Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-04-17

scarcely possible Tor royal venality to exceed
that which partisan leaders subsequently, ex-
hibited, nor could the observer have then
doubted that the English people generally
were debauched almost beyond the hone of
recovery. Everything political was done by
bribery, and Walpole had very good reason
for his cynical theory of the purchasability
Of all men. But there came time when the
tide of corruption was seen to be on the turn
A few austere and incorruptible men APP
peared in public life, and gave new tone to
it. The public conscience, long dulled and
callous, began to give evidence of returning
sensibility. Public opinion was directed
against the evils of the time, and though the
movement was slow it continued without fur
Their stay until in 1855 the first Civil Ser
vice Examinations were held, and the Merit
System was inaugurated. The struggle for
reform was severe and bitter. Every sophis-
try that has been employed by our machine
politicians was brought into requisition by
the English supporters of corruption. Tory
ism protested against the iniquity of the
proposition to explore the mysteries of
government. For a time the excuses of the
French Revolution enabled the champions
of hoary abuses to delay reform, but
the movement once well under way, it gath
cred fresh impetus continually, and at last
broke through all the barriers set up to hold
it back, and swept over the country. Both
parties began by fighting reform, and both
parties ended by yielding to it. The English
Government was able to inaugurate the re-
formed system without obtaining the consent
of Parliament, and this secured for it great
popular support, which ultimately compelled
the assent of the law-making power. In this
respect our cousins undoubtedly had a great
advantage over us, for just here was that
dead center over which Parliament needed
something to lift it. The competitive system
having been introduced, it necessarily became
the rule, for it was so obviously the right
method that no party could afford to attempt
its abrogation. 1t was the substitution of
merit for caprice as the cause of appoint
ments to the public service. This substitu-
ton struck down the whole dangerous growth
of party patronage, eliminated the class of
professional politicians, restored independ-
ence and public spirit to legislators, insured
efficiency in the civil service, and thus gave
guarantee for greater economy in the con-
duct of the Government. From 1855
the system of civil service examinations
has rapidly developed, until now
it is entirely free, and as nearly perfect in it's
arrangement as human ingenuity can make
it. As a result Great Britain enjoys the
best civil service in the world. Removals
are never made except for cause. When a
party is defeated and the Ministry is changed
only thirty four or thirty-tive officials go out
with the Government. Every Postoffice and
Custom house and other public official retains
his place, no matter what the politics of the
administration. Pensions too are given for
service, and every Government employe may
not only hope to rise by merit and devotion,
but rests assured of a sufficient provision for
his old age when he can no longer fulfill his
duties. The testimonials given by Mr..
Eaton to the purity and efficiency of the
English civil service are of the most compre-
hensive and emphatic character. Many of
them are from Americans who have held
diplomatic positions in England, or have
lived there as merchants. They all agree
in declaring that the civil service Of the
country is free from scandal, that it has the
confidence of the public, and that it deserves
that confidence. So much has been effected
in twenty-five years of reform, though it
must be admitted that in 1855 public opinion
in England had reached more pronounced
-, e -l.r, l.r- vat
arrived at in the United States. The history
of the whole subject, however, proves con-
clusively that we must go through the same
experience to gain the same end, and that
until we can separate our civil service from
partisan politics as England has done, we
shall suffer from corruption and ineftciency
as she suffered. We can very earnestly
recommend MIR. Eaton's book to the atten-
ton of lovers of their country and friends of
reform, and we hope that the weIghty lessons
it conveys will before long bear fruit in the
appearance of an irresistible public sentiment
demanding the publication of the American
Civil Service.
NorEs ON RAILWAY ACCIDENTS. BY Charles Francis
Adams. New York G. p Putnam's Sons. san
Francisco A. L. Bancroft Co.
Mr.. Adams has written very interesting
and suggestive little book. If we were asked
to point out its main lesson we should say
that it is, the extreme difficulty of overcoming
the tendency to cling to existing institutions.
The illustrations of railroad misfortune and
mismanagement here collected speak in
many ways of the inyincible toryism of
average men, and of the enormous difficulty
encountered in establishing even the most
obvious and necessary reforms. The series
of disasters which led to the adoption Of the
Miller platform and coupling really give an
air of sober truth to Punch's declaration that
the only way to prevent railroad accidents
was to fasten director ON the front of the
engine. 1t took many telescoping accidents,
and many breakages of trains, to force
American railroad men to adopt the
safety platform and couplings, and
the same remark applies to what Mr. Adams
calls ''the battle of the brakes" The need
of better brake than the old-fashioned
chain brake had been demonstrated by many
accidents, yet even after the Westinghouse
had been introduced, it took long
while to convince managers and boards that
it was necessary to the protection of life and
and in England this question mas
not yet been decided, a prolonged duel be-
tween two rival air-brakes there having pre-
vented the general adoption of either. 1t Is
indeed with railroading as with nature. The
latter advances her broad general plans by
the constant sacrifice of parts. Civilization
grows through the destruction of nations and
races. individuals are pitilessly expended in
securing better development of this or that
faculty. And SO in railroading, the growtk
of the system is secured by the continual ex-
penditure of life and property. Before a re-
form in bridge building is secured, there must
be some terrible accident at bridge. Be
fore better methods of switching are intro
duced there must be some terrible accident at a
switch. The same with regard to brakes, and
signals, and everything of Importance. No
doubt this conservatism is not peculiar to the
railroad business, but it acquires greater
prominence in that business because serious
mistakes committed on railroads almost