The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-07-28
!, True CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.

The .Nws and (o"rir, in 4 thoughtful
and wise article advocates the adoption
Of a law for the reformation Of the civil
service Of the country, which will abolish
the -poils system in American politics,
give to the country m efficient public
service and reduce the interest in polit
ical campaigns to such feeling as the
principles of the canvass may cngcnder,
without the strife incident to fight for
host of petty Offices. The Nc~s nni
four1r says
1t rests with tho Democratic party to
SAY whether Guitcau's crime Shall Cause
the Civil Service of the United States To
be put Gn Il footing that will ensure hon
eStv and efficiency, break up once Tor
ALL the miserable system which makes
pOlit,al parties mere machines for sccur-
ing and distributing public spoils, and
save tho country from the lust and greed
which gives to every National election tho
appearance Of Il fierce struggle between
All army Of Office holders and an army Of
| oilicc-scckrrs to whose hopes and fears
the interest nf the public must fast he
| come subordinate.
The reform that j. required il, that
every public officer, excepting those
| holding positions which are political III
| their nature, such ;is Cabinet officers and
other heads OF departments, shall be APP
pointed with exclusive regard /" their ca
pacitv and, once appointed. shall retain
their Office during good behavior. and he
promoted, according Ia merit. as viran-
cics arise There Will be- no difficulty in
| arranging the details, if the fundamental
principle be agreed UPON that, in the
civil Service tn" only aim ana object
shall ho to secure the prompt and regular
transaction Ol the pubic business by ca
pnhlc officers applying business princi-
pies 10 what il in fact il purely business
matter.
1t would be = most happy issue of
Guitcau's crime if it should result in
giving to the country such boon. The
security of the thousands of office holders
throughout the country in their places,
no matter how the elections 80. would
remove these men from active politics
aud utterly destroy machine politics. 1t
would greatly cripple the campaign flll.i
Of the party in power by abolishing the
assessments that are continually made
for this purpose, and would enable Office
holders TO net more independently in
criticising or opposing an administration
than human nature permits them to do
now. 1t would completely anni!ilato
the cxaggera,ion which politics and pol
iticians have attained in America With
this vast number of lucrative offices
taken out of the field of contest, the
tnm nj n tiou n, rnviva cacfionul iSIuoa onI
fan anew sectional strife would DO re-
moved, and the political parties of the
country would be required to present
solid and sensible reasons for asking the
suffrnges of the voter. 1t is true that to
adopt this change now would give tho
Republicans the offices Of the govern.
mcnt for year, to come but this would
really make no difference TO the people
or the welfare Of the country. If they
were incompetent or faithless they could
be removed, and if efficient and faithful
they should be continued rs matter of
principle. If such law be pnsscd thero
will be found in five years complete
revolution Of parties. The result Of n
Federal election could not iniure any
section of the country, and then every
citizen could vote as he pleased without
cndangering the welfare of the State by
turning the Federal Offices over to those
hostile or inimcal to our people. 1t
would also improve the officials them
selves, for, if secure in their offices, they
would give more time and attention to
performing their duty and less to keeping
up their party and their influence in it.
Tho fact that by passing this law the
Democracy would lose the opportunity to
turn out all Of the present Federal Off
cials if they win the next election would
not be al unmixcd abroga,ion of power,
for by passing this law tho parly out of
power would silence in large measure
the influence of one hundred thousand
of the most active political leaders on
the other side, and would deprive their
opponents Of perhaps half million dol.
lars of campaign funds. These are the
sincws of war in politics. and without
them the Republicans would long ngo
have been routed. 1t is, therefore, in
our opinion not only right and expedient
for the country to adopt this new policy,
but it is the most consummatc strategy
on the part of the Democracy to do so.
EX-SENATOR CONHLING's PURPOSES.
a dispatch from Albany. dated on last
Saturday, gives the following informa
ton concerning the purposes of cx.Sen.
ator Conkling from New York:
TX Senator .Conkling has perfected
plans for his future movements, which
will occupy his time until very lato i'm
the year. His friends say that the ex-
citcment of the past three months has
told quite severely upon his strength.
and that he purposes devoting few
months to recreation. With this end in
viow he will sail for Europe soon. and
will spend the months of August md
September on the continent Retu-;,;;,5.
AL Aa.g-.