The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-01-20
CIVIL sERYICE REFORM.

Ex Gov. Tilden, in his letter to the
Cincinnati convention declining the
nomination, stated that it would require
two. thirds of the voters Of the country
TO favor a change of administration at
the beginning of the Presidential cam
paign, to withstand successfully the in
fluence, power and corruption Of federal
patronage. A careful investigation Of
the facts go to establish the truth of this
remark. The results of the elections OF
1875 and 1880 confirm it. The contests
for members of Congress every two
years also confirm.
No candid person will doubt the need
of civil serv ca reform under this condi'
ton of things If this country has got
to such a pass that the Office holding
army can and do perpetuste their rule,
the people should begin to consider the
situation. Are we free peopleP Have
we a right to change our public servants2
Is the safety of the People the supreme
law; or is the continuance of a certain set
of men in public Office paramount to all
other considerations
The military and naval service are non
partisan-why cannot the civil service
be also2 When the civil service is pros.
tituted, as it is, for mere party success,
and it is the great instrument of that
success through corruption and intimi-
dation, it becomes alarming and de-
mands a change,
The bills now pending in Congress on
this subject, introduced by Senator PEN
dleton, have the approval of the New
York Civil Service Reform Association,
and Of leading journals, of which the
Nation, the N. Y. Times and Harper's
Weekly are examples. These bills are
extremely simple and practical. They
Crea' commission of FIVE persons, to
be named by the President, not more
than three of whom shall be adherents
of the same party, and two of whom
shall be experienced officers in the
public service at Washington, but not in
the same department" The duties of
the Commissioners include the devising
of rules for carrying into effect the sys
tenn established by the bill, and for su
pervising and administering the system.
These rules are required to provide for
open competitive examination for ad-
mission into the lowest grade of the ser.
vie in each department or Office; for
probation before absolute appointment;
for promotion on the "babis of merit and
competition" and for the protection and
liberty of employees as to political contri-
buttons. The commission is to make
regulations for and control all examina
tions, by the aid of chief examiner
and officials detailed as examiners, who
are to receive small extra Compensa.
ton.
The bill is to go into operation in any
or office as soop as the en-
ployes are classified, and this classified.
ton is required within sixty days after
the passage of the bill, in every Office un-
der the Treasury or Postofice where the
number fifty. After that,
further classification, and consequently
the extension of the system, depends on
The request of the President. After four
months from the passage of the bill, ad-
mission to and promotion in the service
must be in accordance with the rules as
ar as they apply. Commenting these
bills, the N. Y. Times declares them per-
ectly free from stock objections; too
much is not attempted, and what is at
empted is not arbitrary; or over-refned
,r impraCtiCable.