New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-12
on TRIAL.

The moment OF greatest danger lot ever! lc-
n,rm is when it passes from tho destructive 10
the constructive stage. TO prove that existing
things are not perfect il generally easy. But 1t
is unite n different matter TO frame rules and
laws which shall bring about better state oil
things. If wisdom il lacking just at that point,
so that the first attempt OF retotmers TO suuSt-
tnte something better results III failure, the le-
form is likely TO lie set back for many years
Civil Service Reform has reached that clltlcal
stage. II will be Judged 10y the bill which was
passed by more than two-thrds majority Ill
both Houses OF this bill it cannot be said, as
it has been said of other measures looking to-
ward reform of the service, that II was the work
of men who did not want to accomplish any
thing. I'm all essential features, the bill was
signed by the President a. it came from the Civil
Service Reform Association. The especial rep
resentaive of that association, Mr.. Eaton, AZ
ter the bill had passed the Senate, declared that
the measure had not been so changed as To I'M
parts op sratOn-that. iii fact, the amendments
of the Senate had made il a better and stronger
bill OH the whole than it was when introduced.
Thus assured, the House passed it without the
change of a letter, and its passage IN that BODY
was in a great measure due to the fact that 1t
was in substance and in detail the work of those
who had taken that reform into their especial
charge.
As usual there was a singular combination OF
motives in Congress. Some men heartily sym
pathize With the aims and have great confidence
i'm the wisdom of the Reform ASSOCIATION
Though most of these members arc Republl-
cans. there were also some Democrats who rem
dered conspicuous and most honorable service
At the opposite extreme, there were some ke-
nublicaus who voted for the bill solely because
il would tend to keep III Office great many oi
their party friends, or embarrass any Demo
cratic President in getting them out. But a
LARGE number of members undoubtedly mois
than enough to turn the scale in either House
voted for the bill because they could thus get
rid of responsibility on the subject. 1t is not
necessarily at all discrcditable to a member OF
Congress that he has never Thought out for
himself remedy for existing evils. Many
most honorable and patriotic statesmen have
lived, served, and died, while those abuses have
existed, without having 50 far investigated the
subject as to perceive just how to remove them
With or without fault, great many members
of Congress felt III doubt, were conscious that
they had never examined the matter very thor
ouphly, and knew that some proposed remedies
might easily prove worse than the disease. But
these members passed the Dill because public
opinion demanded it,
The startling result Of elections last fall con
vInced such members that the people were very
much in earnest about Civil Service Reform
/, Taught them that no member who refused to
respect the wishes of the people could expect
poluca length Of days. Having thus decided
that some bill must he passed, they naturally
gave n preference to the one proposed by the
Civil Service Reform Association. Members
said ave are not quite clear, but these re-
formers have made this matter their especial
business If they do not know what the peo-
"ple want, and how to get at It, we cannot be
"blamed if we do not know. If we pass their
"bill, the responsibility will rest with the re-
formers who framed or the Executive who
"will execute it," IL Is probable that many
voted for the bill who would not be distressed
if it should prove worthless. But all sincere
advocates of the reform realize that it will he
most unfortunate if measure SO framed,
and adopted in such a spirit, should not work
we'll
The bill Will have to meet two dangers
There is danger that the President may use il
for his purposes. There is also danger that the
politicians may contrive so far to abuse it as to
render it pernicious and unpopular. Certainly
the spirit hitherto shown by the President in APP
pontments is not such as to warrant the high
est confidence in his use of the large powers
conferred upon him. But the country will
know how to make some allowance for the
measure if it appears to be spoiled in operation
by unfriendly hands. There is strong public
sentiment that the bill ought to be fairly and
faithfully tried. so that if it seems to work i'll
only through some defect in detail, it may be
improved hereafter.