The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-01-22
The True American Doctrine About
Civil Service Reform.

Mr.. BRIsTow, lately Secretary of the
Treasury under Gen. GRANT, has been in
Boston, and has made a speech to his
friends. good portion OF this speech is
devoted to the subject Of civil service ro-
form, and we have read IL with attention
and disappointment. We thought BRIsrow
was u man of original mind; but ON this
theme he says nothing that has not been
said good many times before.
We are sorry to report this, but the fact is
no. II seems TO us that our civil service
theorists and rcformers run into the fog
This they do because they do not live in
the ideas out Of which our American politi-
cal system proceeds, and from which its
vitality is still derived.
The men who established the government
OF the United States and made its constitu-
ton We're rcfurmers of the genuine kind.
They understood by experience and by phi
losophy the evils OF corrupt civil service
They meant to remove them and prevent
their recurrence; and all the mischicfs which
have since come upon US from this fertile
source of mischief, have arisen simply be-
cause We have departed from the spirit Of
The American system and have gone back
on the wisdom of the fathers.
The great fundamental purpose and plan
Of this republic is the destruction and pre-
vcntion Of Capitalization through the divi-
sion Of power and the perpetual exercise Of
local sclf-govelnment in the largest possible
sense. The idea Of the United States is sum
med up in the maxim that that IS the best
government which governs least. Ibis
means the abolition Of central government,
and defence and for such general legislation
such general judicial interference, and such
central executive administration only rs are
absolutely necessary and Indispensable,
The most important political functions are
10 BE- exercised in the school district, the
township, and the county; others Of a more
general character belong to the state; and
the frleral authority is finally to have Just
ns little to do rs IS possible, and to employ
just ~ few agents as possible.
This In" principle, the rule, and the doc
brine Of civil service reform, according to
the system of the American republic, and
the constitution of the United States
The civil war, while il has secured for our
country benefits Of immense Importance,
has AT the same time brought upon us cnor-
NOUS evils and chief among these is the
promotion of "A deprayed tendency toward
Capitalization, with the establishment of
woll-ngh countless horde Of agents and
officers OF the central government, under
one or another name, and with vast and
almost inc lmrlNahlc qualifications II cor
rupton, fraud, and political immortality.
Aglins, some Of the OWLS Inherent in this
state of things the civil service rclormnrs
have risen up; but they seem one and all TO
commit the fault of proposing to remove
these evils through European, monar-
chical, ariolocratc, and ccntralizing ideas,
and not through methods proper 10 thi, re-
public and consonant with its constitution
and it, spirit
rive are hnyr real and lasting reform
IN this department of our public life, il must
begin by putting an end to the Capitalization
oi power and hy restoring and limiting the
functions Of government 10 the states, the
counties, the townships and the school dis
trlcl9 loriorm the federal civil service,
cut 1t down, Reduce 4 to the lowest limits.
In word, abolish it ~ nearly a, possible;
aud keep on aboIi,hing it,
If Mr. BMsrow had embodied views like
those in his Boston speech we think he
would have said something really to the