New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-07

trnInph will be n brief and barren one whlle tne
Republicans of Brooklyn in the next campalgn WIN
be rs cold Indifferent and heartess AZ the lrauois
BY whom they have been dolraudeu Oh tleIt rights.
Tho evil complained Of therefore, arises not
from the modes OF appointment, but rom inc I'LL I'LL
stantly increasing number OF spphcahts' -, 10
remedies proposed are impTacticabe ana lnPo!hSlpIo
Limpo-sible hecause members of Congress- viii not
vote for laws which would inevitably prevent Inel'
reelection. That the EVIL 6x5ts no one W." LARGELY
reducing the numbers OF candidatss lor % IT,
Offices When rising generations leatu 10 ~ -. hc
hlrhpr law which teaches rs that pread y 10 ~
earned bv the sweat of our brOS and that III inc
understanding lottery there nine blanks 10 ono
prize competitive examinations WIZ hoV ~ III
request.
CURRENT DISCUSSIONS or THE sUBJtCT'
The Ccpbyv. in it's two articles on Civil Service
Reform. is rpuch more successful in describing evils
than in suggesting practical remedies The
strongest point made is in contrasting the views OF
Representative Garfield on this subject with tnoso
of President Garfield. The Representative de-
mandcd with his accustomed earncstness, that APP
pointments to Office should be made by competitive
examinations and that The enures should be during
good behavior but President Garfield, when called
TO make appointments not only failed TO reterate
such views but acted as every President with JUST
sense of bis responsibility to his party and friends
must and will act. When the time arrives that
Presidents of the United States Governors OF
States Mayors of cities and others, confer appoint
ments by competitive examinations or OtherWi Use,
without inquirng whether the recipients are poti-
cal friends or foes the people will lose their interest
in elections and our Government will soon DRIFT
into a monarchy. We ought to profit by q lesson
within the memory of all which the fate Of sister
Republic teaches. Louis Napoleon was elected
President for n limited term; but the people OF
France were bcguied into the fatal errors OF hrst
making him President for life, and then he
made himself Emperor Our State was never
better governed than during the forty or more
years when the Wig and Democratic parties
were so equally divided that the utmost watch
fitness of one required TO prevent tne sue
cess OF the other III every annual election;
The party in power required 10 render rlglu
account of its stewardship. Ii mistakes I'D adhlln-
istTatiOn were made or If laws were passed h0stle
10 the general welfare the opposition avail led them
selves of their vantage ground the result being
change of rulers. During the forty years referred
TO- the political 20 yer of the state changed from
time to time by the election of Yates, Van buren,,
Throop. Bouck, Wright, Marcy AID Seymour as
Democratic Governors; and Of Clinton, seward,
Fish Hunt King. Clark and Morgan rs Wing Gov
errors As often ~ the power changed, actlNe ana
In1uentia! friends by whose efforts the state
officers were elected, received their share or the
spols" Removals. however, were neither sweep
ing nor indlscTmlnatc. and instead o1 hoWlS LOT
CIVIL Service Reform, there was general acquleS-
ceuce i'm the fairness and Dropricty OF the methods
now so vehemently denounced.
The North imeJicqR Herier contributes th0ughI-
full vell-reasOned and exhaustive article, eHectu-
ally exposing the fallacy OF Civil Service he
formers. have no belef that congress VIII WltSlo
much of IFS time in the discussion of these cues
tIops If they, however, be seriously pressed. /
shall hone to hear again from MI Dickson /. ".
Ncr I0yk, Dec. 2G, 1881.