The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1885-01-03
PRnsEDENT CLEvELANHs


And Civil Service Reform.
The following correspondence OK.
plains itself
NATIONAL CIVIL SERVICE REFORM
LEAGUE OFFICE, No. 4 HINES STREET,
New YORK, December 20, 1884-Hon.
Grover Cleyeland-Sir We have the
honor to address you on behalf Of the
National Civil Service Reform League,
an association composed Of citizens of
all parties, whose sole purpose is indi-
Gated by its name, and which takes no
part whatever in party controversy,
The vast increase in the number of
persons engaged in the civil service,
and the grave mischieis arising from
the general prescription on the service
which for half century has followed
the change of party control of nation
al administration, have produced so
profound an impression upon the pub
lie mind that the first effective steps
toward reform were taken with theco
operation OF both parties in the pass
age Of the reform act on January 10Th,
1883. The abuses which that act seeks
to correct, however, are 80 strongly in
trenched in the traditions and usages
Of both paties that there is naturally a
widespread anxiety lest the party
change in the national Executive,
effected by the late election, shoald
show them to be insuperable but be-
lieying, as we do, that the reformed
system cannot be held to be securely
established until it has safely passed
the ordeal Of such party change, and
recalling with satisfaction your public
expressions favorable to reform, and
your official acts a. Chief Executive
of the State Of New York, we conf
IDENTIFY commend this cause to your
patriotic care in the exercise Of the
great power with which the Ameri-
can people have entrusted you.
Respectfully yours,
GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS,
VIM. PORTS, President.
Secretary.
John Jay, Morefeld Storey, ]. Hall
Peasants, w. w. Montgomery, Morrill,
Wyman, Jr., Carl schurz, Silss w.
Burt, A. s. McDonough, VIM. Carrel
Sanger, VIM. W. Aiken, Executive
Committee.
President eject Cleveland's reply;
ALBANY, N. Y, December 25th. 1884.
To Hon. Geo. William Curtis, Presi-
dent, &c.
DEAR SIR Your communication
dated December Goth, addressed to me
on behalf of the National Civil Service
Reform League has been received
That practical reform in the Civil Ser
vice is demanded is abundantly estab
lished by the fact that the statute re
ferred to in your communication tC
secure such . result, has been passed
in Congress with the assent OF both
political parties-and by the further
fact that the sentiment is generally
prevalent among patriotic people call
ing for fair, honest enforcement OF tht
LAW which has been thus enacted
regard myself pledged to this because
my conception of the tried Democrat
&c faith and public duty requires thai
this and all other statutes should bc
in good faith and without evasion en-
forced, and because in my utterance.
made prior to my election approved
by the party to which belong ant
which | have no disposition to dis
claim. have in effect promised tbs
people tibet this should be done Ian
not unmindful of the fact to which
you refer, that many Of our citizens
fear that the recent party change il
the National Executive may demon
strate that the abuses which have
! grown up in the Civil Service arr
Iineradicable. I know that they ar,
deeply rooted and that the spoils sys
tenn has been supposed to be intimate
lily related to success in the main
tenance OF party organization, and
am not sure that all those who profes
to be friends Of this reform will stant
firmly among its advocates when the,
| find it destructive to their way to pat
ronage and place, but fully apprecis
ting the trust committed to my charge
no such consideration shall cause
relaxation on my part of an earnes
effort to enforce the law There ispi
class OF government positions which
are not within the letter OF the ciyi
service statute, but which are SO dis
connected with the policy OF an ad
ministration that the removal there
from Of the present incumbents, in m,
opinion, should not be made during
the terms for which they were ap
pointed solely on partisan grounds ant
for the purpose Of putting in thei
places those who were in political &C
cord with the appointing power, bu
many now holding such positions hav
forfeited all justice to retention, be
cause they have used their places TO
for party purposes in disregard OF thei
duty to the people, and because in
stead of being decent public servant