New-York tribune., 1883-12-17
4 NEW REEORN IDEl.

There are rumOrs that the Democrats OF the
Senate propose to treat the country to an cXh-
| btion of their sincere devotion to the idea of
| Civil Service Reform. The Republicans, hav-
ing regaincd control Of the body, intend 20 fill
the vacancy in the Office of Secretary which has
existed since the death of Colonel Burch, owing
to the nicely balanced condition of parties, 10
restore to their places some officials who were
turned out by the DcmocrSts when they obtain
ed temporary control in 1879, and generally,
TO organize the Senate offices in accordance with
the views of the majority.
The Democratic Senators, il is understood.
will object to this strenuOusly. They will urge
upon the attention of the majority the fact that
thcsc.oniccrs are cOmpctcnt--a point which n
to some Of them is understood 10 be opcl TO
qucston-and that competent officers must be
allowed to remain in their places. This is a
doctrine which has never yet been strictly ap-
piled to the organization of legislative bodies
by any party in this country, so iiras we know.
Possibly in the future We may extend the idea
of permanent tenure forcompct"ntoiiirals from
the Civil Service of the executive and judicial
branches Of the Government where il il now
flirly established 10 the clerical service Of the
legislative branch. The functions Of legislation
being especially political it has usually been
thought best 10 have those officials whose duties
were closely connected with legislation in har-
mony with the ruling party; but the reform idea
with which the Democratic Senators will, it is
understood, identify themselves, is one that
may deserve serious consideration. What we
most regret is that it should not have struck
them little carcr-say, az about the time
John ;. Carlisle was elected Speaker Of the
House of Representatives. Here was an excel
lent opportunity for the new Democratic theory
to be- put in practice. There were no vacanics
in the clerical service of the House. as i'm that
Of the Senate. Thd places were occupied by
competent faithful men. Nothing would have
been easier than to allow them To remain in
their positions. But, unfortunately, the new
reform idea did not gcrmnatc in the minds of
the Democratic Senators in time to be commu
nicatcd 10 their political brethren in the House.
The guilotine was set up the moment Mr..
Carlisle was chosen Speaker, and heads havo
been tumbling ever since. They will all fall in
time, and if the process has been at all delayed,
it is only because the scramble for places il so
great that the hungry Office get in each
others way. There are 1876 Democratic Con-
grcssmen, and there are only about 10 ap-
pOlHtincnlS, ldDOItIS anu pages, III
the offices of the Clerk, DOOrkceper, Sergeant
at-Anms, and Postmaster. The problem of
dividing up these 40 appointments so that
each of the 1876 Congressman can have one has
perplcxcd and racked brains that have always
found questions of craftsmanship easy. In
despair Of any better settlement, the places
were finally appOriioncd among the States, and
the delegations were left to fight it out among
themselves. At last accounts, this process of
evolution was in various stages while some
delegations borrowed from the New York Dem
Ocracy the more peaceful method of rallng.
All dis might have been prevented, if the
Democratic Senators had only conceived their
great reform idea few days earlier. AS it is,
we shall expect to hear them dcnOuncc, as they
must, to be consistent, the disordcry strife over
the Offices that is to be seen at the other end Of
the Capitol. We should especially like to hear
the views of Senator Butler, of South Carolina,
whose brother has just been given the place of
Librarian of the House, until now held by
negro, one of the most competent men for the
post in Washington