, 1884-12-30
THE CIVIL SERVICE.
Cleveland Pens Another Pointed
Letter on The Subject.
He Explains Exactly What
May Be Expected.
Cures By Prayer That Failed
to Connect Somehow.
cleveland,s 1dea Of innings.


NEW York, December 29.-The Ma
tional Civil Service Reform League, o.
December 20, addressed a letter to Presi
dent-elect Cleveland in which they an
nounced a fear that the new administra
ton might not carry out the provisions 0
the Civil Service act and expressed a hop
that this would not prove to be the case
To this Mr.. Cleveland replies as follows
ALBANY December IS.
Hon. George William Curtis. President
Dear Sir;-Your communication dated
December 20, addressed to me on behall
of the National Civil Service Reform
League. has been received. That practi
cal reform in the Civil Service is demand
ed, is abundantly established by the fact
that the statue referred TO in your com
munication passed in Congress, with the
assent of both political parties, and by
the further fact that the sentiment is
generally prevalent among patriotic peo-
pie, calling for a fair and honest enforce
ment Of the law which has been thus en-
acted. | regard myself pledged TO this,
because my conception of the true Demo
cratic faith and public duty requires that
this and all other statutes should be in
good faith, and without evasion enforced,
and because in many utteranees made
prior to my election as President, APP
proved by the party to which | belong,
and which | have no disposition to dis
claim, | have in effect promised the peo-
pie that this should be done. / am not
unmindful of the fact to which you refer,
that many of your citizens fear that the
recent party change in the National Ex-
ecutiye may demonstrate that abuses
which have grown up in the
Civil Service are ineradicable.
l know they are deeply rooted, and that
the spoils system has been supposed
to be intimately related to success in the
maintenance of party organization and |
am not sure that those who profess to be
friends of that reform will stand firmly
among its advocates when they find it OBJ
structing their way to patronage and
place; but fully approaching the trust
committed to my charge, no such consid-
Grafton shall cause a relaxation on my part
of the earnest effort to enforce the law.
There is a class Of government positions
which are not within the letter of the Civil
Service statue, but which are SO discon-
nected with the policy of an administra-
ton that the removal therefrom of the
present incumbents, in my opinion, should
not be made during the terms for which
they were appointed solely on
partisan grounds and for the
purpose of putting in their places those
who are in political accord with the ap-
pointing power. But many now holding
such positions have forfeited all just claims
to retention, because they used their
places for party purposes in disregard OF
their duty to the people and because in
stead Of being decent public servants, they
have proved themselves offensive partisans
and INSCRIPTIONS manipulators of local
party management The lessons of the
past should be unlearned and such officials
as well as their successors should be taught
hat efficiency, fitness and devotion to
public duty are the conditions of then
continuancy in public place, and that the
quiet and u~nobtrusive exercise Of indiyid-
ual political rights is a reasonable meas
ure of their party service. If | were ad.
dressing none but party friends, | should
deem it entirely proper to remind them
that though the coming administration il
to be Democratic, a due regard for the
peoples interest does not permit faithful
party work to be always rewarded by APP
pointment to office, and to say to then
that while the Democrats may expect al
proper consideration, selections for ofhci
not embraced within the vilService.rules
will be based upon sufficient inquiry as tc
fitness. instituted by those charged will
that duty, rather than upon persisten
importantly or self solicited recommends
ton on behalf Of the candidates for APP
pointment. Yours very truly,
GROVER CLEVELAND.