National Republican., 1878-11-07
"CIVIL-sERVICE REFORM.n
Theory vs.. Practice.

To the Editor Of the National Republican:
SIR: In nothing has the Federal Admins
traton so disappointed the hopes of Its friends
as In its "civil.service REFORM" No removals
were to be made except for cause. Officers of
known fitness and experience were to bo re.
tanned so long Us they proved faithful to their
trusts. No one was to be displaced for mere
political reasons; still less for the purpose Of
making room for personal favoritcs. Vacancies
were to be filled by promotions or, where that
was impracticable, by Judicious sclections,with
a view to the personal fitness Of tho candidate
for tho particular position In question.
Such was the policy promulgated by the new
Administration. It was to admit of no excep.
tions and to be strictly adhered to, not only in
domestic but foreign appointments. The old.
time practice of converting our legations and
consulates into political hospitals for the re.
treat Of defeated candidates for Congress was
to be discontinued. Diplomatic and consular
positions were to be filed by experts, or by
| men adapted by education, tastes, and expert.
| cncc for that delicate aud important branch Of
| the public service. Other things being equal,
preference was to bo given to applicants best
| acquainted with the language, literature, laws,
and institutions of the country in which tho
service was required.
Intelligent men felt hopeful Of good results
| from such q policy. 1t had the unqualified
sanction of good men of all parties. But they
have been sadly disappointed; and disap-
pointed only because the Administration failed
| 10 keep its own self.imposed pledge. 1t has
not only failed to mako good its oit.repcated
promises, but has failed to make respectable
| effort to do so.
Practically, the Administration has sue.
ceeded in making Its "ciyil.servicc reform" q
hideous farce; term OF reprOach and derision,
both at home aud abroad. Removals have
places for importunate fayorltes In the namo
Of "ciyil-seryico REFORM able and faithful
officers have been supplanted byinexperienced
novices too often, alas, by ignorant party
henchmen, with nothing to recommend them
but questionable recordsa as mere place hunters.
Others have been dismissed the service,
especially In the Southern States for no other
alleged reason than that they were Republi.
cans, or, at best because they were not the
choice Of their political opponents aud failed
TO procure the recommendations OF Democratic
Congressmen.
The appointments to the foreign service
have, In many instances, been, II possible, even
more unfortunate. Men of high personal
character and are attainments, combined
with successful and often brilliant, experience
in that branch Of the public service, have beer
, showed aside to make room for defeated Con
grcssiOnal aspirants, OF, worse still, for fallen
, Methodist clergymen without congregations
and not unfrequcntiy hopelessly bankrupt IL
morals. Our foreign service has probably
never been quite SO weak and inefficient rs a
present. With some exceptions, our repre-
sentatives abroad are ignorant, inexperienced
} men, or else tho roughest types of the Westeri
politician. Comparatively few of them ar
gentlemen. Fewer Of them still are able T.
return an ordinary salutation in the languag
Q of the country to which they are accredited
Worse still, some of them are resting unde
grave charges, involving deep moral trrpitude
in respect to both personal and official con
D duct,
In the Southern States it would seem a
though "Ciyil. service reform" had been no les
really than professedly abandoned TO mer
/ political or partisan expedienCy. But even II
I this view OF the subject the appointments hav
turned out to be political blunders for almOs
invariably they have been made from the YER
4 worst and most extreme element Of the tw
. political parties, greatly to the disappointment
and disgust of that large aud conservative clc
> ment Of both which the President expressed
e solicitude TO please. No white man who wa
not Democrat aud no Republican who wa
= not negro stood the ghost OF u chance o
recognition at the White House. Native Rn
publiCaus, against whom nothing could b.
0 alleged other than that they were, and haI
ever been, consistent Republicans, were askeI
to "stcp down and Out," aud thus make room
for the candidate Of some Democratic Con
A gresham. d.lnn Wings aud original UniOl
!, men who had given mere passive acquies
Cence IN the direction Of Southern DomOcrac!
were seldom successful In obtaining recOgni
) tiOn, and never, in one single Instance now 10