The Portland daily press., 1883-08-03
Civil Seruica Reform.

At the annual meeting of the National Civil
Service League in Newport on Wednesday the
following resolutions were adopted:
Resoleed. That we congratulate the associa-
tions which form this league and the entire
country upon the par sage of a bill by the Ma
tional Congress for the improvement of the
civil service, and at the same time express our
cordial recognition OF the action OF the Presi-
dent, both in the PRONUNCIATION of suitable
rules and regulations for carrying on the work
under said act, and in the appointment OF COM
petent and efficient commissioners to direct
that work.
Resolced, That we view with great satisfac-
tion the legislation in the State of New York
for the improvement of the civil service in
that State, and its principal municipalities,
aud hope that the principles underlying
that action will be extended in that State un-
til appropriate legislation shall have been had
BY he other States of the Union, and that we
recognize with pleasure the prompt manner
in which compstent and efficient men were ap-
pointed by the Governor of the State as COM
missioners and chief examiners pursuant TO
the New York act, and have entered upon the
discharge OF their duties.
ReSolUed-That the. e..princples.of the Pendleton
bill ought to be applied to the civil service of
the Stctes and cities of this country. The per-
vision of patronage, the use OF public trusts for
private ends, the making appointments to Of
fee for reasons of personal friendship or as a
reward for political services, are evils as fla
grant and as harmful in local administration
as they have tsen in that of the federal gov
ernment. These crimes against the people are
especially to be condemned, when committed,
as they often have been, in the management
of public charitable and penal institutions, in
which many times incompetent or corrupt
officials have made the poor and irendless a
prey. We call upon the sssc Citations through
out the country never to relax their efforts
until these shamefuliabuses are corrected by
law, remembering the influence of local poll
tics extends itself to the nation, aud that the
caucus in towns and cities has often been the
training school for men who have held high
place in the national administration.
Resotced, That in the opinion of this league,
it is indispensable to complete reform of the
civil service that Congress should repeal the
act of MAY 49, 1920, and acts supplementary
thereto, now embodied in sections 769, 1864,
2217, 1894, 2613 aud 1880 of the Revised
Statutes Of the United States, by which the
tenure Of administrative offices was fixed at
four years, for the purpcle and with the effect
of creating prejudicial vacancesin said offices,
to be filled by Athe appointing power. The
practice OF rotation in office thus introduced
into the subordinate civil service, by what Mr..
Jefferson at the time denounced as "a malic-
ious law" and as baneful source of intrigue
and corruption, is foreign alike to Republican
principles and to sound business method. 70
the executive it secures palt san advantages,
while enabling him to escape the odium and
responsibility of arbitrary and and causeless re-
movas from Office. TO the faithful public ser
want the menace of partisan attack is only
postponed, not averted, while temptation to
abuse the appointing power for partisan ends
still remains, even though restrained in part
by the present civil service rules. We there
fore advc cate, as the most urgent step in the
reform, return to the early practice of the
Government under which, while no right or
property in any Office was recognized, nor any
life or personal tenure was recognized, the
fidelity and good behavior of public servants,
as in the case of private agents, was made the
sole condition of the continuance of their EN-
ployment. And it is recommended to all civil
service associations throughout the country
that they make strenuous and unceasing effort
in the direction of this further and most neces-
sary reform, and the executive committee of
the League is hereby authorized and directed
to take such action SIS they may find expedient
and practicable in aid OF legislation IN the
sanEa Of thi. ragolu tion