Morning journal and courier., 1881-10-25
Loonmunieased.1

Civil Service Reform.
 During the long period of President Gar fields painful struggle with death a good deal of honest indignation against the spells system in the civil service was expressed and in some instances it came from those who had before sneered at civil service reform. To- day there is offered to the voters of New Ha- ven the opportunity of showing whether one very patent lesson of the death of President Garfield has been taken to heart, and whether the desire so generally expressed last summer for radical and permanent reform in the civil service is more than passing whim. There will be held at room No. 3 in the In- surance building this afternoon conference of those citizens of Connecticut who believe that merit, and not mere party services.
 should determine appointments to the minor
 offices in the civil administration of the
 United States government, 'to take such ac-
 tion as may be thought best towards forming
 State civil service reform association" A
 cordial invitation is extended to all citizens of New Haven to attend and take part in the
 convention. In the list of names appended
 to the call for the conference are the names
 of leading men in both parties. It IS evident
 bnbb GAo tu1nA1nS meu OI tHe OIaeo oIS 0W@nS
 to the importance of the issue, and there
 ought to be large company among the vo-
 ters in the State who are ready to enlist In lively campaign for civil service reform. Let it be well understood that the advocates of reform in the civil service are advocating no
 fantastic or novel device or the trial of an experiment. The system proposed has been thoroughly tried in the Interior department, under Schurz, and in the New York custom house. In both cases it proved eminently
 practicable and successful. Now, like the guest at the hotel who had eaten with relish the diminutive piece of beef which the waiter had brought him, we say, That's the kind ;; only give us more of the same sort.'' Let all the custom houses and all the minor offices of the government be administered in the same way as the New York custom house. As the best means of obtaining this practical result the conference in Newport supported the Pendleton bill, now before Congress, and we do not see how the convention to-day can find any better line of action. This worthy cause ought to find warm supporter in every citizen who is seriously Interested in the highest welfare of his country. More than that, he should enlist for the war. Like all reforms which have benefited the world it will meet with vigorous opposition,
 but is sure to triumph 10 quote the words of Air. George W. Curtis at Saratoga :: l Slavery was the giant despair of many good men of the last generation but slavery was overthrown. If the spells system a monster only less threatening than slavery, be uncon- querable, it is because the country has lost | it's convictions, its courage and it's common l sense. T expect said the Yankee, as he sur | veyed stout antagonist, I expect that you're pretty ugly, but cal'late Pm a darned sight l uglier.' I know that patronage is strong, but
 I believe that the American people are very much stronger"