New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-13
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.

ACHIEVED BY THE COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION
SYSTEM.
To ne EdftOr Of The Trtbune.
SIR: Mr.. Thurlow Weed few days since, hlled
two and q half columns of The IRIBUN with views
of " Civil Service Reform which everybody thinks
he should hold, and nobody thinks he Will change
He yields persuasive pen. / believe HIM 10 DE
sincere and patriotic, whatever may have 10 say OF
his candor or of his information concerning inc
subject upon which he has volunteered an essay and
CHALLENGED discussion If you, Mr.. Editor, will give
both sides hearing.
If Mr. Weed had but shown natural blindness
TO the vicious methods of New-York politics supreme
during his active life l. his kind impulses had but
drawn him into defence more generous than just
OF discreet of the eXecrabe system OF his old-tme
friend Marcy: if he had been satisfied with calling
the leaders of the higher sentiment which has made
that system infamous, "muddled POLITICIANS
dealers in idle conundrums," "howlers for Civil
Service Reform" if he had been content to relieve
his pessimisIc distrust of all things new and to warn
and instruct the Mayor of Bro klyn as TO his duty,
by branding as "shysters" those whom the great
reform there is likely to bring into office; If he had
but exalted high over the "cOnundrum reforlners
of orr day the virtue and patriotism of his boyhood
companons who around the savage Old camp hres
of politics clapped their hands to the fresh maxim
of Macy that ito the victOrs belong the sDoiis -
if only that much was i'll his essay we might whlle
conceding to Mr.. Weed 10 right to forbearance,
smile forgive him, and be silent. But such are not
his limits. Nor is it the worst that Mr.. Weeds
prcudces expressed in plausible STYLE may secure
credence for views of which the only strength Is in
disr rust and lack OF information He has doubt
not in good faith-mIsStated the f.ctS so that not
the truth but the contrary, upon important matters
is made to appear. | do not propose to go much
beyond the corrections due to truth.
Mr.. Weed begins by taking to his bosom Senator
Dawes as if he was a sympathzlng friend. lie sets
him up as man of sense" III wide contrast wth Ihe
"muddled politicians and journals" who Tor some
years past Mr. Weed says, have been wasting Their
time and paper on Civil Service Reform" ana com
petitye examinations. Now, Mr. Weed is as much
mistaken about Senator Dawes as the young man
who. last week. in an examination at the Custom
House, declared that JesT Davis raised an insurrec-
ton at Harpcr'1 Ferry and tried to liberate the
slaves of Virginia These competitive examinations
are the SPECIAL bomination of Mr. Weed, as they are
naturally OF every partisan chieftain, every patron
agc-moncer every political parasite and sycophan-
tic ofice-seeker of the country For these cXamna-
tons are barrcadcs of intelligence and justice
against partisan dcspotism and the barterlng OF
Offices for votes They enable the most meritorlous
to gam places in the public service, by reason of
their worth and capacity, without depending on
corrupt influence the venal favor of chietains,
without agreeing to pay political assessments to
coerce elections to shout or vote for the manlpu-
lators of conventions All this Is OF course utterly
rcpugnant to the pTatica code and the 1llcai saw
acer, of the medieval politics of New-York which
Mr. Weed is quite unable 10 see that Mr.. ConklIng
has involved in his own ruin. Sr. Weed is lament
ably Insinfor,ned as to the views of Mr.. Dawes on
all these points In letter to The Springfield RcpRb-
lean of July 10 last. Mr.. Dawes denOunces the old
spoils system of which Mr.. Marcy and Mr.. Weed
will stand champions together IT history, as one
which destroys his the COngTessmah's lndrpend-
ence and makes him slave II subordiIatrs the
duty of the legislator to the distribution of favors,
the liquidation of debts, and the making OF prOvis-
ions for the .hrftles," And Mr. Dawes calls " for
common effort 10 suppress this gigantic evil which
threatens the Republc"-that Iery evil which. IN
Mr. Weeds view, is a blessing!
In another letter to the same Journal of August
10, Mr.. Dawes speaking Of the Pendieton bill for
extending competitive committeeman he was
favorin- meIn Der of the committee which reported
tito the S.nate-says: The bill seeks 70 bring about
three radical changes; o. The establishment of
non-partisan civil service; ~ Entrance INTO that
service only through examinations torit, primarily
competitive These are ends worthy an honest la
Dor All depends. it seems to me- upon the success
of the second of these propositions, that of the
competitive and other examinations such nave
been Mr.. DawcS's views up to this time. lie has,
tlus week presented bill in II Senate for extend
ing competitive examinations. He deems most es-
scnt,al the very competitive examinations which
are e red flag of Mr.. Weeds wrath and horror.
While Mr. Weed, leaning on sir. Dawes, who abhOrs
MIR. Weeds old spOls system, Is CALAMITY trying 70
uphold that System, am ready to show Mr.. Weed a
letter of that senator to in winch ii appears that
the s-nator was the main support of the statutes
under which General Grant first established COM
petiliye examinations and under which Senator
Dawes insists that such examinations may DE and
should be now continued. Indeed, Mir Dawess
preference of this prior legislation over the Pendle
ton bin Tor the same purpose IS the sole basis of
Mr.. Weeds doleul and ludicrous appeal to Mr.
Dave ssor consolation and support
RESULT or COMPETITIVE EXAMINATIONS.
Mr. Weed tells rs thai all competitive eXamna-
tions have done at the New-Yor6 Custom House
AM, Post Once is TO relieve the Collector and POST
master Of - heavy tax Oh their time and patience
and TO enable them to turn battaons of Office
seekers over 10 the competitive examinations" II
Mr. Weed were not so sOiemnly grave aud dILactic,
ever u jdv would regard this censure irOnical,
much as if he should arraIgn prayer-Ineetings and
Sabbath lessons for taking heavy tax from the
time of policemen and criminal magistrates and for
turning laitaions of street Arabs aud cyprians
over to the ministers and the Sunday school teach
crs But, rs Nj. Weed is in dead earnest, must
believe lie wishes that battaiOns of oiicer-seckers
should continue, as in the old spoils system days
which he worships. to tax the time and coerce the
action of those officers. Mr.. Weed says he fav0rs
it must 20 backward. Here gain
Mr. Weed is sadly at loggerhea with his fayorIte
authority. Sir. Dawes who, in letter now before
me declares that under competitive examinations
MIR. Merritt worked a wonderful reform at the
New-York Custom House." almost everybody
hut Mr. Weed is ready To admit.