Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-11-27
THE CIVIL SERVICE.

A Committee of Independent Republicans
Instruct Mr.. Garfield as to His Duties.-
Qualification the Only Requisite for Office.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 26.-Horace White and
F. Withbridge, delegation of tho Inde.
pendent Republican association of New
York, called on Mr.. Garfield at his residence
this morning and presented The following
paper:
Gen. Jas. A. Garfield, President-elect-Sir:
The Independent Republican association of
New York congratulate you upon the result
of the recent national election, which they
deem Most propitious, as 1t signifies popular
approval of the principles with which you
have long been identified, and gives reason
able assurance that you will be sustained by
public opinion in endeavors to carry the
same into effect. Your utterances in Con-
eress on the condition and needs of the civil
service, and the effective support which you
gave in the Chicago convention to resolu-
ton there adopted in that behalf, and which
constitutes part of the platform of the Re-
publican party, impelled us to give you our
cordial support in the late campaign, and
istration will Justify the promise of so noble
a reward. The dangers to our political sys-
tenn arising from savage contest every four
years, extending over the entire continent,
and penetrating all ranks and scots, respect
ing the distribution of federal offices, seem
to US extremely grave. History teaches that
the thing most to be guarded against
in republic is excess of
al Ainya lin
active under free government, is stlmulat-
ed and augmented to an alarming degree
by the spoils system which regards all federal
Offices as prizes of the majority, and which
would have snatched from the whole body
Of present incumbents their means of liveli-
hood if few thousand votes in this State
cast for yourself had been cast for Hancock.
1t is not apparent that the greed and terror
inspired by such system must add largely to
the heat and fury and attendant dangers of
our national elections, and Increasingly as
the country grows in population and federal
patronage becomes more extensive. No
other civilized government ex-
poses its public servants to danger
of beggary upon the hazard of an election,
or would expect good service from them un-
der such conditions. We are aware that this
subject is hedged about with difficultiec, and
that abuses of half centuyr's growth are
not to be rooted up in day. We believe,
however, that public opinion is in advance
of any reform of the civil service hitherto
attempted, and that you may safely estab-
Iish rules for entrance to all subordinate po-
sitions which shall make ascertained merit
the sole test of appointment, discarding both
partisanship and party afiliation from the
list of qualifications. In this way new
basis may be gradually gained
for the civil service to rest upon, SO that
hereafter no political party in its hour of
triumph shall look upon public officers as an
enemy's camp, subject to indiscriminate
pillage. If the civil service shall receive the
same statesmanlike treatment at your hands
as President that you have bestowed upon it
as member of Congress and public teacher,
you will be entitled to the gratitude of your
countrymen and to the verdict which history
awards to those who have wisely used great
opportunities. (Signed.) Horace White,
President; Henry s. Van Dusen,
Secretary; F. w. Withbridge, Walton Greene,
George Haven Putnam, Felix Kaufman, N.
Spencer, Clarence Denning, executive COM
mittee Independent Republican association
of the county of New York.
Mr.. Garfield having received the paper
entered upon the discussion of the civil ser
vice, in course of which hs said he hoped to
have the CO. operation of Congress in estab-
fishing legal basis for all routine appoint
ments 30 that it should not be in the power
of ANYBODY, even the President, to remove
any capable faithful appointee during his
term of office, whether it be long or short.