New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-03-22
WHAT REFORM MEANS.

Civil Service reform is not Wero o"P"
name. There is some danger that, IN the ha'u-
raj disposition of partisans to favor the con-
duct of a President whom they have elected,
and of other partisans to oppose the conduct OF
a President against whom they voted, the true
nrinciples and objects of reform in the ClVl
Service may drop out Of sight. Already we 1no
soma who have been considered most consplc-
mons and Jealous advocates OF that reform
commanding appointments which not long ago
they would have recognized as opposed TO every
pr,nciple of reform, and preparing themselves
to pass without indignation or censure sweep
ing change of officials for partisan purposes.
Reform of the Civil Service does not mean
that President should have no opinions. IL
does not mean that he should refuse 10 eAer'
his influence, in every legitimate way, 10 pro-
mote the success of sound principles. In tne
choice of officers who, in the exercise OF right
ful power, may promote or defeat sound prlncl-
ples, it is not merely the right but the duty OF
an Executive so to exercise his discretionary
mower as 70 give his convictions their legit-
mate weight in the administration OF AFFAIRS.
Thus. MIR. Cleveland heartily believes that the
continued coinage of silver is dangerous to tine
country. IL is not merely his right, but his
duty. in the selections of officials who have to
do with that matter, to consider their opinions
and to make sure that they will be disposed 10
act zealousy in harmony with his convictions
Or. If he were an uncompromisiDg free trader'
It would be both his right and his duty, In the
selection of those officials by whom policy
NAV be formulated and effectively urged, and
tariff laws interpreted or embarrassed in exc
-, mind tho npiuiOns of canQl-
dates upon the tariff question.
On the other hand, in the selection OF officials
who have merely administrative duties to per-
form, who can neither assist in shaping or ex-
pressing the executive policy, nor AID nor en-
barrass it by interpretations of the law, or oy
the exercise of any rightful power In their
several places, a change of officials Tor the
purpose of serving party or rewarding party
workers is contrary to the vital idea of reform.
In fact. the one abuse against which Civil
Service reform was aimed, and which that
reform was especially designed to re-
move, was this prostitution OF the
nublic service to personal and party ends.
This use of the offices to build upa party, to
hire or to pay workers for party, and to con-
troll through official influence the nominations
of a party, is a crying offence against which
good citizens of all parties have protested with
increasing earnestness.
President Cleveland has done some things
already which show disregard OF the prlnci-
ples of Civil Service reform. His choice
of Mr.. Manning for Secretary can be excused
only on the plea that he could not find any other
man, sound on financial questions, who had not
been in the habit of using means and oppor-
tupities most unscrupulously as spolls pollu-
clan. The selection of Higgins was simply an
insult to the reform sentiment OF the country. III
the President, moreover, should go on, as seems
likely. to sweep out of Office each Republican
official as his term expires, merely because he Is
n Republican, and to put in Democrats not
more experienced or capable merely because
they are Democrats, the people who excuse that
sort of thing Will show that they are not more
honest about reform of the Civil Service than
they were in the pretences on which they sup
ported Mr.. Cleveland.
But it is the Presidents right and duty to
select for positions which have to do with the
EXPRESSION and enforcement of his policy, men
who are in harmony with that policy In doing
this he will remove some Republicans because
thew are not in harmony with his policy as a
whole, and he will be doing right. Those VINO
seek genuine reform of the Civil Service will
| only ask of him in that matter that he shall be
faithful to his convictions that he shall in good
| faith select men for these positions, not merely
| because they are Democrats, but because they
agree with his convictions, and that he shall
refrain from disturbing, for merely partisan OF
| personal ends, those officials who have, in the
| richtful discharge of their duties, no occasion
| to aid or to hinder the execution of his policy