Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-10-10
1pfr rIIIl.SgBr1oE REF0RN.

service reform, Dttihl schnt ~ Nin9"ti9
faction at It's present application. Espcc-
tally New York aud Ohio, while in gem
cral terms approving the principle Of re-
forming the civil service by securing a
better class Of appointments, condemn
the present machinery and appliances OF
the ciyil.serylcc commission. President
Cleveland, whose sincere devotion TO re-
form cannot be called In question, also
bctrays, by reccut acts, his conviction
that the existing laws regulating that sub
jcct are inefficient TO attain practical re-
form
Under the teachings Of the past, It has
become an accepted doctrine in this coun-
try that a change OF politics in the heads
Of government called for a change in the
minor civil Offices to bring them in SYM
patty with the administration. This doc
trine has been condensed in the obnox-
ions eplgram, "To the ylctors belong the
spols." looking at the filing Of the Of
fees as dispensatiou of official fayors 60
the friends Of the president, the doctrine
deserves the odium that attaches to It;
but looking att in another light, and the
true one, there Is nothing to condemn.
As the change of administration from a
Republican to a Democratic president
signifies the dissatisfaction Of the country
with Republican methods, the president
is not 10 be- ccnsured If he carries out the
will expressed in his election and puts in
Office men Of his own approved choice,
In whom he has confidence that his policy
win not be negatiyed by their latent hos
tllity. As he is responsible for the con-
duct of the government, he should have
the unobstructcd right to choose the men
whose assistance is necessary in carrying
on the government, and upon nobody can
he so confidently depend as on his own
personal and party adhcrents, who are
interested with him in the success OF his
There can be no rcspon-
slbility without authority. The failure
of the attempt at cNl-seryicc reform is
due TO the fact that 1t ignores this ncccs-
sity OF a united and harmonious admins
tration, and seeks to force the president
and his assistants and advisers to
appoint men to responsible posi-
tions in his administration who are his
political foes, and who viii not hesitate
to embarrgsS his efforts at reform, and
who Will give encouragement to the as
soults of an organized enemy.
The ciyil-scrvlcc law was enacted to
secure higher grade OF intelligence in
Office, and not to secure non-partsan
service. 1t was passed to break down
the practice, universally prevalent after
twcnty-four years of Republican rule, Of
men TO Office whose chief rec
and often their only rec
consisted in their ability to
politics to the advantage of
their party They were good workers"
who helped to keep their party in power;
therefore they should be rewarded for past
services and attached to the party for fu-
ture service by being appointed to lucra-
tive Offices. This system ignored the
claims of the public to have the civil
service administered for their benefit,
and 1t became so pcrnicious that in the
attempt to overthrow it the present civil
service law was passed, which is proved
to be impractical and inefficient, But
from the experience of the spoils system
and the failures of the so-callcd reform
law we may be led to the construction of
a law which will avoid the evils and the
weaknesses OF both.
That is simply done. Amend the
present law so that the competitive ex-
aminations shall be confined to partisans
or sympathizers with the administration
or, give to the appointing power
the privilege of rejecting, if they think
best, applicants of the opposite party,
who have passed the examination, and
allow them to conAne their selections to
their party friends, in the order in which
the applicants of that political faith
stand on the rolls of merit,
This secures the best results of the
present system, and is open to none of
its objections or the objections against
the old system of appointments to work
ers for rewards. II secures the most in
tclligent, efficient and competent men In
the Democratic party, and there are lust
as good men in that party as among the
Republicans 1t secures men in active
sympathy with the president, who will
aid and encourage him, not thwart
and obStruct him. It excludes ignor-
ant spoilsmen, for only those shall be
selected who can establish the requisite
standard of intelligence, and they in the
order of standing, II Is practical and
wholesome, and If put 10 the test willnot
be found unsatisfactory.
That some improvement Of the existing
law viii he attempted in the next congress
Is assured, and nothing that has vet been
suggested for Its amendment will, we be.
lieve, work to such advantage Of the pub
lie service and the party in power as the