The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-09-07

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was abandoned.
When General Grant came into power
| he represented in the strongest terms
the evils of the system, the degene-acy of
the service, and begged for relief. Con-
gress gave it to him by passing a law,
now known as the L. 753d section of the
Revised Statutes, and appropriated $780,
600 to carry its provisions into effect.
General Grant appointed a Commission,
which devised system of asceTtaining
fitness for appointment and promotion
by examination. After trial for several
| years, Grant and all his Cabinet de-
clared that the system had been efficient
in purifying and eleyating the service
and relieving the appointing power
| from one of its most embarrassing and
distressing duties. The system fell into
disuse because the Republican spoils-
men in Congress refused appropria-
| tiOns.
REPUBLICAN MALADMINIsTRATIoN.
When l went to the Senate as your
representative l was brought face to
face with evils of which ha not fair
conception. l saw the Civil Service de-
bauched and demoraliZed; l saw offices
distributed to incompetent and un-
worthy men as reward for the lowest
kind Of dirty party work. l saw many
men employed to do the work of one
| nhhs saw tuc u1Ou6y VI bu6 peOpl6
shamefully wasted to keep up cleo
tiOneering funds by political assess
ments on salaries; / saw the whole
body of public officers paid by you or
ganiZed into a compact, disciplined
corps of electiOneerers, Obeying master,
as If they were eating the bread Of de-
pendence and rendering him personal
service.
Gentlemen, believed then, 1 believe
now, that this system must be killed or
it will kill the Republic. l believe the
spOils system must be supplanted by the
merit system, OF its cOrruptiOns will eat
out the moral forces on which free Gov
eminent must be founded.
After much reflection, with all the
assistance could get from every source,
l introduced a bill which gathered into
the form of law the provisions which
the experience OF eighty years had sug-
gested
Its purpose is simply to secure the ap-
plicatiOn of Mr.. JeffersOn's test--hOnesty,
capacity, fidelity.
Its methods are those familiar to us in
every position and avocation in life
comparison and competition.
1t is doubtless imperfect-wiser men
might improve it. Perhaps, ON further
consideration, I could myself change it
for the better. am not welded to its
details-I will gladly support better.
1t is the end, not the means, which l
value.
The spOils system, as it has lately been
developed, is great public crime and
scandal, fruitful of many and great
evils. The merit system will result in
great public good.
And on this high ground, first and
chiefly, l press my argument for the
overthrow of the one and the adoption of
the other.
Administrative reform Is no substi-
, tute for correct political principles, or
, wise laws, or sound Interpretation of
! the Constitution. 1t is no panacea for
the countless ills imposed on the coun-
try by the Republican party, by the un-
! wise legislation and the failure to legis-
late, to which have called your atten-
tiOn. 1t touches the methods of admin
! istratiOn only.
Let me argue this question for a mo-
ment on the lower plane of mere party
interest.
1t has been said that this abandon.
ment of the spoils system will retain in
office the appointees OF the Republican
party. Not at all. There is no PROPOSE
tiOn to extend The term of Office where
it is now fixed, OF in any wise to limit
: the constitutional power of removal
from Office. The proposition is simply
and only that where new appointment
shall be made, the element of fitn9ss
shall be decisive. Would any patriotic
man have it otherwise?
Nor are there any aTistOcratical tend
encies about it; for while it does not in
any wise create an official class, lit does,
, in words and in effect, open up the possi-
, bility of the public service to the poor
est and humblest and least influential
in the land.
1t has been said that the abandonment
of the spOils system will exclude Demo-
Gratis from Office when the day of our
victory shall come. Not at all. On the
contrary, / believe that the adoption of
this policy as our party creed will hasten
the day of the victory of our party, and
its adoption as law, under any Admin
istratiOn, fill many offices with Demo
} Gratis. think it will bring to our aid
very many men, hitherto not Democrats
who believe this reform a vital question
in our politics. think it will disarm
and disOrganize and neutralize the
trained bands of Office-hOlders who have
wrested from us the two last Presiden-
tial elections. And. finally, l believe
Democrats will stand any test of exami-
nation, and in fair field will not come
out second best. Who shall do them the
discredit to say that in any of the essen
tial elements of character, or capacity
or fitness. they are inferiOr2
ELECTION OF OFFICERS BY THE PEOPLE.
have detained you much too long.
and yet l must add that the very best
method of reforming the service, so far
as it goes, is the most rigid application
of the Democratic theory of the Federal
Constitution and GOVernment-that its
powers are all granted-that the sub
jeets on which it can act are very limit
ed--that it should refrain sedulously
from enlarging its jurisdiction, OF even
exercising admitted but unnecessary
powers-that it should scrupulously
avoid undue administration" Add to
this the election by the people of local
Federal offices, and there will be little
room and little necessity for other
methods.
REFORM ALONE THROUGH DEMOCRATIC
SUCCESS.
Gentlemen, do not believe there will
be any true reform of the Civil Service
while the Republican party is in power.
1 do not impeach the sincerity of indi-
yiduals. Ihave seen them braYely lead.
The party does not follow them. 1t can
scarcely do so. 1t is the party of con-
1 9OlidatiOn. If ia the marty, of bosses. It