New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-10-19
officer giving his voucher for any reward except his

officer giving his voucher for any reward except his
salary; or any community whatever grateful TO its
collector or its postmaster for not embezzling
the funds. There are very few communities that
know anything about the collcctor-and as for the
postmaster we only berate him when our letters
delayed; when they are prompt We never think of
HIM al all. There is no one who occupies legs
sentimental position toward the public than the
Federal officer, and unless he gets up defalcatiOn
he VIII never probably in his official capacity, cause
a ripple Of emotion i'll the whole community re
ward him for the blessing Of official duty faith
fully performed lie is far more likely tUsbe sum
moned TO an investigation" by me person whom
he has unwittingly offended or Willingly deied, and
be subjected TO infinite trouble and expense.
Under the same Authorization, Mr. Eaton pro
nounces civil officers TO be " not simply hirelincs
pledged 10 nothing but TO do certain amount OF
work, receiving nothing but much pay,
and representing nothing between them
selves and the people but a mere busl-
ness relation. They are on the contrary, clothed
with part OF the power and dignity of the people,
standing for their authority, guarding then safety
protecting their virtue and their property Tins,
suppose is high sentiment" but what does IT all
amount to The Civil Service clerk is Just as much
a hirclng rs the dry-goods clerk, and no more. II
there is a stress of business at the office he will
work over time, just ne the drygoods clerk Will do
ovcrwork in the busy season. He guards the virtue
and the property and the safety of the people Just as
the bank cashier and the uight-watChman Guard
the property and safety and virtue OF the baLk. he
serves stronger and a greater master than any
private servant and III that respect has the greater
dignity hut his relation 10 that master Is precisely
the same which the private servant owes 10
his employer. In all business there may be ana
should Ice something beyond mere lp-scrYlce-hut
no more in Federal than IN personal ana private
affairs But. saws Mr. Eaton, they are not, a. are
other persons who are employed and paid M pm
waite business st,l under thc same laws, with the
same liberty OF action, all other citizens lh'N
are, on the contrary, persons selected and placed
under peculiar conditions, and bound by oath {" U'r
their ability and authority for the purpose "l carry
/ ing into effect, according to Their prt and object
/ the laws and regulations which pertain 10 thtii
/ olcce"
Well so is everybody else. Every one wh" Is en-
/ p1ovcd lv another person suroudcis something If
In. liberty of action. and is Obliged whether be take
oath 10 do so or not 10 comply with the regulations
of ll- cmrloy,r. THIS is all that the civil servant
/ has 10 do. The cashier must open bank al
/ d certain hour which his ncIsubor may spend
urd,r the ar,lle trees and the cook can have only
| every other sunday out, and the clergyman must
/ take his vacation at caml-mcctng timc' ana the
newspaper writer must write only on one side 81 H~
papcr The civil servants have only 10 mind Their
businos, and TIE laws which pertain 20 IT, and that
/. pr.c,scIv what we all havcto do. "Ihcy hold an
honorable and sacred trust SO dos the bank
/ cashier aud the factory hookkceper-" uutaliiuI-
ness (Which may hc punished los fine and inprs-
| oumcut" Look into the state prisons and see
| whether the public service or the private service
! have furnished the greatest number of recruits
Tbcv3ytor.form the CVil Service Is TO LET It
alone And here ! expect NY readers % a-rcc with
me with unbouudcd enthusiasm q The officers are
men and it Is degrading TO them and injurious to
the service to reduce them 10y rulc, and examine
tons and petty supervision 10 the level Of school
hoy. II is not the iniquity Of the service il Is the
/ bee In the bonnet Of the Ecforncrs that makes the
/ greatest huzziug Whenever the Reformcr leaves
| the vague realm Of high sentiment and deals III
actual facts our Civil Service Is found TO be IL the
main sound and solid.
| II nav be safely left 10 the esprit dc corps
Of lis officers, to the checks and balances estab-
| lished and justified by long experience, 10 the
universal desire for progress and improvement
| among American citizens, TO the puhhcty under
! which all American government is carried on, and
| 10 the opposition which always lies IN wait.
The attempt to make Civil Service Reform a po-
/
are not made They are. Prodigious efforts have
been put forth 10 lift this into vitality and nation
aIItv but il i, fat and fabby, scoh and by-word.
There is M issue which is vital. great crowd of
! witnesses have agreed that II Ii dead. il was
| stabbed in the house Of its friends. multitude Of
public men. of political writer's, of merchant
princcs-the rich the rc gious, the literary clergy
men professors, pocts-stood BIZ con>entng unto
It's death They buried it safe and deep. They
| trimmed the turf over it snug and smooth. They
! Toasted on the funeral bahcd-mcats. They ragged
AGAINST the few men here and there who protested
against their deed. They resolved and proclaimed
and e1ulted that 1t was dead. But II was not dead
II WAS buried but il was buried alive. The plpngs
Of peace and festvity above 1t have not been able
10 smother the sounds Of dole and drcar that ever
and anon come up from that cruel grave. And ar
sure Us there Is God il Heaven who rules
/ among the nations. we are drawing on To p swift
| and stern rcsurrcction GAN IIAMHTON,
TIE GZRRISONIAN REFORnEES