New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-09-09
SOCIAL SCIENCE.
THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION.


srATIsncs-GnoRGE WILLIAM CURTIS On CIVIL
SERVICE REFORM
SARATOGA, N. Y, Sept. Sat the opening
of The Social Science Association this morning, in de-
ference to the proclamation for fasting aud prayer for
tic Presidents recovery the Rev. DIR. George b. Chce-
read preface the first part of soomons prayer
ut the opening OF the Temple H. Chronicles chapter O.
THE TEMPERANCE QUESTION.
The debate on the temperance question was then
opened by T. Emory Aldrch, OF Worcester, Mass, who
advocated prohibltcry law. He adopted the maxim
OF Bentham, that 10 make penal unless 1t the
of public injury, and without striking ut the
to inlct groundcss punishment 1t is essential
part OF this argument 10 show that the selling OF liquor
Is productive of public injury This is question Of
fact and he proceeded at adduce the evidence
In Its support. He called attention to the uniform
criminal courts in England in this country from the
port of committee OF the Lower House the Convoca
ton Tor the PROVINCE Of Canterbury to the report OF
tee of the Church of Scotaad-all exhibiting the vast
evils resulting from the traffic in the Of intoxicating
Leclys History OF England in the sixteenth century,
SHOWING tne disastrous consequences Of the gindrnng
nnnits or he English people He cited evidence from
meX secs IN this county to the % effect lie
ment to regulate the sale of liquors He
prohbitory legislation thougnt not wise even il
" could be done for state to enact such lawunless
grcSSive to secure its enforcement strongly urged
sion to investigate whole subject Of the liquor traic
in he states the causes ineporance and the effect
The Rev; Leonard w. Bacon, of Norwich, Conn. adj
right project itself from the evl Of TIE or raic
and the best means 10 that end law. lie
agitation He quoted from sermon preached IN 1883
on the subject IN New Haven. The very idea that
licensed He compared the tranic in liquor with that
some states lie denied that licensing the sale Of
liquor should be compared to licensing The keeping Of
the temperance anaticIsn as lnalienant philanthropy
I've SAID re isnatcs labored with the advocates OF
there was ne much reason IN orbiddng by the pray
lively prohibiting the sale of liquor Commenting on The
tas re w he the ea GnG o IN MS
for the assertion that the OF It's l0oscnes
yards and d, "a theological seminary there.
Mr. r. W. Bird read paper I'm favor Of an unrestricted
traffic.
MORAL STATISTICS.
This was followed by paper by Theodore D. Woolsey
d. d.. on "The Imperfect knowledge of the Moral sta
tistics of the United States"
prosperity Of the United states a separate Nation are
accessible ami are becoming every years and
branch Of the wide subject of statistics which is both
important IN itself and necessary for studying every
1ther branch IL by no means as accessible could
The external facts relating to religion would not
ne uInnonit To obtain. The statistics of health
becomes becomes. accurate; but what ARE called moral
stastlcs although OF extreme Importance, and having
close connection with other departments OF statistical
often hard to be rcached Ancidnls did nc have ihis
knowledge, aud dcgrneracy seemed fatal states must
nave their rise and decline, but modern
shown where the evil lies, and what by collecting
legislation by pcnaltos by benevolent effort by tie
inward energies OF those who WELD the morai and re-
better position than before. Thus ths gathering and
arranging OF iaet' touching the evils OF society, which
might seem very poor business first may be The
necessary helper and quickener of all good efforts
crime too vast undertaken hy private persons
ana 1t "a hardly to be expected that it viii be undertaken
- arSe IAnlucd society, would not 80 much ex-
press an opinion tbai TINS ought to be done, but would
SIgsGst 70 me- social Science Association the inquiry
"nclhe ~ Is practicable and eNpecn that the branches
OF moral ana criminal statistics should be fully explored
ADDRESS OF GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS.
| Twelve years asoI read paper before thisasso-
citation upon reform the civil service The subject as OF
little interest few which were thought
to he visionary occasionally discussed it, but press of
both parties smiled with profound indifference old pr
fcssioha politicians who look upon reform ia Dr Holm
defined patriotism the last refuge of scoundreI
either laughed nj what they called the politics of dloey
and the moon, snccred bitterly rcorners were
cheap hypocrtes who wanted peoples places and
lamcnted other peoples sins. TO the country reform
wa prHloslI ion 10 reform evils OF administration
which II knew little, and winch, at most, seemed TO IL
bcrs OF thr pnfFoirc which m mamy 70 , Gepvr mem
real qualification o their position the only way in which
they "ll thelr distinction and power To such members
reform plot 10 deprive the bear OF his honey Inc
dog OF MS BONE ana they stared ANA growed iDCredu
| This was dozen years ago To-day the demand for
reform is imperative Leading journals ~ both parties
! ArN
land to i'ornin public opinion Organizing itSclf IN
spcati0ns. In the great custom house and the
YORK r,.orIn actually begun upnn IrGn oyiT
cipcs and with renmrkaLlc success and the GOOD cx
suits. bill carefully prepared and providing for grad
nai and thorough reform has been Introduced with an
ad rahie report in tine senate Of the United states Mi
PcudetOn the Democratic senator from Ohio declares
that She spoS ~ stem, which hah drbaucbrd Lc ~,
t"rvioc Of ooOOooCo 81 people, must b. destroyed Mr.
Dawes the Republican senator from Massachusetts
Snn Evil E," thrrt 81 ,b "c 1 suppress TINS q
! ltta
mem, AT east the national heart and mind aud CON
science, stricken ana bowed by calamity whose
p'LetraitS every household in Chriscndom, cries 10
these warning words. Amen! Ameuw Th.s is an ex-
uaordinary change for twelve years, but II shows the
vigorous political heath,the acr common sense aud rr
essential patriotism OF tho country winch are the
ol the success OF any wise Reform.
THE sPOII.S SYSTEM.
Mr. Curtis then outlined the history of the avn so,
OF the count ry, aud the gradual development of I'm,
'EpoiB system. The old Ncw-Yurl Council of Anoo
mcBt hrat illustrated the corrupt power of Mariana ~
and the spots spirit struggled hard obtain control M
the National Government from the day of Jea.rsou,s
inauguration to that OF Jacksons, when il sncccedcd
and in 1880 the dcluge OF the spols system burst o
the NatOhb politics. sixteen years later ontnu.d Mr.
Curtis Nj. Buchanan said IN "A public speech maj
General iaJioT Woin hr ihlness To the WING party If
he did not prescribe Democrats biyh the egr hal
risen which hHs ray1god aud wasted our politis cy,
I p , anu I slr H,r WI; Po STAYED only when oyery
john Quincy Adams stood But the country refused 70
to be party cry scream OF disapnoiutma S
impotence from tnosc who held no places and cnnIrI
no patronage. And when the Wing party came INF "
powerwlh President Harson il adopted tie very noV
which unocr Democrnuc administration IL had sircnI
greater than IT had been ten years before and al
though Mr. Webster AS Secretary of state maintained
MS CONSISTENCY ny putting MS name To executive
order asserting sound principles the order wnn srt
miracle. said General Hariisons Attorney "nern I'c o
feed the swarm OF hungry ohice-scekcrs - ~
the places In the pubic service the proper sno f
vct0rioLs party was accepted MS necessary cond-
ami I,t.., 80.