National Republican., 1884-06-10
Civil Service reform.

Civil Service Reform,
One of tho reasons given by the solf-com-
placent Pharisces for refusing to support Mr.
Blaine is that he would not enforce the civil
service law. This is pure assumption and
is not sustained by scintilla of evidence.
No speech or lotter or chance remark can bo
truthfully credited to Mr.. Blaine that puts
him in opposition TO the civil service law,and
tho Chicago platform unroservedly and un-
equivocally commits him to its enforcement.
There is no reason to believe that Mr.. Blaine
would not carry out tho principles of civil
service reform in good faith, precisely as
President Arthur hasdono. Tho Offices in tho
civil service are in largo part hold by honest,
competent, and faithful mon, and but few
have been turned out during the past three
years for political reasons. Everybody about
Washington knows that Mr.. Blaine has q
great many ardent friends in all the executive
departments, but it has novcr been charged
that single ono Of thcm lost his place on
that account. AS a rule, the department men
kept out of the contest for the presidential
nomination, but no officer Of high or low dc.
gree feared to express his opinions and pref
erences because ho happened to favor somo
other candidate than President Arthur.
Whatever Mr.. Blaine's private convictions
might bo as to the utility of tho civil SER
vice law, he is committed to its support as
long as it remains on tho statute books and
if he is elected president he will enforce it in
good faith, as he will every other law. The
trained and efficient clerks who como within
the provisions of tho civil service law, will
remain in thoir places, aud tho principles of
civil service reform will beextended to other
departments of the public service whenever
practicable. The republican party has madc
this concession to tho civil service reformers.
Democrats have just as good chance as the
republicans to get into any of the grades of
the public Service covered by the civil service
lew, aud to romaiu until discharged for
cause. Whothor subordinate officers, who
get into the public service through the
agency Of tho civil service commission, arc
any more honest and efficient than those who
were appointed on the accommodation of
The only case of peculation in the postoilice
in this city that has been brought to notice
for lorg time was that of a young man who
passed the civil service examination and
obtained the highest marks for proficiency
And now after republican president has
inaugurated the reform which the Pharisees
profess to have at heart, and after the re-
publican party has pledged itself to continue
the system now in operation, they propose
to leave the party and destroy the whole
fabric because they do not like tho nominee
for president Unless the Pharisees can
name tho man who is to have charge of tn
civil SERVICE they don't want any reform.
They prefer that democratic president
should have charge of all tho executive
patronage, and deal it out according to the
approved democratic methods Their battle
cry is, Turn the rascals out" aud by this
| thc9 LhSuh bhaV SNSlJ iOIu'iANnh hOh hOih-
ing office by executive appointment must
give place to democrat. The leading
mon of the party have repeatedly de,
clared that there can be no reform Of the
civil service until all tho republicans have
been driven from Office. This is the reform
in which the Phariseos propose to enlist
The system which has been built up by loni
years patient labor must bo destroyed, ant
the men who have grown up with it bo turned
adrift to the end that new system may b.
inaugurated with new democratic appointee
in all the places. There was timo whei
the Pharisoes filled tho whole country will
their lamentations over the discharge of
few men from tho public service for politica
reasons; now they propose to turn every mai
out to make place for democratic partisans
Whether they nominate a candidate Of thei
own for president or whether they vote fo
the democratic candidate the object to b
attained is tho same-the destruction Of th
civil service as now organized.