The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-05-31
Rifllnlolld lispatrh.
:tru11Rsp aY !. ]. -. NAY 81. 1877.
Ciyl-Service Reform.

We are not astonisneo thas IieStu Ve'u
HaYEs's ideas of the duties Of public officers
should meet the opposition OF the ultra Radi-
ca, sheets. The New York Times leads OFT
In an elaborate editorial criticIging the Pre-
siieness views as altogether unsatisfactory
upon the crest question OF civil-serYice, re-
form. The Presidents reform does not at
all suit those.who have held that the Office
holders must be employed as force TO hold
their positions and keep the party that APP
pointed them in power; that they must oe
all the time active, using their influence ana
means as partisans to keep possession Oh cue
administration OF the Government ana aVo'o
any Judgment of the people that may DC
rendered against them. .eE
Mr.. HAYEs's ideas are strictly IN accord
ance with the principles laid down by tue
fathers OF the Republic: Such as that the
nnblic officer is public servant, and is &C
co,,n.abYe to the public for the fidelity with
which he performs his duties--that the peo-
ple must Judge OF the manner III Whlch
these duties are performed, and that the
public officers must submit to their tudg-
luent, Therefore, the public officers being
on trial, it is not proper or consistent WITH
the theory Of our Government that they
should interfere with the trial. or seek to
avoid the public decision by obtrudlng
themselves into the elections. !,
Their duties are defined. and to these
their time and labor, should be devoted.
The people being the source OF authority
under our theory Of government, it would
be an utter perversion OF that theory for
the Government, withits means and patron
ace. to control the people. And Mr.. HAYES,
conforming to this true idea OF our repub-
lican Government, declares that office
holders should not NEEDLE in elections or
be assessed to raise money to be used IN
elections, In uttering these opinions, and
intima;ing that he means to carry them out
in his administration rs far as he can, he
passes cenSure upon the custom OF the Rad,-
cal party, and cannot expect to meet the
appreciation OF the extreme members and
presses OF that party who have seen what
powerful agency the money and influence
OF the office-holders is in fight with the
people to continue in power the ruling
party. .....i I,
Mr.. HAYES goes directly to the principal
points of reform. The great abuse OF OIL
cial power was in the very thing OF bring
ing the strength OF the Government-itseif
under trial-to bear upon the decision OF
the people,. 1t has been great source OF
corruption aud official delinquency. The
President and heads OF Departments. con-
niviny at such corruption, gave additional
rein and immunity to the official vices,
and rapidly steered the Government, into
sea OF decentralization where official con-
scientiousness utterly ceased, and the rela-
lions OF otfice-holders to the people were al
together disregarded.
To put q check upon this highway to evils
in the State Mr.. HAYES has struck proper
blow. It is by bringing back the executive
officers to the old system, under which it
was thought great error and great act OF
assurance for an office-holder to appear on
the hastings and at the polls, that the prac-
tice that threatens the liberties Of the peo-
pie by organizing the army OF officials in
war with the people is to be checked. 1t is
the true remedy-the only one under the
present Constitution; and we consider Mr..
HAYES as having done a faithful and wise
act in urging it upon the nation with such
signal franknesS. $50 '"
During GRANTS adnlinistr alton 1t was
considered that there was ciyil-service re-
form that related to the capacity OF officials,
the machinery OF which might be so adjust
ed as to secure competent appointees. We
had system, fashioned by G.. W. CURTIS
and other Republican partisans, and it was
set in motion under great show OF patriot
ism. The questions propounded to applicants
for office were remarkable. They were ex-
pected to know great many things con-
corning the heavenly bodies and distances
from planet to planet, 'tfrom heaven to
EARTH" &C., which few men can tell off,
hand; and it was the man who had to ply
his talent as scribe and in arithmetic that
was thought to be altogether fit for his
work when he was al fat in astronomy.
A mockery of an examination such as that
proposed all could see would only end in
appointing out OF a body Of men who had
all failed just the man indicated by his
party relations as the one that the party
should appoint. This reform broke down
OF its own absurdity, and G RANT treated it
with contempt. - - y R:.2.'i
; President HAYES cuts the Gordian knot
OF the question, and comes directly to the
point. II he only stops the public officers
from dabbling in politics and neglecting
their duties to attend to party interests, and
being forced to contribute their money to
party purposes, he will do all he can.
The great point in civilservice' reform
would be to abolish the vile and corrupt
custom Of rewarding party service with
public offices. Such service becomes sor-
did, and then 1t is rewarded by dividing
amongst the victors that which, belongs to
the people. The only way to reform that
is to put it in the Constitution that men APP
pointed to public Office shall hold their
places during good beha yior and capability.
Unless it be constitutional provision the
custom Of giving the public offices to par
tisans will continue as long as the Govern
ment lasts.
Mr.. HAYES himself has found the great
difficulty of disregarding that custom which
has so long prevailed in this country. This
very business of appointments we are sure
has given him more trouble than anything
else in his official life. We honor him for
do;no ,x,hat he NAV f0 diminish the GREAT