New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-16
THE FIRST MILESTONE.

1t is not likely that the 10th Oh july, 1907
will be remembered by the average citizen as a
notable day, but the historian In describing the
early steps in Civil Service Reform will record
it. with some interest, rs the day on which pat
ronape appoin.ments to the clerical service in the
principal Government offices became unlawful.
To-day the six months allowed by the new
law, within which to get its machinery In work
ing order, expire. No person can now be ap-
pointed to the positions named except after
success in the examinations. The Immediate
change will be imperceptible, hut its effect Will
be marked in no long time. Probably 1T will be
some months before the professional politician
fully realizes that it will be of no use for him to
drop into a secretary's commissioners Office
and ask for place for his " man."
In spite of some delays and some mistakes,
fair progress has been made thus far. The
various rules and regulations adopted to govern
examinations and appointments have seemed
iudicious in the main, and the earnestness with
which the Commissioners have applied them
selves to their work has shown the country that
the Reform effort is a sincere one. and that the
experiment is to have the most favorable trial
its friends can give it. The worst mistake the
Commissioners made--the selection OF Mr.
Keim as Chief Examiner-was fortunately not
of lasting effect. If they were surprised, and
perhaps little sore at heart, as they seemed to
be, at the severity with which that action was
criticised, the lesson must have been useful IN
reminding them that they were to he held to
the same strict accountability as Government
officials themselves, and could not expect to
make Door appointments with impunity be-
cause their motives we're kncwn to be good
The least pleasant incident of these SIX months
of preparatory work ia the zeal which various
officials at Washington and in some of the cities
have shown, according to report, in fllipg va
cancies with personal appointees before the
entrance of the new regime to-day. 1t is not
likely that any largo number of such appoint
ments has been made. The pressure OF appli-
cants and the necessities of the public business
combine to prevent the existence OF many va
capcies. But If there have been any made at
all, the fact only points the moral that the law
was needed. and that its enforcement must BIO
guarded as well against the hostility OF poll
ticians in Office as of those outside.
The attitude of the Democratic party toward
the reform during these six months has been in
structive. When the subject was under dis
cnssion in Congress last winter. and public
sentiment was aroused, large share of the
Democrats in Congress did not dare to oppose
the Civil Service bill openly Many did what
they could to ruin it by amendments offered in
pretended good faith. But few dared to OPP
pose it Oh the final Toll call, except Democrats
from the South whose constituents care
nothing for reform and everything for "appro-
priationsr OF the five Senators who voted
against the bill, all Democrats, four were from
the South; of the forty Democrats voting against
| it in the BOuse-ony seven Republicans joining
with them-thirty- were from Southern
| Statns The Northern Democrats, who then
pretended to bow to public sentiment, were
no more in favor of Civil Service Reform than
| the Southern Democrats. They thought they
would wait till it blew over" They evidently
/ think il has blown over The public is occu-
pied more with other matters now, and the
! Democratic newspapers think it safe to sheer at
| Civil Service Reform, and declare that all the
| Republican holders shall be turned cut
when they GENE into power. A few months
| ago some of them were claiming the law as Of
| Democratic origin. Now the Democratic Con-
vention in Senator PcDdletUn's own State ig-
nores it, and him. Democratic conventions all
ignore it, and Democratic newspapers every
where abuse it. Does any intelligent man be-
| lieve that if the Democratic party came into
| power the Civil Service law would be worth
| the paper it ia printed on7
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