The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-08-31
wednss :sy. August 81 1881

For months and years this country has
been RECALLED with an everlasting talk OF
civil service reform, but as far as the OBJ
servation of the common citizen goes 1t
has been all talk. Civil service reform has
been, on everybody's lips, but IN NOBODY
action. Civil service reform has seemed
to be good thing to talk about, but a
moor one to act upon; proper subject for
preaching, but improper for practice.
Every one can see the immortality OF the
present state of things, but no one seems
to be either anxious or willing to make a
move toward better. To the Amer
lean citizen, who neither holds or cares 10
hold an office, all this is an interesting ana
perplexing conundrum; conundrum
which he has right to have answered.
and the time has come to haveit answered.
Promises of reform, on which we relied,
have been broken; statements which we
believed, have been found to be without
truth The spectical OF an assassin shoot
ing down our President has shown US the
natural outcome of the present condition
the realization of the fact that something
must be done.
The remedy is plain enough, but what
stands in the way of its application? Moth
ing but the concealed hostility of some and
the lukewarmness of others. The press Is
divided on the question. 1t is all well
enough for papers to profess to be in favor
of reform, but how many are IN favor
of it? One out of three, perhaps
not more So long as you can
point to a paper nourished on post
office or official pap, so long can you name
a paper in favor of things as they are; OPP
posed to a change which the coun-
tries interest demands; and the members
are large Those papers may roll up then
eyes in holy and patriotic fervor, they may
be the leaders of the godly and represent
everything pure in politics; but so long as
self interest stands between them ana
complete reform; so long viii we have
divided press on that subject.
Our politicians are another hlndrance
a bar hard to overcome. The day has
gone by, when mans brains
were his recommendation to an Official
position, his fitness and ability the reasons
for his elevation. Political methods now
have the choice of the people, and strong
hold on the primaries are the strongest
recommendations to office. Civil service
reform would mean an overthrow OF al
this: would mean the reversal OF all presen'
methods, and the choosing Of men on ac-
count of their fitness; not for their ability to
disburse petty offices. Here lies the true rea'
son of the calm contempt of our politicians
on the questions. They say such reform is
impractical; we say it is and have them
continue in office. They recognize the fact
that reform means their political funeral;
that reform means taking away OF the
chance to steal, and means the election OF
fit men to fill public positions; and their
own retirement to private life. Hence
their opposition, and it is surely only nat
ural
If we would accomplish civil service re-
form we must disregard the politicians; we
must overlook to q great extent
the press. We must seek for it, not through
the conceived political methods, but
through our everyday actions, and see TO
it that no vote is placed, no matter what
may be the argument held out or induce
ment offered, where it viii not advance the
cause