Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-07
Ciyil-Service Reform.

Ctvtl-Service Heform.
There are two sides 10 the question Of
civil-servies reform 40 II 10 proposed By
Mr.. GEoRos Wu.LIAn Cum1s and his fol-
lowers to eject this reform. The pension
ing OF superAssuatsd and other Disabled
officials would certainly become q portion
OF the civiLssrvics rcfsFm. In this souary
upto this time there have been very few PEN
sions granted except to soldiers. Federal
judges, and the widows OF eK-Presi'
deIts Of The Usiled States, and some
other clsssss q persons, besides . few
individuals not slesslfed st all. constitute
The civil-psnsiou Let. The claims Of clerks
and others 10 pensions have hot appeared
10 be strong, the frequent removals OF the
old clerks and appointment Of new ones
operating TO maize It appear thss these
officials we're not entitled 70 pensions.
But let it be the custom 10 keep elerks In
Office a. long ~ they can perform the do
ties Of their plscss, and the nance OF
thousands and tens Of thousands OF per-
sons will sson afterwards be found
upon tho eivil-psnsion lst. il will
be next 70 Impossible TO induce
Congress to refuse 70 pension such persons.
seeing that nins-tenths Of the Government
officials Of the lower grades never lay up
anything for . rainy day. so long ~ . SET
OF Governments clerks remain In once
during only one or two Administrations.
thousands Of tbsm being changed whether
the same political PARTY continues In power
or not, so long there cannot be any such
demand for pensions for these officials AZ
will inevitably be the case whenever, II
ever, every Government official shall take
Office for lie.
Officials appointed for life-that Is,
during good behHvior-will necessarily
become also privileged class. not to say
ruculent clsss. They will naturally come
70 the conclusion that they are n little bet
ter than ether people, since other people
not only cannot remove them from office,
nor have them removed. but must submit
10 be taxed all their lives for the payment
OF the salaries and pensions Of the func-
tionaries Aforesaid.
These reflections occurred TO no ysster-
day as q consequences Of having receivsdsn
advanced copy Of . speech delivered BY
GEORGE wIIIIAn Cvrris on the oh instant
at Newport, =. l.. before the Ctvfl.Ssrvies
Reform League. At the lAst annual
meeting Of thst League, one OF the rssols-
tioss adopted recommended 70 all the r.
form associations 10 the country 10 make
strenuous and upesasipg Efforts 70 secure
the repeal Of The laws Of tbs Unlsed bsta
which hx the tenure Of certain sdminb-
trstrve ofbsss Al four yoAzs. and another
resolution urged The associations b spare
no efforts 10 procure the passage q
laws extending the principles Of The
reform bill 10 The civil service Of The
States and siuss Of the country. Mr.. |
CrKTIs begins bis address by report
ing progress. Since the law sxns four ysAp
- the term Of each ofnesr, that feet, % tas
Reiormers say, gives plausibls excuse for
tbs old officers once every four
years, and putting new once into the
places thus made vacant. IL also has the
Effect, a. We have said, OF keeping shor.
the civil-pension list. But we let Mr.. Ctr
RS speak:
ain November OF last year the President
forbade the choice among eligible candi-
dates to be made for political or religious
reasons, and In concluding thei, report the
slate that in every stage OF
their work they have had the constant and
support OF the President.
There Is no reason 10 doubt that within
the range OF the 1900 places TO which she
naiioDsl law applies the reformed system
IL has been honestly enforced both in It's
letter aud IFS spirit. But il IL not evidsn.
that the reformed spirit has generally pre-
vailed beyond that range. Heads Of dc.
partments and subordinate officers who are
not sincerely friendly b reform will nat
urally perpetuste the old abuses whenever
IL is possible 20 perpetuste them, and there
Is little doubt that in coniraventiOn OF the
purpose and the principle Of reform, Office
holders and The power OF patronage In
seine Of the States largely controlled the
select on Of delegates 10 the recent National
Conventions"
We know all about this In Virginia,
where for years General MALONE has die
tattd every appointment to ONCE, and
where there 10 to-day not one Government
official to be found, 20 far 10 We know, who
docs not obey hABoSn rather than the
President OF the Omitted States or the head
Of his department. Mr.. CURTIS surely does
no. know what be 10 talking about. What
possible benent san result from law thai
DOES no! apply 70 the Government oficisls
scattered all over sueh Shts ~ virgisa!
Who are the 1900. pray, TO Who's the law
applies? We quote Mr.. CUssIs again:
rBoth houses Of Congress passed the
rational reform bill With practical party
unanimity. A Dsmscranc Legislature 10
New York, . Republican Legislature 10
Massachusetts,, passed State reform bill .
Republican President. . Democratic Gov
crnor have been the two most conspicuous
and effective executive agents IN enforcing |
the reform"
The only comment needed is that II we |
know anything about II, . Democrat In
Virginia would 20 more expect 10 receive
an appointment under the present Admin.
istraiion than Mr.. SINS would expect 10 DO !
retained in Office In the United States SEN
ate against the demand Of General MAuoxs
for his removal.
But we did not propose TO discuss the
subject at length. We favor civll-ssrvies |
reform il II can DO accomplished without |
bringing upon the people greater evils
than a,ose from which 1t proposes to re-
lieye them.
A Few Plain Truths.