The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1885-06-04
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.


Anxious Office seekers, who are
restless over delays in ap-
could be cooled down by
occasionally referring to Mr.
Jleveland's letter, written be-
ore he was inaugurated, in which he
lnnesitatingly and unqualifiedly out
ined the course he would pursue in
regard to appointments. The letter |
was addressed to the Civil Service Re- |
form Association, of New York, in |
the nature of reply, and in 1t he de-
clared that except in such offices as
should be filled by supporters of the
Administration in order to carry out
its policy, there should be no removal
until the end of the term. These
strictly political offices are the Cabi-
net places, the foreign mis-
sions, the Consulships and
the executive bureaus in Wash
ngton. But in excepting the other
offices the President added that many
office-holders had forfeited all just
claim to retention by the violence of
their partisanship and by neglecting
their duties that they might perform
party service. In regard to these Of
fees he laid down the rule that capac-
ity, fitness and fidelity should be the
conditions of holding them; that the
partisan methods of the past should be
abandoned, and that the incumbents,
instead OF devoting themselves to par
ty management, should notgo beyond
a quiet exercise of their political
rights. Under this rule re-
moYals must necessarily e
very slow, but where Of
fensive partisans hold places removals
will be different. What is meant
by offensive partisanship is latetude
marian. 1t can not mean ones per
sonal efforts in behalf of party, fol
office certainly can not be made thu
agency, even under this boosted civil
service reform, through which one
partisan feelings and impulses are t,
be subdued. In other words an Off
Ger can not be expected to have poll
tical convictions, and refuse to folloy
them for the benefit of a cause, whic
! he believes necessary to government
Democrats, in other words cannot eX
pect officers to cease working as indl
viduals for the success of Democrac,
1t is intended only that they shall nc
> use position, and those under them, t
> iafuence political results. A case
now in point, where removal Is ev
IDENTIFY necessary and lust: Again'
= the POSTMASTER 81 Newark, New Jel
: sey, charges have been made that
3 the last campaign he used his lette
D carriers as Republican oolporteur
4 Several of them received and execl
r ted orders to prepare lists of Dem
cratic citizens who might be coerced
various ways to vote the Republics
ticket. Other letter-carriers were MAJ
Deputy Marshals and thus served IL
: party in double capacity during tt
campaign. The ostmaster- Gener
has sent special agent to investiga
: these complaints, and if they are tru
n Republicans will hardly dispute Il
u propriety of removing the obnoxiol
partisan. Similar Investigations a
v in progress, and when their result
/. untavorable to the official they will
d speedily followed by removals. CT,
s. service reform is very good thin
~ but it may be carried to offensive e
&c tremes. The opinions and convict }
e of men cannot be reasonably subdu
Is by rules regarding the civil-servi'
We believe that there is a great de
- in Democracy that is good, and for
. officer to repudlate this good is to
little the man that holds the office.
: the rules that must apply to Dem
Gratis will be made to apply to Repu
- liean lncumbents. The Admin1str
:. ton can retain public confidence
= this subject only by frank al
10 straightforward course such as t
President has marked out from the /
le ginning. When practical politicians
g the Democratic persuasion demal
10 the removal of offensive partisa
er they greatly err If they expect tn
IS offensive partisanship will be wink
q at in the Demscrats who may be a
ie pointed on their recommendation
lie President Cleveland has adhered
D. his word and to the resolution of t
Chicago Convention in favor Of ''ho
a est civilsservice REFORM" This is
d eivil-service reform administratic
Ie and the sooner the fact is realized t
D. better for all concerned, whether tn
o. are in or out of Office. And yet we a
# unquali6edly in favor of rewardil
20 with office competent earnest Dem
! Gratis who have labored for par
success, and who will sustain it, /
~ cause of pride in it.
THOSE interested in degrees of pu
;. ishment in the hereafter, are pleas