New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-09-09
ministerial and whose dutes are the Under every
party administration, not public trusts but party


the intention of the Constitution is ndsputabe It Ia
that the President shall appoint solely upon public
sderatons, and that the officer appointed shall
long as he discharges his duy faithfully What
aSeGsssary then for reform than that tho President
civil service filed either by his direct noninaon or
dent ample constitutional authority to effect OF any mo-
ae sn complete and thorough reformi The answer
President has only TO do Washington aid and oil his
be complete. But why has no President adopted il
For the same reason that the best Of popes
That leaf goes Niagara. IL is because
s tne opposing forces are 9verpowering The
nave aluded said to drove upon the heights
point my subordinatcs for whom ana Responsible
answered: % mean that you do not appoint them now
nat your chief subordinate dead you win not appoint
ms successor You wiz have TO choose among the men
urged upon yon by certain powerful politicians. I'm
Go oI you ought to appoint the man whom be-
you could did appoint such men only and that were
the rule OF your department and of the service, there
There was law prevent his selection Of the best
man. indeed the law assumed that he would do it, The
constitution intended thai he should do it, But when
f rem nm that there were forces beyond the law
Wheh would vitality compel HIM to accept the choice
OF others, he said 10 more.
INFLUENCES AGAINST REFORM.
II is easy TO assert that the the civil
Is an Exec ltiye reform So it is But the Executive
alone cannot accomplish it. The abuses are now com
pctey and aggressvely organized, and the sturdiest
President would quail before them A President who
should alone undertake thoroughly to reform the evil
must feel it to be tho vital and paramount issue and
must DE wilng 10 hazard everything for He
must nave the absolute faith aud indomitabe win OF
expect President whom this system elects TO devote
nnseii 70 lIs destrucuonf General Grant elected by
spontaneous patriotic Impulse, fresh from the regulated
order OF military life and to politics and politicians
victorious war at the height Of bis popuIap,t VI
his party IN undsputed and seemingly undspuabie su,
toieratng whatit considered whm OF inexperience
srs Was iSemn 10 Try an The adverse pres
the soldier so he but this pressure lie was
enyeoped in whrlwinds of sophistry soorn and mere
duy. ne VINO upon his own line had fought it ont all
known was nat lray bewdered and disnayed When
at last President Grant said Congress adonrng with
out positive Legislation upon cvil-servlce reform viii
regard saGh action as disapprova of tho system and
E apanu9n H. IT, was, indeed, surrender but it
the surrender OF champion who had honestly mistaken
his own power 0f endurance. ~
II not thcn, reasonable under the conditions of our
60 mncR faster or much nrrSe. ~ than S
opinion But Executive action aid effectively
most decisive reform THAI the present Admins.
traton mi hit take would be undoubtedly supported by
powerful pnbic sentiment. When the ground swell OF
public opinion lifts Congress from the rocks the Presi-
dent VIII gladly float with il into the deep of wise
and patriotic action. The President, indeed has never
neoh Tue Gne sinner N the spoils system although he
10 party pressure as much as TO his convictions
rrosden' Harrison sincerely wished To stay the
anu win good Intentions tested the pressure before
independence.
cursed and derded him President GarneId-God bless
tive reform to be impossible without consent OF Con
e o,n,nn 'a aSG SohSr9Ss ooeys
store to the President the unrammeed ms
ample constitutional powers according to The constit
tona intention the practical question of reform Is
how shall IL be done
THE ROOT THE EVIL.
Now IL Ia easy to kin weeds II can destroy tbeir
roots, and II not difficult determine what tine prin
cpe Of reform legislation should be il we can agree no
the source OF the abuses To he reformed May they not
have common orgini In fact. they not an bound
together a. parts OF the sysiem The Representative i'm
Congress for nstancedoes not ask whether the
OF the pubic service require this removal that an
pomtnent Dut whether, directly or indirectly, they viii
es Serve ms own interests Inc Senator Ros from
same motives. The President turn balances he, yyeen
the personal interests of leading politicians President
Senators aud Representatives all wishing 10 pay for prr
s"nni service ana to conciate personal influence So
OF carrying caucuscs Of defeating and olectIn
nn"hst az may ne ordgied me payment 81 the
place They are the taxes paddy him conditions
Of receiving persona. favor.
The root Of the complex evil then, personal favor
lsu rms produces congressional dctation Senatorial
uSupt'h hIhtry removals, Interference in elections
political assessments and all the consequent corruption
Gfslatioh ana danger thnt experience has disclosed
nc , noi VI ielorl therefore must be plan of sclcu
ton for a2ponlment which makes favortisln iinnosse
compli~hrd by fixed limited term. Bar the terms of
most OF the offices to which the President The senate
appoint, and upon which the myriad minor places in the
service depend, have been fixed and limited Tor sky
evils of personal patronage have appeared axed
limited term for the chief Offices has not DESTROYED ar
modic personal influence but on the contrary il has
osered universal tervhty and loss of sell respect
cause reappointment depends not upon Official idelity
anu etclency, hut upon personal influence and favor
REMOVALS FOR CAUSE.
But would not reform be secured by adding TO n nxed
limited term the safeguard of removal cause only
Removal for cause alone means of course removal for
legitimate cause such dishonesty, negligence or in
capacity. But who shall decide that such cause exist
This must be determined either by the responsible sn
perior officer or by other authority But il left 10
some other authority the right of counsel aud the forms
OF court Nouiu pe lhFohcd; an Instead OF improving
would swiftly ana enormously enhance the cos ana run
the efficiency OF The public service by destroying snbo
uli,''i"l M" KING every lhNy ana worthless member
ont twice "a careless and Incompetent ho is now
torminod in public as in private business by the resp"n
slDe appointing power II ia OF the highest puDhc nece
EllN tll exercise OF that bo
absolutely honest and independent As possible BuI now
eau oe Tine honest an INDEPENDENT If II tx not pro
selfish interest ana the Illicit solicitation porsonl i'm
tuencei The experience OF our large public ,atrn,, =,
offices proves conclusiyey that cause of the lnrr
numhor Of removals is MOI dishonesty or ncompctcnev
IL Is the desire to MAKE vacancies To fl
80 I"us therefore rs We permit minor appointments
a. nS mite I ny mere Icrsoui influence and favor,
hNcu limited term ana removal during that tern: for
cause only, would not remedy the evil because the m.
appointment, and the aspirans doing the same ~ 70
place them. Removal under plea of good cause wonld
than that of the supror ofioer ami o'Sr oseIetion
struggle for reapVointment aud the knowledge that re-.
moVnl Tor me term was practically impossible, would
totally demorali1c the service. To make sure then
that removals shall be made for Legitimate cause onIV
Tor legitimate cause.
OBJECTIONS AND ANSWERS
All roads lead TO Rome. Personal influence i'm annoir.
monts can be annullcd only by free open colnpeti
ton IL you say that success in competitive literary,
animation does not prove fitness adjust customs d
ties or To distribute letters, To appraise linen ar IN
measure molasses, answer that the reform does not
propose that fitness shall be proved by comnct,,io
literary examination Ii proposes to annul personal in
anrnee ana political favorism by making appointment