, 1877-09-18
THE F0uR-YEARs' TENURE IN THE CIVIL
SERVICE.

THE F0uR-YEARs' TENURE IN THE CIVIL
SERVICE,
We have already expressed the opinion
that It mny bc ultimately beneficial to tho
country II tho isauo Of Ciyi}-Sorvfcc reform,
shall become fsntnro Of tue tlebntes nt thu
next session Of Congress, and thnsbc brought
aquare1y before tile peoplu. 1t will n1orl at
tho present time pretty mir classification
Of tho public men Of Tho day, md enable tho
people 10 determine which ones may be
counted on to austain the efforts Of the rresi-
dent, anl which Of then. will insist upon
sststnining tho apoils system. The Natie
thinks That This issue may 1c brought before
the Senate by the removal Of tho Collector
and Naval Officer OF New York, who nro
representative oftlceholdcrs believing In the
system founded by AspnEw JACKSON. A
moro direct way, however, would be 10 move
the repeal Of Tho law which liinita tho tern,
Of tonuro In Office to four years from tho
tlnto Of tho commission. There can be ITO
pcrmaneney In the Civil Service rs
long M this law remains on tho
statnto-books. It's very existence is a
recognition Of tile sroils system. The torn
fixed corresponds with tho Presidents term,
mud seems to contemplate tho confcrring
upon every incumbent Of tho Presidential
chair tic privilege of filing the Offices Of tho
country with mon Of hia own selection. 1t
Is left to tho President arbitrarily to dcter-
mine whether ho will retain tho persons mp
pointed by his predecessor or I'LL their places
with new men. This law necessarily mikes
tho Government patronage either personal
or partisan perquisite. The growing c',s-
tom Of forty years has given It tho character
Of party spoils, but any President 1nny, ut
will, use It for personal purposes, as prcsi-
dent HAYES predecessor did TO largo ex-
tent. But, in either case, the necessary ro-
newal Of commissions once ovory four yonra
implies tho thoory Of rotation III Office,
which il tho very opposite Of the
principle Of pormanency in tho Civil
Service. 1uleed, JouH Qu1Scr Ap-
Axa eays in his tlinTy that tLu
passage OF this INV was procured by Mr..
CR4wFonD, who was Secretary Of tho Trons-
ury under srosnoE and candidate for
President in 1924, md ADAMS adtls that ho
consrivod the limitation ''so that Utmost nil
tho commissions would expire nj tho tims
when CnAwronD expoeted TO como in NJ
President" Though CnAwroRp was disap-
pointed in tho personal usc Which, no expect
Cd to be able to mako Of the lav, its per-
nic;oua influence Inns been felt ever since i,l
giving legal sanction TO the Wholesale cl,augo
IT the Government services at lcast onco III
four years, and M ofton as there is m OBJ
portunity for chauge in the ruling party.
4 proposition to repeal tl,is Inv would
bring tho merits Of Tho Ciy,l Service before
Congress, and prepare the wny fur its tl,x-
c,.$siou In oil its aApacts. Republicans mil
Democrats aliko could tnko position without
s..fcreuco 10 their party tliy;siuns. for both
parties arc committed by their platforms,
promises, and public uttorances III favor OF
reforming lilo Civi, sufvico. II obieotion
should como from the Democrats TINT 1t
would giyo Republicans MI advantage, i,,as-
mncl, M tho ol1sccholde.s would DO pretty
a,,,c!, all Republicans at tho time tlo feasurb
IT permanent tenure during good behavior
would 70 into cfIact, such MI objection would
merely show tho iuaIncerty Of their pro-
.'essel devotion 10 Ciyil.serv!co reform, Il
could be nnawerod, too, by citing tho presi-
,.ents order forbddlug -tllceholders to tako
ior, il ofY!cohollcra are 10 lsoep their hau,Is
olr purity politics, thon It is no longer 30 im-
p:rlaut whether they a-o Democrats or nc.
yublicaua, and tho Democratic party will
iulso tho same chance as the Republican party
Vt obtaining control In the future.
,vi,{c}, .Sill carrv with IL fra r,x;,,