Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1885-04-09
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.

. the Editor ofthe Virginia Free Press
It is now more than two years since the
Act to Regulate the Civil Service of the
United States" was approved; and yet, its
true interest and meaning, or how it ever be-
came law even, seems as much mystery
As when it was first enacted. That there
would never have been any need whatever
for such an Act had the good old compre-
hensiye, yet simple, requisitions of Jefferson
honesty and competency, been fiithfully
observed, no one can question. The average
Democrat in Congress gave the bill his vote
because of the prohibition Of those assess
ments which directly tended to the self-per-
petuation of party in power by brides
drawn from the national treasury and the
average Republican gave it his vote because
of its apparent tendency to keep his servi-
tors in minor offices, should his party by any
possibility chance to lose the Presidency
and he has done his level best" TO evade
and elude its acquisitions ever since. Just
now, il is true, the grand old Party" per-
ceives l0veliness in Civil Service Reform
which it could never detect before and
s0oth to say, some Democrats in Congress
who aided to make it law are asking them
selves if" mouse-trap" might not be regard
ed as its most appropriate name ! Certainly
had it emanated from the cold and crafty
brain of the author of the Electoral Tribu-
nal instead of the gallant and unsuspecting
Pendleton. il would thus be named. There
have been few men, it is true, like Curtis
and Eaton sprinkled over the land, who
like Burke's grass-hoppers, have made the
fields ring with their shrill cry, whilst the
big peat herds around have carelessly chew
ed the cud Those herds are the grand old
masses of the people which care no more
and comprehend no more this cry for Re-
form-thiS "Snivel Service" as Conklyn
styles it, than Burke's peat cattle cared for
the cry of the grasshoppers. If they have
ever had, or now have, any very distinct
creed as to the offices" it is more than
likely that their rough sense of justice EN-
bodies it in a single sentence--that terrible
sentence" To the vict0rs belong the
spoils.n And it is very questionable whether
| those who are loudest and shrillest in their
cries for 4" Civil Service Reform" compre-
I bend any better what they are shouting for
than the masses whilst there is no question
at all rs 70 which of the two, the helds OF
the grasshoppers, are the more honest 1t
/ is a great mistake to suppose that out often
/ millions of voters in the land there are ever
the tenth Of one million whose suffrages
would be controlled by the party siogun-
/ Civil Service Reform" The masses give
it scarce a thought. Indeed, the cry, To
the victors belong the spoils, bad as it may
be thought, would prove far more effective
with them in heated campaign-especial-
| " with the young and aspiring; and lead
far more certainly to party victory Now,
it may be a very perilous thing that the laws
of q nation must be enacted and executed
/ by parties, and that executive officers must,
of necessity, be in accord with the party
which for the time being the people have
placed in power; but thus it Is and it Is
vain thing to repne. 1t is, moreover, a
very foolish thing; for great as may be the
apparent evils, the real benefits OF party are
greater; and the absence Of parties alto
gether would conduce 10 far greater evils.
The custom of Engend to confne changes
in executive officers only TO the chiefs upon
a change of Ministry, if such custom exist,
England with her hereditary monarch,
her hereditary law-giyers her entailed Is
.ates, her primogenture. her pensioned and
privileged classes, can have little sympa-
thy in government like ours. With u.s.
the administration Of the government,
the offices, al of them and not merely the
elective offices, belong to the people, not to
privileged class whilst brief terms OF Of
flee tend not only to honesty and efficiency
but. if Office is desired or considered desira-
bic. tend to the exclusian Of fayoritism.
OLD LINE WIG.