, 1881-04-04
REFORM BY FIXED TERM"
George w. Curtis Objects to Tint 1lcth-
oh OF fScfor ming The Civil Scrvlca.
{{arMr'x ITtrklp.


iiurnr'. IItrkly.
All tho letters from Washington speak OF tho
overwhelming torvcnt0f ullcEscckGrS pressing
upon tho President ansl upon every department.
The Nnxiely Ut tho iupsiTbe,ta Is 1a intct,so md
1tiversal US tho greedy euEurllcss TT tho lppll-
cnnta. Thu correspondent or tho C!ncllinttl
Guzettc DECLARES that tho "brazcn crowtt""is
,t,lly assus'nat.ng tho lrcsftrnt," and tic cor
respondent nj tho SGw Yurk Tfmfa describes
him ,s utterly exhausted md .lIsRustcd Tho
most vivid picture Of this aunIiiHt!s sprctncto
Is Mr.. Pnrton's description Ut tho beaI,tniux or
.'arkso,Is Administration. This cLMpter .,us
Cren reprinted Wilt hs permission, III tho series
VI publications Ut tho Civ't.Scrs!eo Reform AS
soctatOn, mud 1t IL II powerful exposure OF tho
folly an1 cruelty and tInnger at tho aystcm iii
which tho country now nc'tttesccs, ss we'll MS IL
forclllc argument fur its correction. President
Gurluld Is Ii ,,nn Of grcnt intelligence Atltl Of
great experience. fio has frequently shown
It stnEularly clcnr apprehension Of tho real
character Of tho abuses III tho Civil Service, n,i
OF tho fact thnt tt,ey spring frntn the purely
pnrttsnn basis OF tho scrvIcu Us now conducted,
II would be- Interesting to know whittier fu
thinks TINT stnsc abuses would be renlct!lcI or
even Htlch NlfcviniGsl. ny tho liked term uf Of
f'es ;,,, whis. !. h hs reso1''ncl;,,s Y III: ,, !.
ont rrrcrctcc to tho scaate. Mnst of the o11ices
set ~ Wf Of the ste us ,H ca os,ons ET
nre already Of u liked term. Tho commissions
or postu'istcrs .and Customs.ollrcss: for, III
tic!s nros OF, sui Of III tlxrd tcr'i. @ apes 10 ti,o
su6onlit'utes whom such ntiscrs aprntc Thus
mo Cal!ector ot Sew York T. so'n,!ss,sd
!ssS i sss Il: s!t :S %n i:a .gss t s
rna1en,cnt Increase tho efficiency or tic service?
1t seu!l,s to us Tint IL would nut. AMI fur obylts
f,ltrle II EI1t1111
tu8ers ut his chief. Like Cnnrles 1.nm''. hu
Moni! make up iur ., Gonnx lats by so.nR eM!ly.
4 very yns,,u, prolonged, ai,u doubtful pro-
cctiurt The sccret ot slcIvusy IL \ blsr.,A,l Is
strlrt stlhorsl!nntion atd responsibility. These
term WouIi tho tixcd term prevent tue political
interferencu which IL the chlct evll of tho prcs
wt,d u tho constant el!0st frnlll tho outside 10
find ca,lsu" for removal. atsd tho c''nscI"us-
ness OF tho effort would bo most drnorali.!ng to
an iattmatlom that It covers tho period for
which any tndlyidunl should expeet to hold pucc.
cxpectants to % let III. % and st stmniate % ,ho ill., IN.
| cuinbent to ,lcsnerssto, endcnvnrs 70 keep In;
nn, Us tho terms would l'o constnntly expiring.
aud contest thar VIZ now sec. In tho chgcr hort.
| nf holding OIL. tho 1Hcumbcnts would yield II
as,s. ana 81 sc& fSs a Fsi,y aw
| u1lIcency would he Ut a. s,n.lII account nj they
nro now; and luithor tho .ilctutO,l of Congress.
ure of t,ttee:srekers which tsRusts hin, N,ltl
| everybody ctse. would To appstoiihsy dsn'ill-
II tho object of rcsorin be. rs we bold. to oh
taln iba lrsi service III tho bess way. tho ohl
uvthul Of suieclon b.. personal Influence ami
evils which uro universally aluttett Tht
ws's h9u.e 'sssf'tss; tss sff ss
tue 'llctatan .. congress tho lnsolenco Of sena.