The Dillon tribune., 1882-01-07

r,,r CIVIL Service Reform club, wheth.
r.ck Of soreheaded politicians who
'..a ta;Ied to secure fat Offices or not, are
.,..;ns some very good arguments in favor
-. n refpru, in the manner Of appointment
" ~ c,erkship and subordinate positions un-
d.r the Government, by competition exam.
...t;ons rather than political preferences,
.hich certainly presents some pretty strong
grounds for change. >,
The old saw: "you scratch my back and
ri scratch yours" is or should be too we'll
.nru to be useful in thcse days of civiliza.
.,on and enlightenment. 1t is no doubt
s.;,e % pleasant for Jones, who has by his
Jealous work on the stump, (the only
thing he was fit ior), assisted to elect
smith to Congress, to receive situation IN
.he treasury, although he does not know
MULTIPLICATION table from checkcr-b.'ard.
p.t brown. who lacked the cheek or lip to
make stump speaking success would
ao,,,t,ess have much better filled the posi-
Inn. Garfield in 1877 wrote Of the "spoi''
s...,.r,n in our civil service: "The present
system invade the independence OF the Ex'
.cu,ive and makes him less responsible Tor
,ne character Of his appointments; 1t i'm
.,.;rs the efficiency Of the legislator ny d.
rsrt,np him from his proper sphere OF duty
and involving him in the intrigues OF as.
Grants for office; It degrades the Civil
Service itself BY destroying the personal
:~a.rpndence of those who are appointed; !;
:, repe,s from the service those high ana
manly qualities which are so necessary to
nure and efficienct administration; and'
s,a,lv II debauches the public mind by
holding up public Office as the reward OF
."er.. narty zeal" These evils may be
remedied BY admitting applicants to eubor'
.;nste Offices in our Civil Service on conf
.,a,;t;v4 examinations, which shall best test
,hos.. qualities required in the office to be
filled, This system will give to every per-
,on. whethe, he be Democrat or kepunn'
can. an equal right to enter the puolic
service; it will give to our government
tho wisest and best choice Of servants; It
will break the power Of patronage ana
cause subordinate offices to be gwen iof
.nrroved merit and not Tr ability In con-
trolling votes. II competitive exa'n'na'
t,on proves, as It does, the best metnoa oi
hiring servants in private life, why should
y moi as we'll in the public service. This
reform will only apply to the subordinate
and clerical officers Of the government
whose duties have no necessary connection
with the poscv OF the Administ' alton. In
1910 there were $3.50 such subo' dlnate
officers on the rolls Of the National Gov
ernment, whose combined salar'e" amount
cd to $3S,77a,o43. Most Of these omeer'
are clerks, and under the reform would nS
appointed by competitive exa'n'"at'on
Under the "spoils" system these 7S''e@
offices can pe used by the party IN power
to rerpetrate its hold upon the government
and can be held out by all political parties
"a bribes to voters. But this $3S77s'o4.
represents only aportion OF the 'sp"',
fund of the NafiosM Government; mere !,
the fund Of our States and cites 10 DC az
ded. In New York City there are 7,oo
versions employed, not counting teacher
and laborers, whose salaries amount t
SS.o.uooo annually. Consider the II"
,nense .spoils" fund in our national sta'e
and city governments, which is now "se'
to bribe voters, and which VIII pc s"et'
away by the system OF competitive exam
nations. Is it not true that the "spo''s
system causes principles to be forgotten an'
nolitical parties to be merely machines TO
obtaining and holding Officer Garfield ais
wrote in 1877: ut will be proud "a
when an Administration Senator or Repre-
sentative, who is in good standing in hi
party, can say as Thomas Hughes sai'
during his recent visit 20 this country, tt''
though he was on the most intimate term
with the members Of his own Administr'
ton, yet 1t was not in his power to secur
the removal of the humblest clerk IN I'll
Civil Service Of his government