New-York tribune., 1881-10-28

taken an active interest in the form
alton of the society lifts it far above
| any cynical comment. Such men as eX-Presl-
dent Woolsey--in whom is presented the rare
combination of refOrmer's zeal with phil
osopher's sweet spirit-President Porter, Pro-
fessors Sumner and Fisher ex-GovernOrs Hub
bard and Andrews, and many Others who
might be mentioned. do not engage in move
ment of this sort except with definite knoWl-
edge and set purpose, and CONSCIENTIOUS ae-
sire to promote the general good. The names
of a majority of the signers of the call are
sufficient to give the proceedings dignity and
| importance, and there are not enough uneasy
sef-seekers and demagOgues init to belittleit. 1t
was to a certain extent mixture of parties. Ex-
Governor Andrews, the permanent president of
the associations is Republican, ande Governor
Hubbard, the temporary chairman, Democrat.
The Hon. Roger Averill and Judge Brewster,
Republicans, of Danbury, were hanked by the
Democratic District-AttOney Hammond and
ex-MayOr Sumner, Of Hartford, and the mem
bers who enrolled themselves are about evenly
divided between the two parties
1t is fair criticism, perhaps, to say that none
of the enrolled members hold any Office in the
service to be reformed; but in equal fairness
it may be said that there is no reason for sus-
pectng that any of them desires one. They
adopted a simple platform in their cOnstitu-
ton, which sets forth their belief that "mcrit
"and not mere party services should deter
"mne the appointments to the mnOryofces in
"the civil administration of the United States
Government" J." and proclaims the purpose of the
association TO be "tO promote the establish
ment of n system of appointment, promotion
and removal which shall make this principle
a rule of practice No specific plan is pro-
posed, hut general principle is set forth to
the enforcement of which the association de-
votes itself. Probably this is the only basis
upon which such an organization is practicable
If it is to serve any useful purpose. The
foundation is not only sufficiently broad for
all good citizens To unite upon, but 1t is one
to which no good citizen can raise an Obiec-
tiOn. All parties and pretty nearly all the
politicians, agree in the theory that merit, and
not party services, should determine the APP
pointmcnts. The difficulty is that no party
puts the theory in practice, and actu-
ally makes merit the test The purpose,
then, of this and Of similar asso-
ciations-thc formation of which, in
the good signs Of the times-is to compel the
parties to put it in their practice as well as in
their trOrms. The problem the Reformers
have to grapplc with is not how to bring the
parties mp TO making promises, but how to in
duce them TO do what they promise. To this
end they invoke agitation and discussion-agita-
tion of the evils of the "spoils SYSTEM" so
called, and sober serious discussion of rem
cdics. In this they are wise.
No matter how wisely or how honestly the
public service may be administcred-and We
do not believe il was ever administered more
wisely or honestly than nowhere are and
must inevitably be- under our system of APP
poiutmcnt, errors and abuses that under some
other system might be, if not impossible, at
least less frequent. Nothing is lost by agitation
of this and similar questions. II We may not
hope for perfect system, we may certainly
strive 10 correct our impcrlections. II the
Pcudlcton bill, which seems not to be very
well understood even by such rcformcrs as
lIr. David 4. Wells but which that gentle
man indicated a leaning toward, promises to
better existing conditions, by all means let us
try it. At any rate let there be copious dis
cussion of the whole system, and pending Che
discussion, the distinguished gentlemen en-
Gagged in the work OF reform cannot give
themselves more effective or profitable occupa-
ton than by giving their Individual attention
to such specific cases of abuse of the appoint
ing power rs come under their immediate
notice. This calls for something in adj
ditiou to mere devotion to a general Prin-
ciplc; something akin to courage; since
il is a personal assertion, and may provoke
personal ill-wll. If, for instance, the Yale
College professors, or any other of the prOmi-
ncnt gentlemen engaged in this movement
should have knowledge of Federal appoint
mcnt that was clearly determined by party
services and not by merit, they would be
doing a courageous thing and public service
by protesting against that particular act of
the appointing power. Great reform move
mcnts are rommcndable always, but no man
should sLilk his individual responsibility.