The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1883-01-05
rENpLEroN,s REFORM BILL.

There are 10000 appointive Office holders
In the United States. The methods OF
selecting these, the stability Of their tenure,
their qualifications, the exactlons TO when
they have been, at times, subjected Tor par
tisan purposes. aud the farnrilism ar ani'
mostly detrimental 10 the public srrvnr
manifested by the appointing power, dew J.
oped some years sllre desire that las
grown into a demand for redress, aud IN
known as civil service reform. The lac, that
the zeal with which numerous reform
schemes have been advocated has not always
been tempered with the best judgment, a'''l
that there have been allied with the appeal,
OF single hearted advocates fer reform th"
clanor Of selfish demagoguas AID malicious
partisans, does not dissipate the fact that The
civil service Of the United States 10 a loose
system, or, rather, a systemless chaos, with
nothing that is good in II and very much
that is bad. That the matter has been very
bad under Republican administration Is ad-
mtted, but the system Of ITO the victors be-
long the spols" was adopted and thoroughly
enforced by Jackson before the Republican
party had being. The enormous increase
of Offices has Of course correspondingly in
creased the evils, and the multiplication Of
means for rapid transmission and cheap diff
fusion Of intelligence rally the nation to
TO daily wrangling over every actual or
alleged wrong. And If the Republican party
has sinned by Its civil service record II has also
suffered. 1t Is not difficult to trace the party
disasters Of last fall largely to rebellion
against the system Of civil service appoint
ments and the Identification Of Republican
officers with a method Of soliciting "volun-
tary contributions" for the benefit Of the
party in manner that left the opportunity
for censure. So impressed was even as
strong party man as President Arthur with
the injuriousness of these things that he
made explicit avowal in his message of the
favor reform would meet with.
The man Of the hour came-George II.
Pendleton-and presented his scheme, which,
after modification and amendment, passed
the Senate ten days ago by a vote of 80 TO
fourteen Senators being paired. We pub
lish In this issue brief summary Of 1t. 1t
is inadequate. The best that can be said of
IL is that IL Is a move In the right direction;
the inception Of q movement that will
eventually, perhaps, result in a perfected
system.
The first purpose appears to be to place the
Departments at Washington aud the large
Custom Houses and Postofilces Of the coun.
try on basis where merit and not favoritsm
shall control advancement and tenure,
and if this alone can be accomplished III a
year or two the legislation will have well re-
paid the time devoted to ii. The terms Of
the act shuts off Senators from controlling
these appointments and promotions. In this
perhaps the relief cOmpensates the loss Of
power.
We notice a distinguished omission i'll the
Pendleton bill. While IL is provided that
examination shall be made for the Depart
ments in Washington and appointments made
thereto from the several States and Terrific
Ttco oh Vic uasis vi thSH PoPuiabiob, % fciy
proper concession, 1t seems never to have
occurred TO any Senator Of the United States
that the grandest principle that could have
been incorporated In the bill would have
been the declaration that civil officers of the
several Territories should be appointed from
the citizens Of such Territories. The people
Of the States have broken in two the best
party America has produced for n trife com.
pared with what the Territories have TO
complain Of from both parties. While the
subject of reform is up in Congress, let this
be conceded, and devise, pray thee, some
method whereby an American citizen resid.
| ing In the Territories can have voice Ia Sc
lecting the Chief Magistrate Of the Nation.
There seems to be a probability the Pendle.
ton bill will pass the House. 1t may not be
liked but 1t Is not healthy for politicians to
20 against q measure Of that character al
present. If passed 1t will doubtless be ap.
proved by the President, and we trust will
be the beginning Of better civil service
system.