New-York tribune., 1882-02-22
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
A LETTER FROM THURLOw WEED.


SHERMAN ROGERS REvTwED-THE ENGLISH
SYSTEM AND TIE sPOILs SYSTEM CONTRAsTED.
To the EdttOr OF The Tribune:
SIR: The cause of Civil Service Reform is re-
nforced by contributions from the Hon. Andrew ID.
White aud the Hon. sherman Rogers; the former as
essayiat in The North american Eerie,r, the
latter lecturer ID Michigan. | am not sur
prised to find Mr.. White falling into line with
George VII lam Curtis and DOrman Is. Eaton. Of
Mr. Rogers had expected con mon. rather than TN
common. sense But | do not impugn the motives
of either for both are gentlemen who are incapable
of doing wrong themselves or OF Intentionally
drawing others into political pitfalls. Much learn
ing however touching this question has bewlld-
cred them. Their theories can never be re-
duced to practice. Ii the principle IS sound
it is applicable to The appointment of all
civil officers and yet Mr.. Rogers III his lecture
dwarfs the policy down to subordinate Custom
House and Poet Office appointments. President
Hayes, the great Civil Service Reform Apostle,
inaugurated that policy by removing our Collector
and Naval Officer. The Republican party empha'
sized its sense of the justice and wisdom OF such
reforms by making one of the victims Governor
of the State and the other Vice President OF the
United States. President Hayess next and Iast
Civil Service" achievement was IN senuing WI
Howard, the author of his campaign pioeIalnS'
from Ohio 70 New York rs General Appraiser. lhaC
reformerp by the arbitrary exercise of bis brief
autbority. has created strong popular desire for
his removal But neither Professor Nhlte hor
Lecturer Rogers now proposes to repeat thoSc ca
periments. They only stIIke at the small Iy'
thus giving the question rs lar as important "p
pointments are concerned. If there was any neces-
slty for such civil Service Reform 1t would
apply with equal if not greater force to the hsner
and more important than to the minor officers.
If my health permitted, and you could spare me
sufficient room could very easily expose the tal!a-
cies of these rcfOrmers.' Mr.. Rogers III frankly
admitting that at least nineteen OF every twenty
civil appointments cannot be subjected TO "ClNh
Service rules shows that in the preparation ol n's
elaborate lecture large amount OF time ana laooI
was lost Mr.. White. after recltlng "recan anu
other obsolete authorities Is the wont Ol schOar'
in favor of Civil Service Reform, drops from 'Ae
clouds to say that Just rs Garrison ana Lo'e"y
failed before Lincoln. Seward. Sumner and their
oor,,eers succeedeI in 1sGI." This reference, III
which names are misplaced and events mixed, iur-
n,sbes a suitable opportunity for correcting Mir.
Whites history. In $50 and 1861 Senators sum
ner Wade and others IN and out of Congress- de-
mauded a reform in the conduct ol the war that
would have destroyed our Government and tn"n.
As the war was avowediy waged by the Cohleue-
rate states for slavery, Mr.. sumner ana MS lol-
lowers insisted that the North should accept ihdt
,..,e and prosecute the war avowedy for EmlncI-
nathan. On the other hand. President Lincoln,
secretary seward and their followers, assumed that
If the war was not avowcdly prosecuted IN defence
of the Government and mon, united south would
rrove too strong for a divided North. Nothhg
sovej the Government and Union but policy
which divided the Democratic Ulrty into Copper
heads and Union men. Yet strong and bitter
M r. at
citizens against those Of us who refused to make
the abolition of slavery the ayowed object OF the
vor Lincoln aad Seward were right then, as they
vould be now were they living upon a question
which admits those who fought against the Govern
mcnt 1pon an equality with those who periiied
their lives in defence of the Union. In other words
the wounded rebel soldier who answers greater
number of competitive questions than the
wounded Union soldier. obtains the appointment.
Or taking another illustration, the Republican VINO
voted for Garfield and Arthur loses an appointment
which Is given TO the Democratic competitor VINO
voted for Hancock and English, the latter beng
more expert in syntax and geography thAn the
former.
TIE ENGLISH SYSTEM REVIEWED
The sort of Civil Service Reform" now urged
when examined reveals nothing but theories tai
lacies and assumptions. 1t is erroneousy alleged
that the Spos system" demands and occasions
when the political power changes lndiscnmlnate
| removals This if true would work a great wrong
but it Is not true The public service would sufer
| by the removal of exceptionally capable, expert
encrd and honest incumberts But there are always
| men enough whose services can he dispensed with
to satisfy the political demands of an incoming Al
r,,nistration have demonstrated this assertion in
nv former letters against theoretical Civil Service
Reform" The claim that tenurcs Of subordinate
Io ia. lffrr hp-
havior is equally unsouDd and ant-RepubIcan.
England is referred to as furnishing evidence of the
inheritance and usefulness of its Civil Service.
Connective examinations aggravate instead of d-
minishiur the number of Oitice-seekers. Needy
and seedy men of both political parties are invited
to compete for appointments. Heretofore not more
than score or two of applicants bcleaguered the
Collectors Office, while at the recent examination
three times that number put in an appearance.
Office seekers like the purchasers of lotterytchets
are stimulated rather than discouraged by the
knowledge that there are nine blanks 10 one prize
If Messrs Curtis. Eaton, White and Rogers can IN
vent a reform which converts Office beggirS into
industrious self-supportlng mechanics, farmers or
laborers they will deserve and receive the hearty
oDproval of their fellow citizens. Orr Civil Ser
vice Refornefs" will find no precedents tattering
to their theory by their reference to John BulIs
circumlocution Office Its first consideration to
provide places for the younger brothers, second
sons nephews cousins and other relatives of the
nobility. Dickens was practical retormer.' He
solved great domestic social. moral ana political
problems He sought to " reform and did re-
form great abuses. In Oliver Twist he exposed
with master hand the proverblal AID lifelong
iuhumanties praciised under the Poor House laws.
In Nicholas NickIeby" the pery aiding boarding
school cruelties of which that kept il Yorkshire by
"Squeers' was conspicuous type are exposed
and squelched. The first chapter of Bleak House