The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1885-03-26

The American people are ust nov be-
ing treated to an experimental trial OF ihe
question as to whether reformation will
reform In order to establish the fact
that such trial is being undergone we
will have to admit more than our con-
science is really willing to relax, that ad-
mission being that Grover Cleveland is re-
ally sincere in his pledges Of ideal civil
service reform. Admitting that he is sin
cere and that he means to live up to the
very letter Of the civil service system. we
have test question that Grover Cleve-
land must settle. ThatquestiOn is great
one. 1t is pretty definitely established
that prohibition does not prohibit. and
now comes the question, will reformation
reform? There are many stumbling
blocks in the way Of this civil service re-
formation feature that are more than liza
bic to make the whole fasco a complete
failure; and not only can it be made
failure, but worse. miserable retrogress-
i've mistake. We will take for examira-
ton the three cardinal principles upon
which civil service reform is founded: Sc
lection for fitness removal for cause, only.
not for political purposes; fxity of ten
nue.. There Is but one feature of the
above three principles really unsettled.
For twenty-four years the republican
party has elung to the idea of an appoint
ment for fitness only, more particularly
during the past four years having follow
ed this rule. President Cleveland is fol-
lowing the rule laid down in the second
principle, removal for cause, and if he con-
tinues as in the past three weeks to disre-
gard applications for political removals,
that will settle the second principle. But
now comes the stumbling block. Perhaps
the latter feature has not been considered
as one OF the highest importance, and for
that reason has not been given the study
that is necessary before gaining an entire
ly rational and clear view of the question
1t means that person having once gain
ed an ascendancy through competency as
certained by competitive examina-
ton, shall remain in certain official posi-
ton SO long as he is faithful, until death.
1t means life tenure This does away
with the idea that public officers are pub
lie property, and introduces the tenet OF O
life position SO long as official efficiency
OF certain individual is not conducive to
the public evil. The four years tenure act
as now in vogue ia very good SO far as it
goes, but it does not reach far enough to
cover civil service reform 1t simply pro-
tects a competent official for a certain
length Of time, and then tells him to
get Like culprit given twenty four
hours in which to leave town he is under
the protection of precinct constable, du-
ring his tenure of time allotted, and then
fired When appointments are made
entirely through fitness regardless of party
affiliation Or partisanship, when removals
are made for cause only, and when officials
are retained SO long as life and efficiency
remain to their lot, then will we have
ideal civil service reform, and not until
then. The four years tenure act will have
to be repealed aud republicans stand
show alike with democrats in their candi-
dacy for public selection before this "re-
formation will REFORM" When that
time comes Grover Cleveland will not be
known. He will have sunk into oblivion
long before such a millennium will have
witnessed its workings, and will have new
er known of the success or failure of an is
sue now in the very propagation of crudity.