The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1885-08-06

fbaas civil service foiofmoft afo hHit'
.nsa raoi hfht Thm fI' IH'.''.'
irlu rfoaU w..i. Inl 'W
boo tho public service, .Oin'iNint
aiso thsn miserable WriY foHl
as ID usuneaUlu for 0INHo. 7' iH
u,, tpdIIot lu she land will s,y nay
Iu. IIuAlu has .niulprl Ne s'iir'
uras aud criticisms upon pfofonl
methods aul lbo present absurd riNl
service statute, uui In common win
tho hest Democratic sources IN ln'
up..sn b. v.ll bJ found tina. our cru
oiBms Lro ieyelcd CHIEFLY 10 tho mem
olonny and ab,urdity Of tho existing
statute, while desiring as intensely
and honestly as anybody tho utmost
purity and Independence la tho cliii
service. Not tho thing, but the man
no, of reaching IL, II aud has been our
cause Tor complaint.
Bittar partisRns may get into oiiico
aud gso their power for solhsh pnr'
poses. The interests OF their party
aud therefore the majority OF tho pub
lie may DO neglected and tho persoral
fortunes OF the appointed or mis- iahiliy
DO exclusively consulted saeh III
stances are, however, rare. The ln'es'
tigatlon procsodII.g now with reierahoo
10 the indianapolis postoihce involves
such question. II the appointoes are
not competent and worthy lot them
go. Ilthoy are tho right people for
tho right place, the fact that they are
! Democrats Ought not % exclude ihem
from Office under Democratic
administrator, especially 80 whoa ihs
ltness of their chief was youoh.d Tor
by the vice. president himself OF tue
United State, nor is IL at all wrong
that MIR. JONES should desire TO Or
ganlZe his office in his own interests
aud select those best known To him,
Una6r Republican rule all the do
partments OF the civil service have
been invariably filled by partisan and
often most Incompetent people. Tho
best "contributor" was lar ahead oil
| the wbest clerk" The most diPgust-
ing party services were re-
warded with office, until tho entire
government service became honey
crmhed with dishonest, incompetent,
un!a!thiul and Extensively partisan
officials. Must such r mass of oiien-
s!va matter DO ever dumped into
Office? Can the country not purify
! Itself? II q corruI. ard shameless adj
miuistration fills the government
Offices with people unworthy Of such
confidence ard distinction, must
practically life tenure statute keep
them there always and q public opin
ion denounce hose who attempt puri'
licaLion and reform?
Civil service "re!orm" is anything
else but reform, il one class OF mer
can forever hold Office, while better
men wait on the outside and, perhaps
as much or more entitled to recoSni-
ton than the fortunaios in office. We dc
not maintain Internationally that tt
the victors belong the spoils, but GER
tainly the victors hsvo the same ri2h'
to official position as the vanquished
1t is this palpable one-sidedness and
injustice that has caused such di'
yersity OF opinion in this country
While parties may deny the right OF
the victor TO the spoils, they will never
insist that thoy should go to the van
auisned simply because they have be-
tore been in power.
But the methods are more objection
able than the spirit o. this proposed
change. If mep especially qualified
for q certain class OF work were chosei
undor these reform regulations, sc
much the less Objectionable the stat
ute, but sn incompetent man who II
Dup in reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic,'
but has possibly no idea Of either pub
lie or private business, may carry OF
the best certificate of examination, tht
best appointment and be the poores
clerk in The long list OF applicants.
IF we must haYe civil service Law
let it be one that will fairly meet thu
case. Let every man in The govern
ment be selected, not only for origina
appointment, but for promotion
purely by reason of qualifications TO
that special place sought, There arr
many other things th&t ought to b.
demanded of a public official thar
mere proficiency in English element
a~y branches ana the further TACT thn
tho salary is between 5000 and 81 ,sCI
per annum, and statute or policy
failing TO recognize this fact must b.
=, certainly ard radically wrong,