Morning journal and courier., 1883-06-15
Friday, June 15. 1888.
THE NEEDS OF A GREAT REFORM

THE NEEDS OF GREAT REFORM.
 The great cause of Civil Service Reform has made astonishing progress. Congress has passed 8 Reform bill, we have National Civil Service Commission, and the politicians have discovered that the people 'tmean bus iness' in this matter. But much remains to be done. The Reform bill has provided the machinery through which the national ser- vice may be in part rendered business-ike and sound, but it cannot ensure the honest working of that machinery, nor the modifca- tions which experience may show to be nec- essary, nor can it prevent official hostility during it's tentative stage. Moreover, the bill does not touch the evil of four years termt for appointed officials; and the enlargemens of It's operations beyond the present limited sphere is conditioned upon the good faith of the Executive. Still further, the bill does not and cannot cover the civil service of States and municipalities.
 Some of the work which still remains to be done is well set forth in circular issued by the New York Civil Service Reform associa- tion. There should be vigilant ob- servation of executive action, upon which reform so largely depends, and especi- ally will such attention be demanded during the next Presidency If the incumbent be of a different political party and subjected to the strain of jealousies, resentments, infuen- ces, imagined policy, and rapacious thirst for plunder, or for any reason loth to apply the new system to larger range of offices than that now embraced by it. Continual attention to congressional action will be needed in order that the Reform bill be not crippled or repealed by later Congress, a result which is always possible under Q changed political maj ority, and that any needful extension or modification of it's pro- visions may be secured. The National League of Reform Associations in March last committed itself to advocacy of 8 repeal of tors, postmasters, etc., which acts have been at the root of the whole syste m of ''Spoils' and must be extirpated. Hence representa- tions to Congress are necessary that the acts of 1920 and succeeding years be repealed, an6 the original constitutional and reasonable of fciaf tenure restored. Vigilance is also required regarding executive action in the State, but the dangers are less because candidates for the chief executive position will hereafter be usually interrogat- ed during the campaign as to reform, be- cause the patronage is far smaller, and, be- cause, in that particular office, ambition for further political advancement checks defiance to growing reform sentiment. In general the same aims and processes hold in the af- fairs of municipalities as of the nation and State. and the same need exists for organized action through associations. City offices fire, police. highways, trusts, parks, etc, etc, should be managed on the same busi ness principles and with the same reform methods
 In order to carry on the good W ork above outlined every city should have lively, en- ergetic association. A reform so much need. ed, and which has got so good start, should not suffer for lack of interest by the peo- pie who really believe in it.