The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-08-02
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
George William Curtis Delivers
an Address-TafFy for Arthur.

Providence, AT the civil sell
vice reform meeting, Rev. Charles
Wendt, Of the Local Reform AsSoci-
alton, opened The proceedings and
gave ahearty welcome to the associ-
alton Rev. William CARTS then
delivered the annual address,
Curtis said the efficiency of the Pen
dleton bill depended at the begin
ing wholly upon the good faith of
the President. If he desired to
defeat its purpose, he had only to
appoint an unfriendly commission,
but the selection of the first COM
missioner was that of the ablest,
sincerest. and one of the most de-
voted friends of refOrm-Norman
B Eaton, n. Y, and the association
with him of DR.. Gregory of Illinois,
and Judge Thurman of Ohio was
conclusive of the earnestness of
the Presidents desire to give the
reformed system fair play. This is
more significant because of the Eres-
ldents previous course, and the fear
that he would use his vast patron
age in manner to aggrevate the
evils of that system. But this ap-
prehensjon has not been justified.
In certain instances, indeed, and
| especially in the removal of the
late naval officer of New York, one
of the most efficient and experienced
officers in public service, there was
fragrant disregard of essential
principles of reform hut the ingen-
ious manner in which this disre-
gard was yelled was appar-
ent, and the desire to pro-
mote the interests of reform was
an evidence of the Presidents
consciousness Of the public expec-
tati0n that able and capable officers
shall not be removed under plea of
the expiration of their terms; but
on the other hand, the Presidents
steady refusal to satisfy a facti0n of
his party which demands that pub
lie patronage shall be prostituted to
factlonal interest, is most honora-
BILE to the chief magistrate, and
whatever exception may be Justly
taken to many acts of the admins
tration in regard to appointments
and removals, it will net be denied
by far men of every party that the
the President, whose accession
by means of the most tragical
event was generally regarded
as serious misfortune, if not a cal
amity-has not only allayed all ap-
prehension of gross misuse of the
patronage of the government, but
| by his patience and temperate ad-
ministratiOn, has gained the general
approval of the country.
At a busines s meeting after the
Grafton, Curtis was unanimously re-
elected president. Hitchcock OF
st. Louis presented q resolution
that, in the opinion of the league, it
is indispensable to a complete
reform in the civil service,
that Congress should repeal
the act of May 18th. 1920, and acts
supplementary thereto, now en-
bodied in sections 1891, 1854, 2217,
1928, 2613 and $3.50 of the Revised
Statutes. The resolution de-
nounces rotation in office as foreign
alike to republican principles and to
a sound business method, and advO-
Gates, as a most urgent step in re-
i form, a return to the early practice
of government under which the
fidelity and good behavior of public
servants, as in the case of
private agents, were made the
sole condition of a continuance
of their employments. A resolution
was adopted fayoring the applica-
ton of the principles of the Pendle-
ton bill to civil service in the states
and cities Of this country. The
league resolved to admit to MEM
bership all civil service reform
associations thus applying, and
Isoon afterwards adjourned.