The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-03-29
JOBBERs
WHO DEAL IN PUBLIC OFFICES In
THIS COUATRY.
The Evils or HsreenaEy Politics UndeI
Our System Of GOVeFnmsnt-SOme
"Reminiscences Of the MAFIyEed
LineOln-LeeIuFe on Civil
Service by Mr.. Curtis.

New YoRk, March 27.-In a lecture a
the Cooper Institute last night on "Civi
Service Reform" Mr.. George William
Curtis said:
"When Mr.. Lincoln was President
there was distinguished public man A
Washington who was the most diligeni
and notorious otiiCe,broker Of the country
and early and late, In season and out o.
season, he was trying to get his clienti
into the various Offices which they sought
We will call him the Honorable Jeremiah
Jones, One day friend asked Mr., Liz,
colin what was the routine OF his daily
lie. The President began with the
sunrise, and went on to the hour
Of retirement 4 90 to my ROOM, bs
said, I think ol the brave boys
In the field and on the sea, and OF the aCh.
ing hearts and praying lips at home; and
l kneel down at my bedside and pray, too.
Then l look under the bed to see II Jerry
is there [laughterl. aud, II he Is not,
thank God and bounce in There Is not
man In this office, nor woman, however
fitted they may be for any OF these posi-.
Gions, however they may wish to enter
that service; they have no chance what.
ever OF obtaining any place because they
are ft for II, and their only hope 10 to SO.
cure the favor OF some Hon, jeremiah
Jones'"
Mr.. Curtis then spoke OF the demoral.
izing effect this system Of dependence
upon personal favor worked, and said that
unless Q change was effected the result
would be most disastrous, The present
system led to the multiplication Of offices,
and was wasteful and extravagant In the
extreme. He then read from q speech oil
Garfield III Congress ten years ago, and
said that he had no doubt that President
Garfield would have force enough 10 carry
out the views he then entertained.
"Under the present system" continued
Mr.. Curtis, "the politics OF the country
are becoming more and more merCenary,
Presidential elections are becoming more
and more dangerous. State elections are
carried by the open use Of money, and
the agents Of this notorious corruption are
publicly teasted and feted for having sue.
cesslulIy fought 6re with fire."
The remedy for this state Of things, Mr..
Curtis thought, was o system Of COMPETE
tive examination and q term oil probation,
In order to lest the ability OF the appli.
cant for Office. All personal patronage
should be done away with. He called at.
tention TO the fact that, although party
lines were more steadily drawn Ia En-.
gland than here, one party had succeeded
another In that country during the past
year, and not 9 single incumbent had
been asked to contribute o cent toward
the expenses Of the contest. And as Il
was there, 80 II might be here, and would
be no doubt, for there were signs OF an
awakening public spirit all over the coun.
try. In conclusion Mr.. Curtis said:
/ remember that one evening during the
darkest hours OF the war I had the honor
to talk with Lincoln, and ! spoke with
him Of the situation. As l left him he
followed me 10 the door, and he laid hia
hand benignantly upon my sholder, and
he said 10 me with that deep, weary, sad
voice that so many OF us remember,
Don't fear, my SON. we shall beat them
I'VE shall beat them-we shall beat
them; and II ever hear 0 doubter OF the
great cause that appeals to the hearts and
minds Of the American people, once more
l feel that hand upon my shoulder and
lips speak the words that were spoken 10
me: Don't fear, my son; we shall beat
them-We shall beat them.'