The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1882-12-13

THE NECESSITY OF CIVIL SERVICE RE-
FORM - IDLENEss, INcoMPETEEcY,
- DISHONESTY, INDUSTRIOUS EXTRAvA-
GANCE AND CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE
IN EVERY DEPARTMENT.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., Dec. 9, 80.
To the Editor Of The Morristown Gazette:
The first week of the last session
of the Republican Congress is'-pass-
ed, and the majority has shown
some signs of death bed or scaffold
repentance. Repentance is good at
any time, perhaps, but it is too late
to secure reprieve or Communication.
The execution of the sentence of
Punishment must 20 on, must be
made thorough in 1884, when, in
the sequestration of private life, the
men who have governed and legis-
lated so ruinously will have time
for individual, but not for party, re-
pentance. History is merciless,. as
it should be, for unfortunately there
is no other future punishment for
condemned political parties The
fruits meet for repentance that
the Republicans appear TO be bring
ing to the altar just now are a re-
duction of taxation and civil service
reform. They are quite willing to
reform the civil service so as to give
stability of tenure for the next six
years to the 100000 office holders
all of them placed in office by the
Dannhlsoon roau, laro aHI oonofo,.o
as a reward for such political parti-
ian work as it must be the object of
all genuine civil service reform to
correct. The bill proposed, if pass
ed, would secure offices to those
whom Hayes appointed in reward
for crime the most monstrous in
the annals of time 1t would make
investigation of all the theft and ad-
ministrative lawlessness of the last
twenty years impossible, for it would
leave the appointees of Sherman,
Robson, and Belknap in possession
of the archives of the government
Offices 1t wolld continue in places
of honor and trust hundreds of the
appointees of Senators Malone, Kel-
logg, ex-Senators Dorsey and Spen-
GER No policy could be more wrong
in theory or practice than to dis
charge hundred thousand clerks
for no better reason than that they
are Republicans, but that no real
reform can take place until several
thousand dishonest and incompetent
clerks are discharged is a fact we'll
known to those who are acquainted
with the routine and the personnel
of the government offices here.
Last week President Arthur dis
charged half-a-dozen persons for al
lodged sympathy with the Star
Route defendants. Ifall the active
sympathizers with the crimes by
which prominent Republicans, and
the Republican party, have profited
were discharged, at least $4,000
government employees would join
the procession. f-
1t is evident that the people are
aroused on the subject of civil ser
vice reform, and it is evident that
the President and Congress have
heard from the people. 1t is not q
very striking or tangible subject,
not a subject upon which it is easy
to arouse popular indignation, for
the reason that it is almost impossi-
BILE to make its inquities palpable
to the average voter. There is moth
ing picturesque about it. Nothing
sufficiently sensational to attract |
popular attention, except when a
Secretary of War sells post trader
ships, or an ex-senator and Post |
master General steal by the million
from the Postoffice Department. |
But it is one of the most hopeful in
dications of our time that public at
tention is at last earnestly directed
to the necessity of purifying the
most important branch of the gov
eminent service and establishing it
on business like basis. ~
Some of your readers will remem-
Der that | have made this matter
the subject of many letters during
the last seven years. My iteration
has, perhaps, been tedious to some,
but, apart from earning my pay, |
desire to tell the truth about men
and things at the Capital, and, SO
Ear as am able, to reform abuses
Dy exposing them. | have lived
eleven years in Washington, and,
Turing the first eighteen months of
by residence, L was a government
.lerk. Mine is not hear say testi-
many. ! have been behind the
genes, and when / have said there
S dishonesty, idleness, monstrous
criminal negligence
md capital iEcompetency in every
department. of the mammoth civil {
ervice OF the United States, but {
ell what / saw in the Department !!
where | served, what / have seen in
ii the Departments, and what no I
onest clerk in any Department will !
env q