The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-05-22
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM ?

III there has been for the last twenty
wears subject of limitless and diversi-
fed discussion in the United States,
that matter is Civil Service Reform.
What is it? What really does it mean
If it should be called merely Civil Ser
vice, that would be one thing, but Civil
Service Reform is altogether another
thing. The civil service has degener-
ated into poor, pitiful sphere for the
reward Of partisan merit and service,
but civil service reform is still matter
in the future.
When the Democratic party was
chosen last fall it was on the express
understanding that the people fancied
Irregularities in government accounts
and wanted new men to take charge of
the books. Civil Service Reform in the
view of the public meant new men to
overhaul old books, but this does not
appear to be the view taken of the mat
ter by PRESIDENT CLEVELAND and his
cabinet. With them 1t seems to mean,
"Keep the little rascals in power at
Washington"
But evidently it is the general and
popular idea that civil service reform
does not mean merely the retention in
power of 5000 or 1000 clerks at WASH
ington, but the placing in position Of
the best men, the proper proportion be-
tween the states In all the better classes
of offices and the exclusion of men who
hunt or occupy office as parLisans.
That clear-minded, ably edited jour
nal, the New York Sun, editorially re-
marks on this topic: "Why was 1t that
such an imperious, powerful and patri-
otto chief of department as Mr..
STANTON In the war office,
or such polite and unselish
member of the cabinet as DANIEL MAN
MING, instead Of surrounding himself
with subordinates whom he knew from
his own state, should have consented to
appoint mon from every locality, with
whom he had never been associated and
Of whose ability he could have had no
personal knowledge? For instance,
Mr.. MANNING has for years been at the
head of splendidly organized and ably
served political organization, containing
great number of men with whose abil-
tiles and habits he is perfectly familiar.
He could readily fill every Office in the
treasury with tenants Of whom he had
entire knowledge as to their fitness for
such duties. But, instead of adopting
this course, he collects his subordi-
mates from everywhere, and sub
mits to the judgment of other
members Of the party as 10 the so.
lection Of mon in other states. =
In this governments administration,
as well as in its formation, the people
mhss share equally, and every portion
of the country must be actively and di-
rectly concerned in its maintenance and
prosperity. The people of New York ,of
Illinois, of California, and every other
state are equally concerned in il, and
have an equal right to assist in its adj
ministration. Its Legislative RESPONSE
bilitles are distributed by law, but that
benehcenps principle extends until not
only are all the states of the Union rep.
resented in congress, but each Is called
upon to furnish its quota of Federal
officers, and in every department and
branch of the Federal service are found
men from each and every portion of the
country"
Civil service, In its true sense, docs
not mean the retention 10 office of
few department clerks, but the equal,
fair and honest distribution In all the
states Of competent government
officials, who shall administer
the government upon honest Demo-
cratic principles. Laws are not made
to restrain, but to further progress, and
1t Is possible that even our present con-
servatiye administration may presently
conclude that civil service reform
means what it implies, not stagnation,
but active reform and common justice
10 all.