The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1884-08-15

Annual Meeting of the National Associa-
ton, with an address by George VIII
liam Curtis.

Annual Meeting of the National Associa-
ton, with III address by George VIII
liam Curtis.
The fourth annual meeting of the National
Civil Service association was held at New York.
George William Curtis delivered the opening
address.
Mr.. Curtis gave a lengthy review of civil
service reform legislationin congress from the
time the subject first claimed popular attention
until the defeat, at the last session, OF the bill
to repeal the four-year tenure of Office act
He then referred to the civil service law passed
by the New York legislature, and enumerated
and explained its provisions. Mr.. Curtis high
Nv commended the work of the
present civil service commission,
and praised President Arthur's
| course in regard to this branch of government
al reform. The speaker then urged to COM
| pletion the repeal of the four-year-law, and
| concluded: "Ihe greatest and most beneficial
reform in methods of administration which
has ever been proposed In the country, a re-
| form of abuses which we're subjugating legit-
innate party action, destroying the moral au-
thority of elections, demoralizing the public con-
science, degrading official character, excluding
able and upright men from public life and
disgracing the American name has been begun
and has thus far effectively accomplished,
| notty party but by patriotism, by men in Office
and aut Of Office, of different political conven-
tons strongly attached to different parties,
anticipating political careers, yet cooperating
with sincerity and enthusiasm, not as Repub-
| hcans. not as Democrats, but solely as Ameri-
cans before ali, proud of their country; above
all, resolved that the national name should be
unstained and national politics raised to con-
troyersiesa Of principle and policy. In all the
proceedings OF our associations and Of this
league, in all our appeals and arguments,
there has been no word and no thought
OF party. Both houses of congress passed
the national reform bill with
practical party unanimity. A democratic legis-
lature in New York, o republican Legislature 10
Massachusetts,, passed q state reform hill, I
Republican president, "a Democratic governor
have been the two most conspicuous and ef-
fective executive agents In enforcing the re-
form. If in the mad tumult of party passion
in the storm of hatred, faischood and malig,
nant injustice which a presidential election
whirls over the land, some appalled, citizen shoule
be ready to despair Of his country and to b
ashamed Of his kind, let him take heart agar
and be prouder than ever that he is an Ameri
can, and anticipate with snrer confidence the
greater glory of his country, as he reflects tina
civil reform, thus far, has been the triumph 8
patriotism in the midst Of party conflicts ans
despite the ferocity Of party spirit
"A business meeting was subsequently hell
at which remarks were made by representative
OF various cities setting forth the progress mad
IN civil service reform in each of said corpo
~ratieiss. Resolutions were unanimously adopt
ed ceasratulating the members upon the w0r1
already accomplished