The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1885-01-09

CLENELAND'S REPLY TO TIE LEAGtf.
The following letter, dated from the Ma
tional Civil Service Reform League, was
sent to President-elect Cleveland. 1t Is
signed by George William Curtis, president,
and William Potts, secretary, and by john
Jay, Moreiield Storey, j. Hall Peasants,
w. W. Montgomery. Everett T. Wheeler,
Carl Schurz, Silas w. Burt, A. II. MacDon-
ough, William Carey Sanger, William w.
Aiken, Executive Committee. The letter
Is rs follows:
I'VE have the honor to address you on
behalf of the National Civil Service Re-
form League, an association composed of
citizens of all parties, whose sole purpose
Is indicated by its name, and which takes
no part whatever III party controversy. The
vast increase III the number Of persons ell
gagged in the civil service and the grave
miSchiets and dangers arising from general
prescription in the service which for ha I IL
century mas followed the change of p rty
control Of the national administration, have
produced SO profound an impression upon
the public mind that the first effective steps
toward reform were taken with the coop
Grafton of both parties in the passage of
the reform act OF Jan. IL, 1888 The
abuses which that act seeks TO correct, how
eyer. are Sc st! ongly intrenched in the ira
ditiois and usages of both parties that
there Is naturally widespread anx-
iety lest the party change in the national
executive effected by the late election
should show them to be insuperablc: but,
believing, as we do, that the reformed sys-
tenn cannot be held to be securely cstab.
llShed until it has safely passed the ordeal
OF such putty changes, and recalling with
| saislacti, II and confidence your public ex-
| pes ions favorable TO reform and your Oil
| ciai acts Il, Gu Of Executive of the State OF
New York, we confidently commend the
| eau - Your patriotic care in tue exercise
of the Grtat power with which the Amer
lean p ope lave intrusted you"
TO this President-elect Cleveland replied
as l0lows from Albany: "Your communi.
cation addressed to me on behalf of the Ma
| tioDai Civil Service Reform League, has
been received. Tnat practical reform IL
| the civil service Is demanded is abundantly
| established by the fact that the statute re-
| ferred to IN your communication TO secure
such result had been passed III Congress,
with the assent OF both political parties,
and by the further fact that sentiment Is
| generally prevalent among patriotic people
| calling for fair and hone enforcement
OF the law which has been thus enacted. L
regard myself pledged to THIS becau &C my
! conception of the true Democratic faith
and public duty requires that this and all
| other statutes should be, in goo faith and
| without evasion enforced, and because III
the many utterances mad nrr To my
| election as President, approved by the party
position to disclaim, have, in effect, prom
| ised the people that this should be done. l
| am not unmindful of the fac, 10 which you
refer, that many of our citizens fear that
| the recent party change in The national eX-
| e'utive may demonstrate that the abuses
which have grown up in the civil service
| are ineradicab!e. 1 know they are deeply
| rooted and that the spOilS system has been
| supposed to be intimately related To suc-
| cess in the maintenance OF party OrgalllZl-
| tlOn and i am not sure that those who pro-
| fess to be friends of that reform will stand
| firmly among its advocates whel they find
| H. ObStructlng their way to patronage ana
plac'. But, fully approaching the trust
committed to my charge, no such consider
alton shall cause relaxation on my part OF
an earnest effort to enforce this law There
Is class of government positions which
are not within the letter of civil service
statute, but which are so disconnected with
the policy of an administration that re-
mOval therefrom of 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
| putting in their places those who are in po-
lltical accord with the appointing power.
But many now holding positions have for
frited all Just claim to retention, because
they have used their places. for party pur-
poses in disregard to their duty to the peO-
pie, and because. instead of being decent
| public servants, they have proved them
selves offensive partlSanS and INSCRIPTIONS
man,pu ators of local party management.
| The lessons of the past should be unlearn-
ed, and such officials, as well as their sue
cessors, should be taught that efficiency, fit
ness and devotion to public duty are con-
| ditiOnS of their continuance in public
places, and that the quiet and unob,rusiye
exercise of individual political rights is the
reasonable measure of their party service.
IF l were addressing none but party
friends should deem it entirely proper to
remind them that though the coming adj
ministration is to be Democratic, due re-
gard for the peoples interest does not per-
nit faithful party work to be always re-
warded by appointment to Office, and 10 say
/ to them that while Democrats may expect
all proper consideration, selections for Of
flee not embraced within the civil service
rules will be based upon sufficient inquiry
as to fitness, instituted by those charged
with that duty, rather than upon persistent
importantly or self-solcited recommends
tions OH behalf of candidates for appoint
ment."
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