New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-17
CIVJL SERVICE REFORM.

|
simmering at Washington. OF these two the
Democrats, who are devoting to it so much OF
energy as the November defeat has left them,
have the advantage of knowing definitely
| what they want. Their aim, which they
scarcely pretend to disguise, is partisan one.
| What they desire to do is to disable what
they conceive to be one of the sources of
| strength to the opposition. They want to
reform the public service, not SO much
| from devotion to the interests of the service
as from the hope of crippling their opponents.
Their complaint is not that the public officials
are incompetent unfaithful or inefficient, but
| that they contribute, either voluntarily or
under levy of assessments, to the funds re-
quired to keep Republicans in and Democrats
out of office. Their zeal for a reform of the
service is chiefly due to anxiety to spike the
enemy's guns. Hence the bill introduced
by Senator Pendleton forbidding under
heavy penalties any contribution, vOlun-
tary or otherwise. to any fund for
political PURPOSES. THE TRIBUNE has hereto
fore directed attention to the fact that wher-
ever Democrats have the power they are in
the habit of assessing their ofhceholders and
candidates for Office to the point OF unblush-
ing extortiOn. In this city the application OF
the rule of assessments upon candidates and
holders of Office is notorious. But no one ever
hears Of any proposition to introduce and APP
ply the principle of Mr.. Pendetons bill here
or anywhere else where the Democrats are in
control and the assessments mure to the
benefit of that party. The proposed reform
may be wise, but the unwillingness OF Demo-
Gratis to apply it to themselves is liable TO
cast doubt upon their sincerity. Still, they
must be credited with knowing precisely what
they are driving at.
The idoalists who are pursuing the matter,
on the other han0, while they are un doubt
edly sincere, labor under the disadvantage of
not knowing precisely what they want nor
how to get Mt it if they did. Their chief
anxiety seems to be to establish system OF
competitive examinations, retrospective i'll its
operation, to which all subordinate officials in
the service holding their places by appoint
ment shall be subjected. Most of these gen.
temen are reformers by profession, and they
are engaged in the present movement in pur-
suance of what they believe to be their mis-
sion. They must be reforming something.
There is always some public abuse that they
must be whacking at with the great curc-all
of the Be-it-enacted." But are there any
such abuses in the public service as at pres
ent organized and conducted as call for
the sweeping overthrow involved In their
scheme Is not the service at the present
time reasonably free from irregularities and
scandals Certainly at no time in the history
of the Government has it been conducted so
honestly and faithfully, with 30 small per-
centage of loss and SO greatly to the salts
faction of the public. Does any one suppose
that this condition of affairs would be i'm
proved by vacating all the places and throw
ing them open to the test of competitive ex-
animation ? How would it promote the eff
cheney of service against which no COM
plant of unfaithfulness is made I How pro-
mote honesty, when it is confessedly more
honestly administered than ever before
Competitive examinations such rs these gen.
temen wish to establish would furnish no
test of candidates honesty or fidelity, and
these are the most essential requirements.
They are proved only by experience, and to
that test the officials now in place have been
subjected.
That the public service is capable of I'M
provement we do not for q moment doubt.
No one claims that it is perfect. But we arc
very clearly of the opinion that any such
sweeping measure as that which proposes q
retroactive system of competitive examina-
tions would work infinite mischief, while the
Democratic proposition to forbid political
contributions from Government officials would
be, if not impossible of enforcement, simply q
partisan manGuvre to help Democrats to
power, which once secured, they would i'm
mediately abandon the reform and fall into
their old practices. Legislation is after all
but a weak device. No law can ever make
pure and honest tie administration of the
public service by base and dishonest party.
The party that in the large is patriotic and
honest, that comprises the intelligence, moral
ity and responsibility of the people, and that
as a rule recognizes and dcfers to the senti-
ments of purity and honor in the people, is
much more likely to administer its trust
honestly without tho restraints OF law, than q
tricky and dishonest party under the most
rigorous and minute restrictions. The price |
of pure and efficient public service is the
same as of liberty - constant vigilance.
No law, no system will make up for the want
or do away with the necessity for it, Given
an honest and patriotic party administering
the Government. and you have honest and
faithful service, whatever the system. Given
dishonest party in power, and you have
dishonesty. waste and incompetency, NO mat
ter what the system of appointments or the
limitations of law.