New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-22
SENATOR PENDLETON'S DILEMMA.

Senator PendletOn is beginning to find out
that the Civil Service Re orm of which he
claims to be the inventor has enough kick "
in it to make it extremely doubtful whether 1t
is not more liable to knock over those who
serve it than to damage those against whom
it is trained The hill which bears his name,
and has been more or less under discussion in
| Congress and the newspapers for several
months. has some meritOrOus features, 10y vlr-
the of which it has received the Endorsement
and approval of many sincere advocates of re-
form in the public service. Indeed, if we I'M
derstand the attitude of the Civil Service
Reform Associations, so-called, they virtually
accept the proposed measure as embodying
their ideas to some extent of the nature of the
reforms which they deem desirable. MIR. Pen
dleton may be said, then, to have profited TO
this extent by the introduction OF his bill
He has won for the measure the sup
port of considerable number of earnest
and sincere men, who are ordinarily and nat
urally hostile to Democratic measures and
men. Whether in addition to their favor for
the measure he has gained their support for
himself remains to be seen later on We pre-
sumo we do him no injustice in assuming that
one, if not the chief, end he has III view Is
to gain an advantage for his party, and very
likely popularity and promotion for himself.
In fact, he was reported not long ago TO have pre-
sented very fOrcbly in an interview, the view
of the case that, as a measure of party policy,
the Democrats ought to vote for it, as it would
be worth thousands of votes to them in the
next election.
Now so long as Democratic editors saw, or
thought they saw, in this bill a chance to
make capital for themselves and weaken the
Republicans by an attack in what they
deemed vulnerable quarter, they gave it
enthusiastic support. This was not difficult
for them. Nothing could suit them better
than the agitation of re Orm which did not
affect their own personal interests or
touch them however remotely. Not having
had a chance at the public service for many
years, nothing was more natural than that
they should desire most ardenty TO see it re-
formed. A reform that reformed all Repub-
licans out of Office and Democrats in would
suit them best, of course; but any reform
agreeable to them since the suggestion of the
need of it imported the existence of imperec-
lions in the service and consequent necessity
for change of administration. They saw, too,
q posi- biity of detaching from the Repub-
licans, with whom they were naturally aflili-
ated, q considerable number of Civil Service
Reformers, whom, if they did not eventually
win over TO the Civil Service Reform DemOc-
rary under the leadership of ReiOrmer PEN
dleton, they would at least disarm and neu-
tralize With nothing to lose even by the
adoption of the proposed reform, and APP
parentiy everything to gain by urging it and
by denunciation of the evils and abuses against
which it is directed, the Democratic news
papers have naturally enough followed Mr.. PEN
detOn until very recently with a good deal of
enthusiasm.
The TRIBUNE long ago pointed out the
obvious difficulties into which their head
long haste for reform was pushing them.
Some of them are just beginning to appreciate
the situation, and possibly their comments may
open the eyes of Mr.. PendletOn TO his impend-
ing dilemma. They are just beginning 10 see
what The TRIBUNE has several times directed
their attention 10, that any reform OF the sys-
TEN of public service which will satisfy the
Reform party-even the Pendleton bill, if en-
acted and enlOrced-would at one blow not
only demoralize and cripple the Democratic
party, but would take away It's very reason for
being. For though there may be deluded souls
who believe the Democratic party does not
exist solely upon the nope of office, there is no
one so deiuded as to believe for IA uicnt that
the marty would have the slightest chance Tor