Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-08-20
CHANGE OF ADMINISTRATION.
NO II

Ter.
propose toconsider what such change
means, as public service and political par
lies now exist.
As generally understood it involves the
removal OF one set Of men-the appointees |
Of one political party, and the appointment
OF another set. An example Of il on
small scale was set by the party which as
cended to power in the lower House OF
Congress in 1875.
Almost every officer from Sergent at
arms, clerks and doorkeeperI down to pages
were turned out and for some time the ut.
most confusion prevailed.
Many Of the new appointess were totally
unfit for this work andwere pronounce
ed by their own party as "unft to clean
spittoons." The demand for Office was so
fierce that many crippled Union soldiers
and the public interests suffered for many
months.
A change on much larger scale would
at once take place if the administration
were changed.
Some 80 or 80, 900 public servants would
at once be discharged and their places fill
ed by untried and inexperienced men.
1t would be like the discharge Of all the
Rail Road men in the country, and the ap-
pontment Of new men to ill their
places. We can imagine the effect on Rail
Road interests If every employee from
Superintendonts, Conductors, Engineers,
etc., down to breakmen \and baggagemen
were all at once superseded by new men.
Nothing more disastrous to rail road in
terests could occur II here and there
changes are made, and new men all care
fully selected, no one suffers, but sweeping
changes must be disastrous.
The affairs Of government have become
so complicated that the greatest skill and
efficiency is required.
For many years all the government EN-.
ployees have been carefully selected, and
all have been under the strictest discipline
and held to a rigid accountability.
The efficiency Of the various depart.
ments was never so great as now.
Look at the Internal Revenue Depart
ment for instance, in collecting the last
1856 million dollars, not one cent has beer
lost or dishonesty retained.
1t is very evident that any change in
this department would be for the worse
So in the Post Office Department. How
could the places of the hundreds OF route
agents, who handle ths mails with sucl
dexterity and precision in the postal carr
be filled II vacated for a sweeping change
So in the Patent 0ffice-tho Pension
Bureau-the Treasury Department, ant
all the other departments. There ar,
thousands Of men, who, for meagre sal
cry have grown gray in public service
whose experience and skill are almost in
dispensibo. But however skillful, how
ever indispensable, and however small tn
salary, the loud and authoritative clamo
for places could not be hushed till ever
place should be filled by the Yiotors. d
the people desire change for the sake o
this?
Are they ready thus to imperil the grea
interests so dear to every AmeTieanY Blu
= it will be said that such reasoning woul
a never allow OF change, and would pr
I vent the outs from ever coming in.
q II certainly should be so, unless som
I civil service rules are made by Congress
prevent tho ndis9riminate removal {
faithful public servants by any part!
Without some positive reform in the civ
= service it is dangerous to make any chang
II the dominant party in Congress woul
; enact suitable laws in reference to tn
matter-laws that would make the tern
; Of Office depend on faithiulneIs and efi
cheney, rather than political favor 1t woul
do the public great service, and do /
self honor.
The Republican party once established
= very good set Of rules, but for lack {
means to carry them out they are now
dead letter,
Those who olamor for change should re
feet that such change would sndang'
many other, and perhaps even create
o interests than have been montlone,
Q Wholesale charges Of corruption, extravI
gancO and dishonesty are made by the Ou
; against the ins, and II is very easy to max
them, but where do these crimes exist
Q Who toleratos such fraud and dishonesty
, Many attempts have been made to unoovC
Q some wrong, but thus far, absolutely moth
D ing can be found, Thirty-threO commit
tees have been raised by Congress to scare
and they have done It most thorough
7 and persistently, at an expense of hal
: q million dollars, but with perfectly bar
ren results All the sweeping charges @
official corruption and dishonesty agains
government employees are false and ground
less. The government business is conduct
ed aud managed with more Striatnesa tbR
ever beiore-not on account Of the ~
perior honesty Of the dominant party. bn
: because of public demands and necessities
Years Of experience have taught publi
= men better ways than were followed thirtl
CO forty years ago, Thep 1t was foun
that it0m five TO twelve dollars ser thou
, sand could Be stolen by dishonest oficiaii
And for such frsRduent practices Va
Bursn's administration RRs hurled fror
/ I a