Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-05-28

OF HseX. fnyslcai Cuisuio AZ
more by the girls than by the boys. None
of these reforms will be accomplished
without persistent and continued agitation,
but every intelligent man and woman can
help on the change by discussing and adj
vocating it, and thus stimulating public
opinion, and preparing it for practical and
specific propositions.
THE LESSONS OF The NEW YORK SIT
UATIoN.
Whatever else it may do, the political
uuarrels which have led to the present
condition of affairs in New York must
tend to convince the people that the spoils
system, which is at the bottom OF all
the trouble, ought to be abolished. We
have seen during the past three months
the most extravagant and almost incredi-
BILE developments of that system ever yet
made. Familiarity with fierce contests
over questions of appointment to office has
unhappily prevented the public generally
from realizing at all clearly the mcnstrous
absurdity and indecency OF the whole bust
ness, though had these incidents occurred
in any other country no doubt our press
would have been quick enough to perceive
their true character. The whole progress
Of Senatorial work has been brought to a
standstill for weeks the ratification OF
important treaties has been delayed the
appointment of judges has been postponed /;
everything has been made to give way to a
squzbble over subordinate Offices and IN
the end two Senatorial representatives Of a
great State have resigned in dudgeon be-
cause they were not allowed to keep the
Government in deadlock until they had
asserted their night to dictate all the ap-
pointlnents in their State.
No question OF public policy, no weighty
measure of craftsmanship, has been con-
cerned from first to last. The whole con-
troversy in all it's ramifcations has arisen
out of the spoils system, and it is from
such vicious and ignoble causes that an
excitement has grown which overshadows
all other topics of discussion throughout
the country. 1t would be impossible TO
degrade the Senatorial office lower than it
has besn brought during the past three
months It wonld be impossible to ex-
hi5it the evils Of the spoils system more
coaspicuously than they have been dis
played during that period. The entire
difficulty is attributable to that system
alone, and the fury with which the quarrel
has been fought shows how completely the
supporters of it have lost sight of all
higher considerations. 1t is matter of
very little consequence to the people of
the United States whether this man or
that fills the offices, but it is matter of
the greatest consequence to them that the
Government should be carried on decor.
ously and honestly, and it has been made
more apparent than ever before by this
affair that it cannot be so carried on while
the spells system is permitted to flourish.
The superiority of the methods proposed
under the general head of civil service re-
form must make themselves felt the more
as the glazing evils of the old system are
exposed Under civil service reform Sen
ator Conkling would have had no oppor-
tunity or motive for resigning his seat as
he has done, for the good reason that if he
held that seat at all he would hold it as
the free gift of the people, and would not
have to bolster himself up in it by in
triguing with ofliceholders. Under that
system President Garfield could not have
removed Collector Merritt, to begin with,
and therefore there would have been no
justification for the present bitterness. MIR.
Conkling, and all other members Of the
Senate, as also all members Of the House,
would under civil service reform owe their
places to genuine popular approval. They
would be powerless to organize 'machine"
brigades, and they would be able to devote
all their time to their public duties. As
they would then be directly responsible to
the people no doubt they would be the
reader to do their duty. Hitherto they
have been irresponsible, and therefore they
have labored merely to organize the ma
chine and have been virtually Indifferent
to popular opinion.
Any change which will render such cpl
sodes as the present impossible for all
time will be welcomed by the people, and
there is no change which gives assurance
of this but the one we have mentioned.
Reform the civil service, and Congress will
once more become dignifed body of able
and patriotic men, concerned only to legis-
late righteously for their country, and con-
tent to stand or fall by the records they
make for themselves. They will no longer
be tempted to abuse their opportunities by
preparing in advance for the next campaign.
The Government service on its side will be
taken out of machine politics. While its
members will OF course retain every politi.
cal right appertaining to citizenship, they
will not be subservient to Congressman.
They will owe their positions, not to pcliti-
cal services, but to merit duly tested and
approved. They will hold during good
behavior, and therefore will not be afraid
of being turned out to suit some new COM
bination at moments notice. They will
owe nothing to politicians, and therefore
they will not be mere tools of party lead