The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-01-01
Cleveland ON Civil Service Reform.

Catholic Priest-Death of Judge n. r.
stephens aE Lawrence
Cleveland on Civil Service Reform.
NEW YORK, Dec. 29.-The following
correspondence explains itself:
National Civil Service Reform league
office, Fourth Pine street, New York,
Dec. 20, 1884. The Hon. Grover UIeve-
land-Sir: We have the honor to address
you In behalf of the national civil ser
vice reform league, an association COM
posed Of citIzeas of all parties, whose
sole purpose Is indicated by Its name
and which takes no part whatever of
party controversy. The vast increase in
5he number OF persons engaged in the
civil service and the grave mischIefs and
dangers arising from the general pro-
scriptiou in the service which for halt q
century has followed the change of party
control of the national administration
| have produced SO profound
an impression upon the
public mind that the first effective steps
towards reform were taken with the CO.
operation of both parties in the passage
of the reform act of Jan. 10, 1888. Tue
abuses which that act seeks to correct
| however are so strongly eatrenched in
the tradition and usages of both parties
| that there Is naturally a widespread
anxiety TO test If the party change in the
national executive effected by the late
election should show them to be in
| separable. But, believing as we 60,
that reform system can't be held or
securely established until it has safely
passed the ordeal OF such party change,
aud recalling with satisfaction and conf
dence your public expressions fsYorable
| to reform aud your official acts as chief
| executive of the state of New York, we
confidently commend this cause to
your patriotic care in the exercise of the
| great power with which the American
| people have entrusted you. Respect
| fully yours, Geo. William Curtis, presi
| dent; William Potts, secretary; John
Joy, MGorefield Storr. j. Hall Peasants,
| w W. Montgomery, Everett P. Wheeler,
Fred Cromwell Morrill, WVman jr, Carl
| SchuIz, Silas W. Burt. A. r. McDonough,
VIM. Carey Sanger, VIM. W. Aiken, ex.
ecutiVe committee.
PRESIDENT ELECT CLENELAND'S REPLY.
ALBANY, N. Y, Dec. 25,-Hon. Geo.
VIM. Curtis, President, etc,-Dear Sir:
| Your communication dated Dec. 20 adj
|
Civil Service Reform league has been
received. That practical reform in the
civil service is demanded is abuudantly
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 politi-
cal parties, and by the further fact that
the sentiment generally prevalent among
patriotic people calling for the fair aud
honest enforcement of the law which
has been thus enacted. l regard myself
| pledged 10 this because my conception
OF true Democratic faith and public duty
! requires that this and all other statutes
shOaid be in good faith and enforced
and because in many utterances made
| prior TO my election as president, ap-
proved by the party to which I belong
and which have no disposition to dis
| claim, / have IN effect promised the
| people that this should be
| done. / am not unmIndful of the
| fact to which you refer, that many
| OF our citizens fear that the recent purity
change in the national executive may
! demonstrate that the abuses which have
| grown up in civil service are ineradica-
BILE | know they are deeply rooted and
that the spoils system has been supposed
TO be intimately related to success il the
| Va q pa va
[ am not sure that all those who profess
to be friends OF this reform will stand
| firmly among its advocates when they
| find It constructing their way to patronage
and place, but, FULLY apprecisting the
trust committed TO my charge, no such
| consideration shall cause relaxation on
| my part of an earnest effort to enforce
| this law. There is a class of govern
meut positions which arc not within the
letter of the civil service statute, but
| which are SD disconnected with the policy
| of an adminISIratiUn that removal there
! from of Tie present ineum bents, in my
| opinion, should not be made during the
term for which they We're appointed,
| solely On p4Itsau grounds and for the
! purp 80 0E putting in their places those
who are ia political accord with the ap-
! pointing power. But many now b Did
! ing such positions have forfeited all
| Just claim TO retention because they
have usei their positions for party pur-
poses liz discharge of their duty to the
| people, and because, instead OF being
| decent public servants, they have proved
themselves offensive paItIsans and
unscTUpulOus manlpulaLors of local
| party management. The lessons OF the
past should be unlearned, and such Of
ticials, as we'll as their successors, should
OC taught AtuOSS duu Q6-
votion To public duty are conditions of
their continuance III public place, and
qniet and unobtrusive exercise of indi-
| vidual political rights is q reasona BILE
measure of their party service. If were
| addressing none but party friends, l
should deem it entirely proper TO remind
them that though the coming admins.
tration is TO be democratic, due regard
for the peoples interest does not permit
faithful party work to be always re-
warded by appointment % Office, and to
say to them that while the democrats
may expect all proper consideration In
| selections for office not embraced within
the civil service rules, they will be based
| upon sufficient inquiry IS 20 fitness, in
stituted by those charged with that duty,
rather than upon persistent importantly
| or self solicited recommendations on be-
half of candidates for appointment.
Yours very truly,
[Sigued,j GROVER CLEVELAND