The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-16
REFORM OF THE CIVIL SERVICE.

REFORM OF THE CIVIL SERVICE.
Senator George H. Pendleton, of Ohio, then
delivered the following address upon, Reform
of the Civil Service"
Mr. President and Conference.-The sentiment to
which the kindness of your president has invited me
to speak opens up wide field for reflections indeed IN
its Lar eSt scope 1t embraces the whole civil admins
traton OF the government. 1t touches every uues-
uon OF administrative reform. / have known that
TINS growing and influential organization is composed
in great part of the business portion of Chicago.
am honored by an invitation to speak to the business
men a business question. Si1reIv tbe nxecutive
administration of this great government is business
matter. We have territory of over four million
square miles; we have more than fifty millions
of people; we have nearly fifty thousand post
offices; hundred and thirty-fve
customhouses collect 800. 600 900 of revenues forty
ministers of high grade represent in foreign courts;
$50 consuls attend to our commercial interests;
have courts and judges and marshas in every State;
we nave military and naval establishments; than
NooOo oihcers are needed IN subordinate civil ad-
lnlnstratlon alone These officers of government hay
ing neither political power choice of policies but
routine administration only, touch some point in
some degree the material interests of every one of
fifty millions of people Is not wise and faithful ad-
mnistration of this great trust business matter de-
handing the clearest Judgment the most conscen-
tlous devotion to duty and the most approved
methodist will not argue to this assembage
justified in stating the admitted theory of
all popular governments. The offices of the govern
ment are trusts for the people The performance of
the duties of these officers is for the interests of the
people There is excuse for the being of ono
office or the payment of one salary, except that ii is
necessary for the welfare of the people. Every
superfuous office should be cut off every incompe-
tent officeholder should be dismissed. The employ
ment of two where one will suffice is robbery
Salaries so large that they submit extoron
of 10 or 20 per cent assessments are excessive and
ought to be diminished. Appointments should be
made of those best fitted to perform the duties
Capacity, fidelity and honesty were Mr. Jeffersons
crucial tests Are not these all plain sound PROPOSE
tions applicable alike 10 the conduct of government
and private affairsl Do they not commend them.
selves to your conscience and judgment! If it
possible to imagine that anyone of you were conduct
ing this government as private enterprise for private
purposes would you not adopt and put in force every
one of these texts maxim from which there
would be departurel What less then. can YOU do
than to cothe the officers whom you select to manage
this great public business, which to each of you and
your fellowcitizens at the same time becomes pri.
vate with power. and by memorable public opinion
require them to exercise it to attain the fidelity
efficiency and economy Is it not true, gentlemen,
ment and its administration exhibits less economy,
less fidelity, less efficiency than any
great private enterprisel Unless your. great
city is single exception the conduct of public and
private business presents a marked and painful con
trast. 1t is very true that no single human being
however great his intelligence, discrimination indus
try devotion endurance even if relieved of every
other duty, could possibly unaided select and retain
in official station those best fitted to discharge the
many, and varied and delicate functions of govern
ment All the greater is the necessity of aid in max
ing fit selections and testing the capacity Of incumb
ents and of placing guards against the undue exercise
of arbitrary patronage The power of removal is es
sential to efficiency.
Under this system, which have attacked and nope
eventually to eradicate the President and his Cabinet
unable personally to choose from the many applicants
have RENTED the question of fitness to their friends
and they, in turn have RENTED it to their partisan
friends, The administration has need of the support
of the members of Congress. 1t therefore RENTS
the members of Congress the use of its patronage in
the various districts These members find themselves
under strain and pressure to secure nomination
election. and they their places to win reward
those whose friends and families and connections
and aids and deputies serve their purposes. Thus
fitness capacity and honesty cannot be essential quail
fications for obtaining retaining office Personal
fidelity and partisan activity alone control The idea
that 100000 offices purely administrative
almost absolutely clerical paying 800 OOO
600 year. to be distributed by the President
and his appointees after every election and often
during his term the rapacity of placehunters
persuade force him; that they shall be reward Of
mere partisan service be earned by personal activ
ity contribution of money, is crime against civ
iization 1t is the prolific parent of fraud and cor
rupton, and brutality. 1t sets up the emouments of
office the prize of party struggle and stiinulnt
of partisan effort 1t induces ferocious activity Che
spirit of party and the pursuit of party which
IS condition OF getting ONCE and pareehng out sal
airy. Necessarily by the logic of the system which is
stronger than the determination of good men howev
err good and strong they may be- 1t awards, in its
furthest ramications the highest comparative prizes
to those who have done most of the dirty work of the
lowest politics, and therefore are the least
fitted for trusts of public service.
1t makes our Presidents and Secretaries peddlers
of Office and dverts their time and attention from the
high duties with which they are charged 1t creates
the necessity and stimulates the exaction of forced
sessments on salaries which go to enrich bosses of
elections and secure dishonest counts; and worse
still sadder still it ncumbents for the sake of
their offices, at the price of their manhood, to stihe
their honest sentiments and submit to be voted at the
will of their masters
The spoils system! 1t is a brutal name for a moro
brutal thing and yet it entirely fitting. 1t suggests
war and carnage in those barbarian days when CON
quered peope.became slaves and their property was
confscated; when prisoners were chained 70 chariot
wheels and wives and children, and household
goods decorated the triumph of the victors,
1t suggests no civic contest. no peaceful and benecent
of toll px-p nf hR
considered ,opinions of the majority of patriotic c
1t is instinct with the ferocious spirit of bitter
ness, of evaporation in both vctors and victims when
to every shout of the exultant warcry, ITO the vic
tors belong the spoils there comes the mourntul
frain of Woe to the conquered.' Yes, gentlemen,
they indeed the spois of the public treasury the
spoils of public service, the despoiment of public
virtue, the despoment of pure ballot, the final de-
spoiment of free government. Can you reconcile
this system in any of ts parts with honest inte
gent, business-ike method of administering the gov
ernment! Would you permit it to exist for an hour
in your private affairsl
Senator Pendletonhere read an extract from the
Democratic platform adopted at St. Louis, in
1876 upon civil-service reform and extracts from
Governor Tilden's letter of acceptance. He then
said:
On that platform and that letter Mr. Tiden was
elected President of the United States. They an
inspiration a stimuant and promise to the people
On that doctrine the Democratic party won its first
great victory after twenty years; that doctrine it
will win its great victories hereafter. We have good
law and it is well administered The results sat
tenure of Office removals from Office, except pro-
vide that removals shall not be made
or perform partisan service The single fundamental
idea is that when appointment is to be made in the
subordinate service, the greatest fitness to perform
the duties--not patronage not favor, not partisan
service not contribution money, not political
inHuenceshal secure the appointment and that such
fitness shall be ascertained by open fair honest inn
partial tests, which sa be applied to all who present
themselves if they cannot bring letter of intro
duetion from some politician or petition from their
fellowcitizens. Let us Improve the law wherein it is
deficient; let strengthen and stimulate its admins
tom let us enlarge its scope and application;
let us follow the example of New York and under
State enactment. to the States and counties,
and cities the rich rewards Of economy and pure adj
minstraton The Democratic party is pledged ia
this reform to all reform and it will gain no victories
by failing to pass specific laws to enforce them