New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-12-28

from doing all In his power to take the custom iiou'o
out OF politics -,
Certainly not. On the contrary, we complain
that by such mistakes the President IS destroy
ing his power to take the Custom House out Oh
politics. BY such mistakes he made tine So
"called victory of Mr.. Conkling in the senate
possible.
Now for n few words on the general subject
Mr.. HAYES found the people, last March, hear
tly in favor of sweeping administrative re-
form. His promises reused enthusiasm MS
orders and proclamations, though they were
sometimes rash, were read with delight. III dis
practice then had been as good as his proies-
sions. public opinion would have forced Con
gress to cooperate with him, and we shoulu
have been spared the wretched dispute III the
Senate But rs a matter Of fact, he proceeded
mt once to violate his own pledges lie ihaue
some important appointments that were scan
dalous. He made others that were groteSque
And he distributed the patronage just as Con
gressmen had used it, to reward the
political activity of personal supporters. ms
last error was especially mischievous, because
when the people saw that there was really no
change in the manner of giving Offices, except
that the perquisite was taken away from 'oh-
pressmen, who at least pretended to employ IL
for the good of the party, and allotted to
Secretaries, who spent it for themselves,
cynical disbelief in the sincerity of reform
professions took the place of the generous
popular feeling which had greeted the In
augual Address. Losing thus the support
of public opinion, Mr. Hayes lost the
only force that could have enabled
him to carry out his project. He entered upon
the contest with the Senate single-handed.
With the fatal facility for taking bad advice
which we have had to lament so often III MS
public conduct he then chose for the battle
ground an utterly untenable position. lie pro-
posed to remove two honest and competent
officers, against whom no distinct offence could
be alleged, and to the chief of whom he had
already offered first-class consul -generalshlp;
and when the Senate refused to "advise and
consent tor the removal, it acted strictly
within the law and upon arguments which
could not be successfully assailed.
Well, some disappointed friends will ask,
What next7 Must the President give up
No. The way of Civil Service Reform is still
open before him. The first step Is to consoh-
date and strengthen the Republican party,
without which reform is out OF the question.
The second is to keep to his own promises, OF
making no removals except for cause, no ap-
pointments except for merit; he has not OBJ
served either of those pledges so far; when he
does, the Senate will not fight him. lie must
not attempt the impossible; he must not
overlook the restrictions of the law. And
neither he nor his good friends, like the
gentleman whose inquiries we have answered
above must imagine that the essence of re-
form is to get General Arthur out OF the New
York Custom House. 1t has not been proved
yet that the abuses in that institution cannot
be reformed cih the present Collector even
better than without him. If he refuse to carry
out the instructions Of lis official superiors
there will then be a sufficient reason for his
removal. Meanwhile the most important step
toward taking the Custom House out OF poll
"tics" will have been accomplished when the
President improves his own appointments.