The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-12-15
Mr.. Hayes Civil Service Experi-
ment.


for civil service reform. and We would fain
believe that this is one Of the cases in which
'.the blood of martyrs is the seed OF the
Church." He has staked and lost but II Is
in his power to make new stake whicn
|: may possibly win. 1t is his interest, the
interest of the republican Senator's and OF
the whole republican party that this IN
fortunate difference be in some way accom-
modated. The republican party hns be-
come too weak to afford an intestine quarrel.
The matter has not yet gone so TAR
as to preclude o reconciliation. Con-
cessions will Of course have to be made
on both sides, but if sense and patriotism
and not mere pride Inconsistency, could ad-
just the terms there might be an honorable
and satisfactory compromise. The cher
difficulty lies in making the first advances.
1t is not to be expected that either the
President or his leading opponents in the
Senate will hazard advances which the other
party to the quarrel might misinterpret as
sign of weakness and which might prove
embarrassing if the quarrel should con-
tinue. 1t is case for the intcrposltion
and good offices of mutual friends.
If eight or ten distinguished republic
cans like Governor Morgan and Thur
low Weed, of this State; Governor
Rice, OF Massachusetts Governor Hart
ranft, of Pennsylvania Mr. Washburne,
Of Illinois, and Mr. Chandler, of Michigan,
were to visit Washington for purposes Of
consultation and to tender their good offices
they would probably succeed in restoring
harmony. Even if they should fail neither
the President nor the Senators would be
compromised by their disinterested efforts
The only point Of real difficulty is the
method of filing the federal offices, and the
Senators could probably be induced to con-
cede great deal to the views of Mr.. Hayes
on this subject for the sake of party unity.
If this quarrel continues he is powerless to
do anything for the reform which he pro-
fesses to have so much ut heart. The Sena-
tors would expect him to yield something,
but he would still be able to accomplish more
than is possible without their consent and
support. If he cares more for substance
than for form, and is not welded to his own
methods merely because they are his, he
should be willing to serve the country in
the best way he can under the limitations
imposed by the views Of his party. He has
certainly made great mistakes some Of
which it would be an act Of candor 10
acknowledge.
President Hayes idea that the federal
officers ought not to control the local poll
tics of their States was entirely sound and
right, but his mode of rectifying that evil
was foolishness itself. The true idea Of the
civil service is that which has SO long pre-
vailed in regulating the military service.
The army is, beyond al question, the purest,
most upright and most efficient branch
Of the public service. The army officers
never exhibit meddlesome zeal in party
politics. although there is no executive
order or regulation forbidding it. Most of
them are SO indifferent that they do not
even take the trouble to vote, and it is very
seldom that any Of them make display Of
electioneering activity. The reason is that
they have no personal stake in the success
or defeat Of political parties. If the civil
service Of the government were as indie.
pendent as it's military service its officers
would hold themselves equally aloof from
party contests. If Mr.. Hayes had had a true
conception Of civil service reform he would
have aimed to cut up the evil by the roots
by taking away the motive for olec-
tioneering activity on the part of the
civil officers If the army officers were
liable to removal at the mere caprice Of po-
litical parties and their commissions de-
pended on the pleasure Of the President or
party majority in the Senate we should
see their present sleepy interest in politics
exchanged for the same hot and headlong
zeal which marks the conduct of civil off,
GERS who feel that their tenure is staked on
the success of the political party to which
they belong. Even if Mr.. Hayes noted
civil service order had been as great sue
cess as it has proved to be failure the
effect would have been as transient as "the
morning cloud or the early dew" 1t could
not have lasted beyond his own administra-
ton, and his democratic successor or his re-
publican successor would have been at full
liberty to revive the old system. reform
which does not rest on a more enduring
basis than the life or the caprice Of the one
man who happens to be President for the
time being is too frail and worthless to be
Of any substantial value.
The arguments which have been put forth
by some Of Mr.. Hayes defenders during his
contest with the Senate are subversive Of
the fundamental principle of civil service
reform. It has been contended that mas
much Us he is responsible he ought to have
an untrammelled selection OF his subor-
dinates. But he is DO more responsible for
the civil service than he is for the military
service. The army would not be improved,
but demoralized, if he could displace its
officers and appoint successors at his
pleasure. He is wisely precluded by law
from doing this, and the administration OF