New-York tribune., 1881-03-27
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
LECTURE BY GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS.
THE EVILS OF THE PRESENT sYsrEM-coMPAfisoN
wrrp THE prrR1Ic SERVICE or EHGLANo-oFFI.

night in Cooper Institute TO listen TO the laSt III %
winter course of free lectures, gwen ender 'lo
direction of the trustees. George william Our1o
wasthe speaker and he chose for the SUBJECT ol Mo
lecture the reform of the civil service MI 0aI',o
was introduced by Professor Raymond, and ms
appearance was the signal for proiongeu SPp'""'e'
He spoke compactly as follows;
I,nps Avn GENTLEMEN: The Civil Service OF the
limited states is simple business agency ana the uu'le
of clerks and OF minor officials Is In no sense PoiS"
They are the same under any party ana tpey re4n o
How then does Irtnership OF when every euAen
ia member select it's agents and servantsi ls ono
of the questions which occupy our attention this even
ino Everybody knows that the public servants and
functonares are chosen according to their poitlcal
color and 1t ia only necessary for them, IN order
TO secure public employment to OBTAIN tne
favor OF powerful man or 1nhuenuai
politician. When Abraham Lincoln was President
there used to be in Washington broker in Oiceswhom,
for greater convenience we will call jeremiah Jone
From early morning till late at night at all hours In
fact in oil places upon every opportunity, when the
dangers threatening country were at their height
jeremiah Jones busy trying TO secure place
for scrubwoman. berth for some porter clerk
ship for another, place in some department for some
else Somebody asked the President how he spent
his day and Lincoln replied " In the morning when
wake up, first thing do to pray, and then look
under the bed to whether jeremiah Jones is there
and thank God II he isn't there" tApplausel
This IL the way in which our servants are chosen.
There present in this audience, woman or man.
able to any place or appointment except ne or
she have some Jeremiah Jones 70 ASSIST All ehegy pr
sstency all the crowding aud pushing are In vain WIN
out the favor, the influence and patronage OF Anew pO
as AN oG cosd ppof e ouSd to pecr@ the dirty
work required OF the henehmen OF pohtclan,
replied Because mothers son or them nrmY
believes that that politician sling him into office by
the seat Of his breeches At every change OF admins
ration the Office holder does not stop ask himself how
big country how ne hna performed us
ties and discharged bis trust but now no s'ands WIN
he has not packed the caucus and otherwise done the
bidding OF his master, there Is niue chanee IOr
his remaining in 1ss as place % sOS GSmo large aloSg %
presently. and say that he has had bis hand ID
now for Em 20 make for some one else This Is the
system tolerated now for more than flfty years
n rSht to compete for then but under tho present
system they become the service OF few prominent po
This system s not democratic II is ul American 1t is
service was at the disposal OF the king who had right
to farm il out. The very sams dooriue prevails
now only the place OF the King IL occupied by iew
oS asd dees thai Se reform Of the Cy sT9ce
means revolution and the overthrow OF society on The
ssme spirit which prompted Ariemus Ward 10 send his
wfe's relations to the war actuates oar politicians TO
reward their henchmen with other people0 money. II
they ind on coming into office. not enough places 70
satisfy the demands OF their f0lowershey make places
A system which makes place the reward Ot political
Go to the island on which many of our public instItu
tions situated aud Il yon Ind drunken nurse or
brutal keeper that drunken nurse and tna brutal Keeper
have appointed by politicians W1en he eondll?n
OF the streets thousands OF men filed With ng
TO gather IN these halls. resolutions are passed
declaring that politics shall have nothing to 90
IN the appointment OF tnose 10 Wnom the
cleaning Of the streets and the health Of the
city are entrusted. The reports OF committees 81 IN
yesyatIon OF committees Of experts ~ the Committee
OF Ways and Means In 1865 the speeches ten years ago
of President Garfield when 10 CONGRESS. all go to
~ half the cost and better ihaD we DO now u we
attempt udieous reform AZ tue emolamenis for
these hungry ocehOders come from the POCKETS OF the
people and taKpayers We are prosperous nation and
perhaps Dof fcel the drain but Iaton can afford
ihe degradation Of service lApplause.l
am speaking 0f a system not of persona II IA my
pride to say that know The high character and indie
peudence ~ many men IN lhe service pat they know
equally well, anu letter perhaps than we do the evils
and dangers OF the present system. ask yOu IL IL
wonder that while lieutenant IA the army or mldrinp-
man IN the navy proud Of his service IN the other
service the very OF office seeker, office hoder-n
themselves no worse than cadet or mldsbipman--ise
term OF reprOaeh not 10 say sgmaf The tendency Of
such a system r. 10 force collar on everybody have
known men IN the service who have been warned iha
II they did not do what they were hid ny their bosees
loosing sooner or later their seii-respeci The
threat OF removal. yon must Remember. is In
Of me mouths Of families Why then. should allow
our servants to be subjected TO such terrible oIdealf
lea anG dee @ 1g" de- 16ps he Iatopai The
svsem will compel the people lay their hands IT,
~ Abraham Lincoln laid his on slavery. and over
throw IT, tApplause.I
They are necessary. admit; 1T they must be the
natural leadership Of character and OF eHceeuce-men
whose moral and intellectual nscenddncy we eau follow.
The whole system OF political assessments IL merely
canal ripe leading from The Treasury TO the pockets
OF the OH ,ehOldeTs They pcK the peoples pockets To
keep themselves In Office IL Is openly admitted that
whole States carried at an election by denge OF
money In such venal contests tho party power has
so much advantage that the conviction seems TO gaia
ground that II Is impossible 10 dslodgcit II our politics
have become more and more merccnary u Is Because
we sanction this practice OF dspOsng Of Office Mnen
pGtIcians are allowed trade post ofces and cns-
Inn tho large corporations Will trade tlp
bench and ~ the Legislature On all sides nothing but
The argument advanced for this system continued the
speaker Ii. that our Government Ia Government by
parties that system Is an Indispensable part Of our
political organizations. In ENGLAND party Organization
is much more severe than here yet such n wholesale
removal as distinguishes change OF power In this
country not kuowu there Last OF the
exciting political contests was held In this country and
IT, England. The Tory ministry fell by n tremendous
majority but no man WAS removed 10 strengthen the
new ministry, man was rewarded with Office because
had treated the boys or bad lost his teeth or had
lost his hair: lac could not do thing e@e. No
postmaster no custOm-house officer was removed They
have decided that man shall be appointed because he
Is ht 70 fill the place. and not as reward for his SER
10 old m0narcbical doctrine England has advanced.
There 10 to-day not an honest and intelligent OF
London drayman that G9nih "a moi compete Tor position
the sou Of duke or the son Of the Arehbsnop OF Can
How can our Civil Service be improved aud tho pres.
ent evil be eradcaed The root OF the evil lies In per
sOna and political interference 10 appointments ana re,
for months as TO The applicants fitness for the place.
Is the method Wnlcn mas suggested lseu 10 people OF
Politicians pretend to sneer OF the sys
TEN OF competition, while they forget that II enters
largely into the present system which they uphold. Tho
Office goes 20 him who brought out most votes. who
the greatest bully who took the best care Of the "dees
trct," who was most useful 10 the boss"
The reform OF the Civil service IA the peoples reform
No question submt 10 the people IN this hall has
made rapid progress than TINS. The public mind
js awakening TO It's Importance. Within the last six
reform clubs and associations have sprung up all
over the country, which represent growing and
toriOus sentiment They represent the young and
thinking men. the youth ana enthusiasm, the uncOn-
querablo endeavor Of young America the hope OF the
future cannot better close my remarks than by
tOnng patriotic name. After q talk which mad had
with President Lincoln on the progress OF the war;
took leave OF him. His hand rested on my
shoulders and thOse deep, sad ana weary eyes locked