The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-03-10
The Republicans and Civil Service
Reform.

IO6lOIL1s
The correspondence between Sidney W.
Thaxter, esq, of this city and Hon. George
Q. Wing, chairman of the Republican State
COMMITTEE, which we publish this morning
deserves attention. Mr.. Thaxter wrote to
Judge Wing suggesting that the call for the
State Convention, while inviting Republi-
cans and others who are in favor of certain
specific policies appeared to ignore civil SER
vice reform as one of the policies to which
great many Republicans are devotedly at
tached. Judge Wings reply is courteous
and explicit. 1t explains the omission on
three grounds. ~ civil service reform is a
fact accomplished and one to which the Re
publican party is committed. ~ The invi-
tation given in the call to 'all who are in IA
vor of an economical, just and efficient adj
ministratioA Of public affairs,'' was sup
posed to be broad enough to include those
who think civil service reform vital issue.
~ 1t is not the proper duty of the commit
tee in issuing call to formulate platform
of the party, that being the business of the
convention itself when it assemblies
After this statement we do not think any
friend of civil service reform need hesitate
TO participate in the election of delegates to
the Republican Convention. 1t is quite
true that committees are not expected to
make their calls to conventions as specific
as the resolutions Of the convention itself
may properly be. 1t is expected that these
documents will be broad and inclusive, rath-
er than definite and discriminating suggest
ing policies in general rather than particular
terms, and keeping pretty close to the al
ready positively declared position of the par
ty. And it is because the party already,
by declaration and act.committed to the pol
icy known as civil service reform that the
friends Of that measure have some ,justifca-
ton for thinking the committee might APP
propriately have mentioned it in terms.
There is nobody in the State of any party
who does not profess to be in favor
of San economical, just and efficient
administration of public affairs'' but
good many of those who make
this profession are foes of what is
known as civil service reform. This is pre-
cisely what the Argus professed to desire
when it supported Mr.. behring's reelection,
and it is what John Kelly processes while
advocating the conservation of his power as
'boss'' of the patronage Of New York city.
The Republican party is committed to and
has undert.ken reform of the method of
appointment to Office in the administrative
department of the government This is
what is meant by civil service reform. The
men who favor this reform in the system, of
course. are in favor of economical, just and
efficient administration of public affairs, and
they think that the men who oppose the re-
formed system, whatever their motive may
be, are in fact supporting system which is
comparatively extravagant, unjust and in
efficient Therefore they would have been
glad if the committee had expressly recog-
nized the fact that the Republican party
is committed to administrative reform &C
cording 10 the principles embodied in the
civil service reform statute, lately enacted.
We cannot agree with Judge Wing that
civil service reform is an accomplished fact.
An experimental beginning has been made
in part of the civil service of the country.
1t is no more an accomplished fact than
every citizens right to vote is an accomplish
ed fact because the declaration of it is for
mulated in law. There is reason to believe
that majority of the leading politicians of
one party, and at least a minority, perhaps
a majority, of those of the other, would re-
peal the law if they dared do it. The
friends Of the reform recognize that it must
be fostered, defended, advocated, and con-
firmed, and they are naturally suspicious
OF any symptoms that the Republicans party
anywhere is ignoring the cause, or seeking
to avoid full, bold and earnest adoption of
1t as its own. Its advocates are jealous, land
perhaps they are necessarily jealous. They
do not mean to be deceived or imposed upon.
In this regard they give evidence of no
mean talent as practical politicians.
But the civil service reformers must recog-
nize in the light of the chairman's letter
that the call of the Republican committee is
as specific in this regard as in any. For ex-
ample, all who favor temperance are called
w. 'tN 40 ~ n0hVioA "a any speclHc
measure OF policy to secure temperance.
Those who favor giving free popular educa-
ton to the masses are called; but there is ne
mention of specific measures to that end,
While therefore it would have been reas-
surfing and gratifying if the friends of civil
service reform had been expressly named in
the call, it need not be taken amiss that they
were net. 1t is however to be hoped and ex-
pected t. at the convention will see to it that
the friends of this reform here in Maine, and
those in other States, where the need of a re-
form has perhaps been more harshly i'm
pressed on the attention, shall have no cause
to suspect that the Republicans here are in
different or hostile.