The Republican journal., 1882-08-17
Civil Service Reform.


civil service reformers whether the Democrats
or Republicans make an issue of civil service
reform. What is wanted is reform, and not
mere professions of reform. | have usually
voted the Republican ticket, hoping that as it
was the party in power, some of its reform
pledges would be fulfilled: but it has made
maximum of prctenSion. with minimum of ac-
ton. The Republican party has pledged itself to
civil service reform in nearly every National and
State convention since 1865. When Gen. Grant
became President. with an honesty characteristic
of the man. he sought TO carry out the profess
sions of the party He asked Congress for an
appropriation to reform the civil service, and
stated i'll his message that: The present sv>-
TEN does not secure the best men, and often not
even tit men for the public places. Congress
doubtless expected that nothing would be DONE
and therefore made an appropriation covering
two years, during which, however, the Presi-
dent accomplished much. At the expiration Of
the two years President Grant sent Il message
to Congress. approved by every member of his
cabinet. giving the results of such competitive
examinations as had been held, follows:
a. They have, on an average, where en-
amlnatlons apply. given persons of superior
capacity and character TO the service of the gov
eminent, and have tended to eNclude UNIV orthy
applicants.
60 They have developed more energy in
the discharge of duty. and more ambition 10
acquire information connected with official
functions on the part of those i'll the service.
60 They have diminished the unreasonable
solicitation and pressure which numerous ap-
plicants and their friends competing for APP
pointments have before brought TO bear upon
the departments in the direction of faNoritiSm
a. They have. especially where competition
applies, relieved the heads of departments and
of bureaus. TO large extent. of the necessity
of devOting to persons soliciting places for
themselves or for Others time which was needed
for official duties.
o. They have made it more practicable to
dismiss from the service those who came IN
under the civil service examinations. when not
found worthy. than ii was or Is to dismiss the
like unworthy persons who had been introduced
into the service through favor or dictatiOn.
tG.) They have diminished the intrigue and
pressure. before too frequent, for causing The
| removal of worthy persons for the mere pur-
pose of bringing other. perhaps inferior, per
sons into the service.
The same year he again appealed TO Congress
presenting the evidence of the good work he
had done. and asking for an additional APP
preparation that he might continue it, Con-
gress refused He renewed the recommends
tons twice and Congress ignored it, The rca-
son i Obvious. Members OF Congress saw
clearly that should the rules formulated by the
civil service commission be generally applied,
the whole patronage system would be at once
destroyed. and they did not propose to be thus
>ummarly deprived of the Spoil> of office.
President Hayes asked for similar appro-
priation in nearly every message, and Congress
refused.
President Garfield asked Congress to fix the
tenure of the minor offices and to prescribe the
grounds upon which removals should be made.
No attention has ever been paid to the request.
President Arthur asked that the tenure of Of
flee be made stable and urgently requested that
an appropriation be made to carry on the work
inaugurated by President Grant.
At last late in the present session Of Com
gres>, the appropriation bill was reported The
various grants Of the bin amounted to S23.GS0-
SO. but not one dollar for what the President
had urgently" recommended to his party
friends for the purpose of promoting civil ser
vice reform. During the debate an amendment
was several times proposed. granting the amount
asked for by the President, but each time was
contemptuouslN opposed until at length with
Sneer> laughs and ieers $1,000 WAS voted by
these modern Solons for what President Car
field declared to be zone of the highest and most
imperative duties of craftsmanship"
Recent Republican State conventions have
passed civil service reform resolutions with
shouts of deri>ion.
An irresponsible club of Republican Con-
gressmen have called upon, irrespective Of
party, over lO00 900 persons employed bv tile
government to ''conrihute exactly per cent.
of their salaries toward the formation of an
enormous Republican campaign fund. TO be eN-
pended By the same irresponsible club Of Re
publican Congressman for the alleged purpose
OF influencing elections and continuing Rcpub-
can asccndencN. His infamous proceeding
has received its well mgrittd condemnation Of
many influential Republican journals and the
independent press everywhere; but it shows
the depth of degradation 10 which party poll
ties may descend.
Such i the record Of The Republican party
upon this important question. 1t does not bet
ter the case to say that til" Democratic record
is no better. \ reform Is needed. The people
would not only approve it but are demanding
it. Platform resolutions will not secure it. If
| the Republican party will bring it about, 50
much to its credit after degrading it. If il will
not do so il must soon suffer defeat.
What is demanded of Congress is the passage
Of the Pendloton or another similar bill. Con-
grcs>mcn will be asked To pledge themselves to
support such legislation.
Many of the READERS of the Republican Jour
nal would like to it aid reform 80 much
needed. i'll ii continue to oppose it:
Respectfully. ARTHUR {. :. JACKSON.
We publish Mr.. .Jackson'S letter. although it
contains little that is not generally known. and
nothing to controvcrt the position the journal
has taken on this question. The writer is cv-
IDENTIFY a fair-minded man, and for all such we
have respect. however much we may differ from
them in opinion. We maintain that it does. or
should, make a great difference TO civil service
reformers whether the Democrats or Republic
cans make An issue of civil service REFORM. be-
cause the history of the former party. and it,
practices when in power, as illustrated in the
editorial on Our Civil Service above referred To,
prove conclusivcy that lis professions in This
direction are merely intended for political cf-
feet and cannot be depended upon: while it is
| not true that the Republican party has made "a
| maximum of pretension, with minimum Of
| action" Mr. jackson shows that President
Grant when first 4ii,fpI Iir.at,I AZ Il,
the necessity of reform in the civil service. and
that Congress gave practical effect TO his sugge>-
tons. the good results from which are given in
| detail by our correspondent. The appropriate
| ton referred to WAS expended mainly in salaries
for a commission, which arranged Il plan for re-
forming the civil service with series of que>-
tons for competitive examinations. We fail TO
| see the utility of continuing such commission
on large salaries; and that is no doubt the reil-
| son why Congress did not renew the approprl-
| ations. There has been no rttrograiing Since,
| but steady advance in the direction Of reform.
| as all know who are conycr>ant with the work
| lngs of the departments. These reforms We're
| instituted and have been continued by Rrpubli-
| can administrations. The Democratic party has
civil service many other direction. 1t WAS the
| originator of the spoils system, and has been
| the consistent defender of corruption and mis-
rule. What the Boston Advertiser has said of
| the political situation in this State is pertinent
| here: There is not the slightest prospect that
| those who in favor of reform can. bv voting
independently, or by refrainins from voting,
! effect anything more than the defeat of the Re
| publican party and the success Of the Fusonsts.
| TO do that would be TO punish themselves quite
as much as the Republican leaders, without ad-
| vancing the cause of reform at ALL
| With regard to political assessments, the Re
publican party did not originate them and is not
alone in resortng to them; and as Mr.. Jackson
| styles those making the assessments IAN ire
sponsible club of Republicans" he should not
hold the Republican party responsible for their
acts, particularly as he further says they have
| received the "we-merited condemnation of
many influential Republican journals The
| defence of This cllIb or committee is that the