Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1881-09-01
A Democratic View Of civil service
Reform.

A Democratic View Of Civn service
Reform
kAnsas City Times.
In a measure Senator Pendleton's bill
for civil service reform proposes 10 re-
lieve the President of the responsibility
of every appointment, and vest some IN
heads Of the different departments But
will this serve the cause of reform any
better than the sys.em now prevailingI
Will not the effect be to cause every Cab
met minister to strengthen his own posi-
ton for the future by gathering around
him q coterie of political clansmen, TO
the exclusion of the fttest man, in or out
of the party in powerf 1t would seem
70 US that imperial justice in the distTi-
button of office could better be subssryed
by committing it wholly. As now, to the
President, than sharing IL among the
heads of departments. with their especial
followers and henchmen to be provided
for. Were such plan inaugurated 1t
would only establish what ex Senator
Conkling commended for, the control. of
the patronage of his State.
The matter of fixing any tenure of Ct
| fee is, we think, Objectionable, as form
ing privileged class. Under form of
government where the governing power
| Is committed to q few, the practice of
fastening men upon the public crib like
barnacles, from generation to generation,
may not be amiss; but under our system
of government, where the governing
power is the people, the whole people, we
much doubt the desirability or advisa-
bllity of scheme that, in our opinion,
would practically exclude the great mass
es of the youth of the country from all
hope of ever obtaining positions under
the government.
While we admit that the objections
made to the character of appointments
now are in too many cases valid, we do
| fail to discern any possible remedy from
the theoretical suggestions made to re
form the civil service. 1t strikes us that
our system of government is well enough,
and when properly managed and admin
istered, would not be liable to the abu-
ses complained of.
For example, it is fair to presume that
an honest and capable officer could be
relied on to appoint none but honest and
capable men under him. This bing con-
| ceded, then it fellows that all that is
necessary to do to bring about the reform
| needed is TO see that none but honest and
capable men get into places having pa
tronage to dispense.
Rotation in office is good, old-fash-
| toned Democratic doctrine, and we fail
to see any objection to it when properly
administered. We, as Democrat, can
find no fault with Republican al minis
tration wishing to be surrounded vith
party adherents; and the fact that one
| good man is removed from office TO
make room for another equally as
| good ought not to be regarded as d
| just ground for complaint simply because
one may happen to be Democrat and
the other Republican, or vice versa. 1t
Is not party appointments in themselves,
but bad appointments of party men, that
has given rise to the cry of "the spoils
SYSTEM" and its denunciation.
| The only conclusion we have arrived
at is that the only practicable and GER
tain remedy for the evils complained of,
and they are evils, lies with the people
in their sovereign capacity of electors
Let them elect none but capable and
honest men to dispense public patronage,
and these evils will cease at once.