Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-07-01
Prorre.. or ClviI Service Reform.

The cause of civil service reform has re-
Gently won a valuable convert in the person
of the Secretary of the Treasury. Mr.. Win
dom, in recent speech at Long Branch, de-
cIared in so many words "When l can say
truthfully that, within the last one hundred
days, people who find their way to Washing
ton have taken up seven-eighths of the time
of the President and the cabinet, it is time to
turn our attention to civil service reform"
And he expressed the sensible belief that ''the
time of the cabinet and of the executive of
the United States belongs alone to the 80, OOO,-
600 whom they represent, rather than the
few who find their way to Washington for
Office"
Mr.. Window, since assuming the impor-
tant Office which he holds has shown himself
to be man of uncommon ability, energy
and practical good sense. His experience
during the last four months has shown him
that he either must give up to the office-seek-
ers the time and energy which by right are
due to the whole people, or he must adopt
some method of dealing with the office-seek-
ers which will not interfere with the peoples
rights. Naturally he turns to the methods
which have already worked SO well in the
| New York custom house and in the post Office
department under Mr.. James. He has taken
pains to inform himself as to the workings of
the civil service rules, not only with refer
ence to protecting himself against place hunt
ers, but with reference to the general eficien-
| cy of the service, and there is reason to be-
lieve that he is quite as well satisfied in the
| Iatfar ri in, he far 10
the New York Times, these rules, as applied
in the offices of the collector and naval
officer of the port of New York, have
given the most convincing evidence of their
practical adaptability to all the ends proposed
by their authors They have formed COM
plete and impregnable barrier to the undue
i solicitation of appointments have given to
the service a very superior class of employees
have stimulated the zeal and confirmed the
discipline of the force have lessened the
cost and increased the value of the work
done and have won the hearty and intelli.
gent approval not only of the best officers in
the service, but of the mercantile community,
whose interests have been very greatly ad
vanced under them. Mr.. Window, seeming
ly, has become convinced of the value oil
these rules, and intends to apply them, SC
far Ms practicable, in his own department.
Postmaster General James, in recent in
terview, is reported to have said
"lhe secretary of state the secretary o.
the treasury, the attorney general, and,
think the secretary of the interior are all o.
the opinion thatso system should be adopted
to improve the character of the public service
do not mention the heads of the war and nav,
departments because in these department.
there is less of political pressure exercised il
making appointments Asfor me, 1 learned lonl
ago that could not safely depend upon clerk
who had no other Endorsements than those o
their political hackers. When / took charg
of the New York post Office gave bonds TO
81, $50, 600. The Office was run by six o
eight special agents. There had been a de
falcation of about $125, 900, and the condition
? of affairs was such that 1 became terribl
I alarmed. 1 could not sleep at night, and
wondered what should do to secure myself
1 came down TO the Office one night and foun
six or eight men slowed away under tn
D benches dead drunk. l determined to chang
: ! the entire system and work every man on hi