New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-03-24
"CLTTL SERVICE REFORM."
A LETTER FROM THURow WEED on THE CASE OF
GENERAL NJ NJ. CURTIS.

A LETTER FROM THURLOW WEED on THE CASE OF
GENERAL N NJ. CURTIS.
TO the Fditor Of The Trtbune.
SIR: The Editor of Haypcr's Utekly George Will
lam Curtis disclalms personal hostility tow ard
General " NJ Curtis in his abortve. attempts to
indct that gentleman. l needed such assur
ance MI Curtis and his associates are working
for what they regard as important Reform
They have exAumed law the existence of which.
like many others, was unknown. IL selecting Gen
era Curtis as their victim should his trial result n
q conviction. they will awaken a storm of popular
indignation for which they unprepared. Gen
eraI CuTtiss character as citizen and his services
as a soldier viii insure his vu0icatIon; but why
has he been singled out in preference to other and
older offenders, if, indeed devotion 10 the Rcpub.
can party constitutes an indctable otlencef Gus
tom House and Post Office contributions received
and expended by General Arthur first carried In
diana in October and next Now-IoTk in November,
1850 for the Republicans electing their candidates
for President and President President
Arthur therefore not only received and expended
money contributed by Federal Office holders but
was personally interested III the results it pro
duced. | deny, however, thai General Arthur or
General Curtis did wrong. On the contrary, main
tain that their action was not only proper but
praiseworthy Under such a 81 ate of facts | am
more than surprised TO find the Secretary of tho
Treasury and the United States District-Attorney
superseryiceably active in criminal proceeding
against General Curtis And what is still harder TO
bear is the assumption by the Civil Service Reform
Secretary that the proceeding bias the approval OF
President Arthur. 1t would be pleasant to learn
that this IS an unauthorized assumption.
Office-seeking has become an iDtoleTable evil. II
Is attributable largely TO defective system Of
education. The error commences at home. where
parents neglect TO impress upon their sons lessons
of industry. economy and self. dependence. Nor are
fhe sons Of the middle classes apprenticed as tor
merry that they may al maturity become useful
mechanics. The next defect Is found in
schools. The various mechanical trades should he
taught not only in our puhhc ana district schools
If Messrs Curtis, White Rogers, Eaton and other
Reformers" will unite their efforts IN the manner
Indicated, they will not only promote Civil Ser
vice" reforms but diminish the evils Of intempeI-
ance.
@Civil Service Reform" under President
Hayes began With the removals Of Naval Officer
Cornell and Collector Arthur and ended in the
plecton Of the former as Governor OF the State and
The latter rs Vice President OF the United States.
The RefOrmers" resumed their labors by nstltut-
ing competitive examinations in the New York
Custom House and Post Once, beyond which the
1eform is not likely to extend. If there was any
thing useful practical II such I" Reforms they
should apply to all Civil Service appointments.
The fact that after six iyears Of persistent effort
the "RefOTmers" have not extended their line of
operations beyond the cities OF New York and Wash
angtOn is virtual confession OF its impTacticabty.
The only positive and practical effect of this kind
of machine work to double treble and quadruple
the army OF Oiiice-seekeTs. 1t is invitation to
the idle thriftless scheming classes who cannot
or will not earn their living TO try their luck in a
Civil Service Reform" lottery. 1t is a political
safety valve OF which the Collector Naval Officer
Surveyor and Postmaster gladly all themselves
heu- ork, March Is, 1892 T.w