The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1885-01-08
TIE CIVIL SERVICE.
4 CHARACTERISTIC LETTER
FROM Mr.. CLEVELAND.
How He Will be Governed in
Appointments, Etc.

i President-elect Cleveland has
4.written letter defining his position
on the civil service reform law, from
which it will be seen that he
viii not be Influenced by polit-
italgties alone in the selection of ap-
pdfntees to official positions, but will
insist I pom merit and ability as es-
Observation-Disclosures in every case.
/ Thesletter was written in reply to
one fromahe National Civil Service
Reform League of New York. com
mending the canseso civil service to
the patriotic care of AMr. Cleveland
IN the exercise of the great power be
has been intrusted with by the
American people, and IS as follows:
| Albany, Dec. 25, 1884.
Hon. George William Curtiss, Pres
| ident, Etc;
| DEAR SIR-Your communication
dated December Goth, addressed to
me on behalf of the National Civil
Service Reform league, has been re-
ceived. That practical reform in
the civil service is demanded, is
abundantly established by the fact
that the statute referred to in your
communication to secure such result
has been passed in congress with the
assent of both political parties, and
/ by the further fact that the senti-
ment is generally prevalent among
patriotic people, calling for fair
and honest enforcement Of the law
which has thus been enacted. ! re-
gard myself pledged to this, because
my conception of true democratic
faith and public duty requires that
this and all other statutes should be,
in good faith and without evasion,
enforced, and because, in many ut
terances made prior to my election
as president, approved by the party
| to which belong, and which | have
no disposition to disclaim, have in
effect promised the people that this
should be done. / am not unmind
full of the fact to which you refer,
that many of our citizens fear that
4 the recent party change in the ma
tional executive may demonstrate
that the abuses which have grown
up in the civil scSSice are ineradic-
able. ] know they are deeply root
ed and that the spoils system has
been supposed to be intimately re-
| lated to the success and maintenance
OF party organization, and am not
sure that all those who profess to be
1 friends of this reform will stand
1 firmly among its advocates when
they find it obstructing their way to
patronage and place, but fully ap-
preciating the trust committed to my
! charge no such consideration shall
cause q relaxation on my part of an
earnest effort to enforce this law
There is class of government po-
sitions which are not within the let
ter OF civil service statute, but which
are so disconnected with the policy
of an administration that 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 put
ting in their places those who are IN
political accord with the appointing
power, But many now holding such
positions have forfeited all just
claims to retention, because they
have used their places for Party pur-
poses IN disregard of their duty to
the people, and because instead OF
being decent public servants, they
have proved themselves offensive
partisans and unscrupulous manipu-
lators of local party management.
The lessons of the past should be
unlearned, and such officials as well
as their successors should be taught
that efficiency, fitness and devotion
to public duty are the conditions of
their continuance in public place,
and that quiet and unobtrusive eX-
ercise of individual political rights
is reasonable measure of their par
ty service. If | were addressing
none but party friends, ! should
deem it entirely proper 10 remind
them that though the coming admin
lstratioa is to be democratic, due
regard for the peoples interest does
not permit faithful party work to be
always rewarded by appointment to
Office, and to say to them that while
democrats may expect all proper
consideration, selections for office
not embraced within the civil service
rules will be based upon sufficient in
qniry as TO fitness, instituted by
those charged with that duty, rather
than upon persistent Importantly OF
self-solicited recommendation on
behalf Of candidates for appoint
ment. Yours, very truly,
GROVER CLEVELAND.