The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1879-12-19

Civil-scrvice reform occupies rather
more than column and half Of the
Presidents message; so that, whatever
may be said Of the quality Of the dis
course, the quantity is sufficient TO
satisfy the most exacting demands
One important omission, however, il
noticeable at the outset. In abiding
TO competitive examinations. for the
purpose a securing from the crowd Of
oflice-seekers the most efficient public
servants. this usage Is traced to En-
gland, and no further. The credit Of
originating it belongs to a Nation il is
now fashionable for Americans to
despise-the Chincse--who had COM
pctitive examinations when England
was scarcely emerged from semi-bar-
barism. II Is just as well to place the
credit where il belongs, in matter Of
such interest and Importance; especi-
ally rs these examinations have in
China produced the desired effect
Taken rs a whole, probably the
servants OF no other Government in
the world are 50 thoroughly capable as
those Of the Celestial Kingdom; and il
we initiate our English cousins by in
Producing this practical test Of official
ability. we shah simply be copying the
Chinese example secondhand.
We shall not attempt to follow Mr..
HAYES at length. 1t may be said Of his
remarks on fruitful, il somewhat
thread-barc. topic, that they contain
..things both new and good; but the
things that are good are not new, and
the things that are new are not partic-
ularly good" The fact is, the people
are tired Of hearing about the princi-
pies Of Ciyil-seryice reform. anc want
little practical exempliication. They
have had enough, more than enough. Of
talk. and are anxious TO see it supple
mented by appropriate and vigorous
action. We appreciate the serious dis
advantages under which the Executive
labors; the party pressure and personal
feeling against which he has TO con-
tend. and the innumerablc obstacles
which the prevailing system throws in
his way. But Mr.. Hayes has not inn
proved even his limited opportunities.
His professions of reform have been
profusc. beginning with his letter Of
acceptance. and repeated in his inau-
gural address and each annual mes
sage: but he has fallen very far short
Of practicing what he preached. and
has disappointed popular expectation
as much i'm this respect as in any
feature Of his Administration. He com
plains that the large number Of appli-
can.s renders careful inquiry into
character and antecedcnts manifestiy
impossible. while the absence of cons
pcttive examinations is an additional
embarrassment. But giving him the
full benefit of this plea, he yet stands
convicted before the country Of gross
est inconsistency. He has appointed
men TO responsible positions at home
and abroad without the slightest regard
to their fitness; men whom he knew,
or might have known, were radically
unit. and whose only claims were
based on partisanship Of the meanest
sort We believe that no man who
was an active participant in the per-
formanccs which thrust Mr.. Hayes into
the Presidential chair has been refused
an Office. We believe that no man. Of
high or low degree. who distinguished
himself in the Returning Board and
Electoral Commission business. and
was not already provided for. has been
turned empty away. In one shape or
another, every instrument in the pcrpc-
traiion Of that colossal fraud has been
rewarded at the expense Of the public.
To call this a mere accident will not
answer Mr.. Hayes knew what he was
doing. and why. He simply helped
those who had helped him. caring
nothing for their qualifications. Ii was
clear case Of pay for services rem
dered. not TO the country or TO
the Government, but to himself; though
country and Government have TO foot
the bills Moreover. the only fight the
Administration has made on the reform
issue, though victorious. was followed
by an unconditional surrender Cor
nell was dismissed from a Federal Office
because openly and defiantly opposed
10 reform. Yet the Administration
helped 20 elect this champion anti-re-
former Governor of New York He
was not fit 10 be Naval Officer, but pre-
cminently fit TO manage the affairs Of
the first State in the Union.
Such exhibitions of personal favorit-
ism and INSCRIPTIONS partisanship on
the part Of Mr.. HAYES make his long
sermon on Civil-servicc reform some
thing worse than ridiculous; IL il con
temptible. He might have done much
~ i'A'tm ouI OiNi-stINicc lrOiu the
rcproach under which 1t has so long
rested. He has shown himself incapa-
pie OF doing anything. and actually
weakened the reform movement BY de-
grading il in popular estimation. The
sermon will. therefore. only draw pub
lie attention TO the shameless short
comings Of the preacher. 81. Louis
Republican.
There is on Long Island Sound an
old oyster digger who has raked the BIZ