Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-03-12

" them off, however faithful and expe-
Is rienced, SO soon as more willing tools
:" are found to take their places" Are
these statements true, or are they not
true The publication we are considering
itself answers the question. It says !:
+" During the three years term OF late
Collector of New York he removed $50
"officers out of total of 903. Another
Collector made 33S removals in eighteen
g months. Another made $40 removals in
sixteen months. For period of six
''years more than $50 persons in an aggre-
"gate of 1000 were removed every year.
" These persons were removed not because
" they were inefficient or dishonest, nor for
Z" the benefit of the public service, nor for
"any public reason whatever. They We're
removed in the interest of the party and
IS of the party managers. " But it really
is not necessary to cite statistics in support
of these assertions. Every man who has
ever been concerned in politics knows that
the facts are as stated. Indeed every one
knows that they might be stated much
more strongly, for instances are not want
ing in which, to serve party cabals, honest
and fit holders have been summarily
removed, to make room for dishonest and
unfit men, even when the indecency of the
appointments has been so fragrant as to be
scandalous. Such instances are to be found
in all parts of the country, and it would
not be difficult to show that they have
occurred in California, and at no distant
period either.
The fact that Offices have been and are
filed without any regard to the fitness OF
the appointees cannot be disputed. The
question then is whether the people believe
that this method of doing the business OF
the country ought to be continued. Nc
men who are not both deficient in intel.
igence and hide bound partisans will boldly
declare that the present system is a good
one. 1t is the worst system in the world.
1t is system which puts a premium on
corruption, which drives decent men out
of public life, which compels the people
to support an army OF parasites and wire.
pullers, which destroys the efficiency OF
the public service, which makes taxes
high and politics venal, which hands over
the government to bosses instead of to
tests no longer struggles over principles,
but mere fierce scrambles for the spoils.
This is the truth, and it is truth well
known to the public by this time. But it is
necessary to emphasize the statement that
the present system will be maintained
indefinitely unless the people themselves
shake off their apathy, and insist upon a
reform in the most determined way.
The question is whether the Govern.
ment shall be carried on in the sole inter.
est of partisan Z" bosses or in the interest
of the nation. If the nation will not con
Germ itself in the issue, of course the old
condition of things must remain, for it i:
very certain that the "bosses will moi
voluntarily relinquish the power they have
usurped, and that so long as they are
allowed to exercise it they will employ il
to battle reform. In word, Civil Service
Reform never can succeed until it becomes
popular issue. Indifference, half hearted
ness, spasmodic attempts at reform, ars
sure to fail. On the one side is an or
ganized army on the other far more
powerful but undisciplined people The
latter have the power to enforce their de
mands if they can be got to formulate and
back them overwhelmingly, but not other
wise. The Civil Service Reform Associa
ton has been organized for the purpose O
promoting the discussion of this question
and of making public all the pertinent facts
that can be gathered concerning it. If the
people will read and talk and think about
the matter they will soon perceive that ne
subject can deserve their attention better
and that they are neglecting their own in
terest in suffering it to be thrust aside fol
less momentous topics.
1t is true that some beginnings of reform
have been made, as in the New York Gus
tom-house and Postoffice, and we believe
also in the Treasury Department at Wash.
ington. The results in all these cases have
fully justified the change, and it is clear
that what has succeeded here will succeed
equally if applied to the entire civil
service. 1t is, however, a work of time
and labor to create the public opinion
necessary for the enforcement of thor
ough policy of reform, and we gladly wei.
come the Association which has been
formed to organize the opinion of the
country, and which is beginning its arduoHs
task with SO close and complete an under
standing of the purposes to be sought and
the means by which to pursue them.