 politics, and In every branch of
pursuits, there must be some
more tangible reeompense beld out
we would invite q high grade of
performance For q party to refuse
% avail itself OF opportunities to re-
ward those faithful to the p.inoi-
lies, and of service TO its cause, is to
place q ban upon such faithfulness
and service. and to labor for its own
OF course there is
room for reform 10 the be-
stowal Of of6ce-of course personal
itness should always accompany
service-but to that the
,arty itself is constrained for sake Of
ia own safety. 1t is responsible for
he character of its own SERVANTS
that responsibility. and you
that which most contributes to
Ie~teriorste the public service. There
ave never been sach public robber-