Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1885-09-25
SHAM CIVIL SERVICE.

The following remarks Of the New York
SIN OF the l4th instant serve TO show the
feeingot the Democracy of the Empire State
on the subject of sham civil service reform
as praciiced under the present law;
The resolutions adopted by the Tam.
many Hall General Committee on Friday
evening concerning what is enormously
known as civil service reform, are com
mendable for the care and discrimination
which they manifest In stating the true OBJ
jections 10 the competitive examination
system.
The preamble recites among other things
that "recent legislation has tended to di.
minish and restrict the authority of officers
chosen by the people 10 appoint, promote
and remove their own subordinates."
The most ardent supporter Of the existing
civil service act will not deny that such is
its tendency. Instead of permitting the ap.
pointing power to choose from among all
the persons in the country competent To
perform the duties of given Office, II re.
stricts the choice TO four persons selected
by some one else. No one outside of this
group of four can be appointed, The dimi
mutton of authority which such limitation
involves has hardly been appreciated until
now except by careful students of the leg.
islation in question. 1t is opposed to the
spirit OF the Constitution, ii not to the letter
Of hat and e t,l, III
as matter OF public policy, even il il should
turn out 10 be valid as matter of law.
The resolutions protest against any leg
islative or administrative. measures which
may tend TO create a permanent ofiicehod
ing class in this country, and denounce all
attempts 10 grant life tenure of Office Il
any body Of public servants" The civil
service reform orators for the most part dis
claim any such purposes as those thus AS
sailed, but it is plain enough that the meas
ures which they advocate are extremei,
favorable to the establishment OF perma.
nent tenure for vast body of public ohlcers
This would be great evil In republic
like ours the more citizens who, ut somt
lime or other in the course Of their lives
can take part in the government OF III,
country the better il is for the security o
democratic institutions.
Finally, the condemnation Of Boards %
Commissions vested with the authority I,
control or interfere with the exercise of tn,
power Of appointments by elective officers
is especially to be approved.
The tone of these Tammany resolutions i
undoubtedly in harmony with the feeling
of the great mass of voters in this State
whether they be Democrats or Republicans
The latter may deem it expedient TO refrain
from expressing their true opinions on tn
subject Just now, but they are adverse to tn,
Eatonian system all the same. This is no
at all because the average eector Is indl
ferent TO the efficiency OF the civil service
as the Mugwumps are 80 fond Of assuming
but because they recognize almost by In
siinct the anti-American character of ih,
competitive examination scheme ~ means
of selecting the best men for Office The,
know that IL that had been the only path
into the public service Abraham Lincoln
would never have been President Of the
United States, and Ulysses s. Grant would
never have commanded the Union armies
II such system would keep the best men
out Of great places. II is likely 10 keep the
best men out Of small ones.
The Eatonian system must 60.