Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-12-30
Civil Service Reformers.

For unbaunded impotence. commend Us
TO the average Democratic politician. Civil
Service Reform Is his particular anxiety at
present His soul j. tortured h, the though,
that the public service. though cleaner than
II ever was under any Democratic President.
j. not strictly non-partisan. Too large a
proportion Of the public servant. Is taken
from one party. The men who earn their
wages as public sery ants do not forget that
they are also citizens. and still continue 70
vote, 10 talk with their ncighbors, To contrib
ute money for party expenses. and sometime.
to speak IN public. All these things every
citizen has an indefeasible right to do, bu;
the Democratic politician insists tha, they
must be stopped thA; the public servant
must cease 10 be citizen. There never was
a Democratic administration vet that did not
expect, and even compel, officials TO vote
talk, give and make speeches for the party
but wha, Of it? The difference between
parties is this, according 10 these politicians
The things which Democratic adminis,ra-
tons compel officials 10 do. under penalty Of
loss Of place. Republican administrations
have no right 10 permi, them to do volun-
tarily. The fair division" OF offices be-
tween the two parties. which Democratic
administrations never thought OF granting,
Republican administrations are bound 10
make.
There has been great deal Of can't IN
both parties about the Civil Service. Some
thoroughly honest men, who do not quite
comprehend the feelings or wishes Of the
American people. desire 10 see changes in
the public service which. if made BY any
party, would quickly and properly turn that
party out Of power The people Of this
country do not wan, 20 cultivate a race Of
political ineapables. II does no, seem to
them a good thing that any citizen. who has
brains enough and influence enough TO fill q
public office well and honorably. should be
deprived Of his political manhood on that
account. Neither does il seem 10 the peo-
pie desirable thing that the party which
they disirust. condemn and deiest. should be
a. fully trusted in the details of the admin
is,raiion of Government as the party which
they trust, support and love. Loyal men do
not want 10 see those who fought against
the Union preferred TO those who fought for
ii. Men of any regard for public faith do
not want 10 see regulators preferred by the
Government for places Of trust. There is a
desire, and an irresistible one, that the du-
ties Of the public service should be intrusted
in the main TO those who are in accord with
| the will Of the people as 10 vital questions
Of public policy. Rut there is also an earn
est and honest desire that the public service
should be made as clean "a possible, as ef-
fcient, as honorable and as free from abuse
In that direction great deal has been done
BY Republicans, and more BY the present
Administration than by all the Democratic
administrations put together, from the ear
hest 10 the latest.
This being the real situation, what do the
Democrats have TO say? They propose.
since they are not going to have the disposal
and the filling Of the Offices themselves, to
make grea; changes by law. What changes,
what one change that is not mere obs,ruc-
ton Of the party in power, il is difficult TO
say. Their motives, We are told, must not
be questioned. If they going to move in
the reform which, when in power. they
never practised, and which, when they ex-
pected TO get into power, they treated with
contempt, We must thank Heaven for their
change of heart, and let them do as they
will.
That is not the honest or manly view 10
take of the matter. The motives will neces-
sarily shape the measures. The Democratic
party has had power, and could have framed
and passed ariy good Civil Service bill in
week, If il had seen fl. There never has
been any doubt that the President would
have approved any good measure of that
sort. But during all these years the Demo-
cratic party has refused to do anything of
the sort 1t has been tried. and its right to
make changes has departed. 1t appealed to
the people Among other things, i alleged
as reason for trusting it that the public
service vas corrupt, and that if trusted it
would reform that service. The people de-
liberately refused to intrust power TO it for
that or any other purpose. 1t is the edict Of
the American people that sych reforms as
are desirable shall be shaped and executed
by the Republican party. To that edic, the
Democrats may as well make up their minds
to submit, and they will not find il easy to
use the fss remaining weeks Of Legislative
power to hamper Or hendcuG the incoming
President, or to give psrtissn form to any
changes that the good Of the pEhtie service
msy require.-(N. y. Tribune