The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-12-22

the public service" In accordance with the report
of DIR. Lyon Playfar's investigating executive COM
mission 1874 discretionary choice is reserved to
the officers vested with the power of appointment
among those who may have proved themselves COM
pcent upon examination. Promotions in the service
arranged by merit tested by variety of methods
including limited competition. and seniority is
given weight in the selections We have not space to
go into further exposition of details of the elaborate
yet simple fabric that has been constructed--to
plain the arrangement OF supernumeraries or of SUI
perannuation allowances (Which are sometimes mis-
called pensions) or OF numerous other important adj
juncts of the system Suffice 1t to say that it has in
duced such improvement in British administration
at home and abroad that in Sir Charles Treveyan's
words mo sane person has any idea OF abrogating
it,. and in John Bright's sit would be impossible to
60 back to the old system." Particularly in the
Indian Empire. where preceding the reform in Great
Britain in its beginning it also earlier reached sub
stantially complete Development it undoubtedly has
been the salvation OF British supremacy. How enor-
nous its scope is in that vast dominion may be in
ferred from the fact that the 10000 native po
lcemen in India to whom its rules apply exceed by
more than third the whole number of residents Of
non-Asatic birth including all the British military
forces To these achievements In India above all the
other British dependencies We are glad to perceive
that Mr.. Eaton gives separate attention and makes
them the subject OF some special chapters.
Mr. Eaton's defence Of the British civil service sys
tenn as a democratic institution-opening freely to
the whole body of tho people. upon fair tests Of
merit avocations formerly monopolized by favor
ites-is earnest and thorough. ''Prior to August
1877 the whole number who had sought to enter the
public service through examinations had reached
the vast aggregate of l72.l27" His explanation Of
its publicity test of fairness is convincing The
record of every competitor has been preserved and
tho justice OF every appointment be verified to-
day well at the date of the successful examina
ton. His statistics of the financial economies which
have ensued supported by significant official
figures His arguments that the system has had
wonderful effect in stimulating popular education
are we'll sustained by British opinions which he
cites in their support The facts he cites to
show that the ratio Of we'll educated men in
the British service has been steadily increasing
for many years more impressive by their con-
trast with the decline of that ratio in the service Of
the United States during the same time. and in
eral very striking passages he insists that the
tone of politics TO which the British people have
risen through civil service reform only that of the
last generation of Americans from which have
fallen the introduction of spoils system under
President Jackson's administration being indicated
as the epoch when the two nations passed one
another, they on the ascending and we the de-
scending grade. With our present methods. he
argues with great force, We could not administer
tho British dependencies without our empire
speedily falling into ruin. In this connection his
interesting array of proofs that the low tendency Of
the American public service and its higher tenden
cies Europe have arrested the progress Of repub
lican ideas both in Great Britain and the Cont
nent is worthy Of particular attentions
Prudent monarchists no longer deny the justice
and beauty Of republican principles theoretically
considered. But when government is established
is TO be found in the effects of its Naturalization.
Administration Is the only thing practical OF
rent interest. All else is theory and sentiment.
What is the advantage, they ask, Of proclaiming
universal liberty aud equality il the constitution
If monarchy really provides the best education for
the children. the best and cheapest Of justice
the parents, the best poor law and sanitary i'd
mnistration Tor the sick and the destitute? What,
ator who corruptly worked his way to election
through partisan caucus. over aristocratic lord
who reached his seat through the birthright of
ancient family. especially II in the first case the
government permits the promises made to be dis
charged by the prostitution of Offices and in the
last such prostitution is allowed? II mon
archy having educated the children then opens
alike all the places. high aud low, domestic and
foreign freely to public and manly competition by
have unobstructed way to reach the positions
where they can be most useful and honorable to the
nation. what more the monarchist demands, can
askf
We should be glad to refer to Mr. Eaton's histori-
cal exposition Of the reasons why the founders of
our federal government omitted to provide safe.
guards OF the purity aud impsrtialty of the civil
service In the constitution Of the United States and
also to what he has to say about the dangers which
attend the multiplication Of elective Offices and
the shortening Of their terms. His comments upon
the impocy of the statute Of 1920 by which United
states civil commissions were changed from an in
definite tenure to fixed term Of only four years are
specially deserving Of comment He has treated all
these points carefully and inteligently. We again
heartily commend this book q valuable political
manual. full Of interesting information and cogent
arguments upon what we cordially believe with its
author is destined to be the great question in Ameri
can politics whenever President brings to its sup
port the same courage fidelity and self-abnegation
which distinguished its friends in the Cabinet Of
Great Britain at the day. only seventeen years ago.
when the supporters OF 1t might have been counted
ON the fingers"