, 1878-03-22
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.

The following is Il correspondence
from Puget Sound, to the Boston
commonwealth" The genuire
worth OF it's suggestions and logic
is our only apology for inviting a
careful pcrusal of it's conten.s:
"The citizen who suggests some practi
cal method Of reforming the civil service
certainly does the state some real good
The measures proposed are generally cum
bersome and impractical, or else fail en-.
trely TO secure the object desired. We
claim better results for the plan herein
after contained. 1t is easily accompl ished
and etlectual. Though 1t reaches but one
small branch OF our civil service, yet it is
long step in the right direction, and
touches that division which should first be
reformed
first right step is sometimes the hard
est to take in lite's long experience; il
surely Is In civil service reform; and, once
accomplished, the measure proposed will
open the way for complete and cOmpre-
hensve plan of thorough and effective re-
form of the entire civil service, besides
giving more confidence in administration
efforts than volume Of circulars without
practical steps toward attaining the de-
sired re suit.
In his annual report of December, 1875.
Secretary Bristow said of the Steamboat
Inspection Service: 1T is III most salts
factory condition" In the opinion o
friends of this service his statement might
seem to be true. Were it true, which W,
do not believe, nevertheless would we fee
the propriety and necessity of the change
hereinafter suggested reform recon-
mended.
How to improve the steamboat inspect
ion Is no idle, unimportant question. Thi
service holds in guardianship the lives o
nearly the whole travelling public. |
it can he made better in even the smales
particular, the gain will be appreciate,
not by sect or party, but by the nation
The most partizan Of party leaders can
not hesitate to join in reform that Sc
cures safety to life rs well as In a Smal
measure the public funds. While We be
leye, and have facts proving. this servic
beyond n doubt corrupt and inefficient
accepting bribes to the sacrifice of human
lite, still we do not propose to mutipl!
instances OF corruption. 1t is not indi
viduals that we wish to attack, but sYs
TEN OF PUBLIC SERVICE that offers induce
mcnts tor frauds and peculation, and, in
stead of protecting life really sacrifices it
The reform we propose is to make tn,
Office of Inspector Of HuIls and that Of In
pectOr OF Boilers lie position whose Sc
curity would never be affected during
good behavior, while the duties were salts
factory performed. We would accomplish
this by turning these duties over to the
Revenue Marine Corps, The reasons why
this position should be held for life art
plain and seem most imperative. The
responsibilities are greater than in any
other public Office; having not only con.
troll of government funds, but, what Is o
far more. importance, holding in guardian.
ship human life. II such place is held
dependent only upon party success, or the
good opinion of party leaders Tor It's per-
manenCe, the holder will naturally strive
In the performance of official duties to at
tain these ends. In this position, how
ever, there Is no middle ground between
duty and desire in which to safely walk.
Steamboat owners are usually men of in.
tiuence. ITO condemn an unsafe steam
boat when unsafe is clear duty, but an
influential man or company wish to keep
that boat running; TO condemn her may
mean the loss OF many thousands Of dol
lars. On consideration you find, per-
chance, the boat might run another year
without blowing up or sinking; that to
condemn her now would be hardship to
her owners, secure to you their enmity,
and perhaps result in the loss OF your