Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-09-25
neutrality-suspicious. %, 1888.
Ciyil-Seryice Reform.


courage Of his convictions. His letter
to DORIAN i. EATON, . Republican
civil.service commissioner, which we
printed yesterday, is evidence enough
of that fact. lie applauds Mr.. EATON
AS q genuine reformer, and asks him
TO remain in Office until November
psxt. Mr.. CLEVELAND writes clearly
and forcibly. The style of this letter
is admirable.
We have no quarrel with the Presi-
dent. As, whether he is q civil-service
reformer or not, we shall always feel
grateful to Mr.. THURMAN for the jury
law which kept JOHN S. WISE as Dis
trict Attorney from prostituting the
powers of the Federal Court to wreak
his vengeance upon . man who had Of
Tended him az candidate and had tried
to defeat him Of election to Congress, so
we shall always remember when Mr..
CLEvELANp's name is mentioned that
he was the first candidate for President
OF the United States who defeated the
enemies of the southern people, fOiled
their prosecutors, recognized southrons
as capable and entitled to hold office,
and restored their confidence in the
Government established by their fathers.
He represents to the long-wronged
South peace, prosperity, the end Of sec
tional animosities, and bright future.
He reminds them, as BEN. HILL said,
that they are really in their fathers
house.
Nevertheless, we are not at all GER
tain that Mr.. CLEVELAND is right in
his views of what is called reform Of
the civil service. TIE law under which
he is acting is, in the opinion of many
able lawyers, unconstitutional. 1t GER
tainly seems to us SO to be but as we
have heretofore said, we do not insist
upon this point, seeing that it became
law by and with the advice and con-
sent Of q good many such lawyers.
A life tenure Of Office is inconsistent
with the foundation upon which our
free Government is based. II is in
effect the same thing rs hereditary
nobility or governing class. 1t not
only assumes that the persons in Office
are the best fitted for office, but that
the persons out ought to remain out.
It is contrary certainly to the Virginia
Bill of Rights. 1t is the prolific parent
of abuses. 1t results in civil service
honeycombed with unlawful practices,
covering up innumerable frauds,
hiding peculation, condoning crime,
concealing shortcomings, and tend
ing to the stagnation Of death.
The abuses unearthed in Washington
since Mr.. CLEVELAND became Presi-
dent show how hfe-tenure would
operate. The officials had come to re-
gard the Offices as their private proper
ty, and had continued in idle dallauce
with their duties so long that they re-
garded an hours work as a full days
work. There are thousands of clerks
employed in the Treasury Department
alone. Under the life-tenure these
thousands would soon be doubled in
number as consequence Of the lazi-
ness, idlensss, and general "cussed-
ness F" Of men thus relieved Of all prac-
teal responsibility.
Again As in England the life tenure
was followed by civil-pension list, so
in the United States civil-pension list
viii undoubtedly follow the legalizing
Of the life tenure. h could not be
otherwise. No government will fail to
pension even its clerks under such cir
cumstances. And one class Of PEN
sioners will beget another class. The
pension lists Of the army and navy
would soon be shorter than the pension
list not only Of decrepit officials Of
every description, but Of persons claim
ing for al sorts of reasons the right to
DO supported at tho public expense.
And then think Of the feelings Of the
Democrats il in 1889 . Republican
President should succeed Mr.. CLEvE-
LAND, and be should, ss he would,
laugh in his sleeve ct Mr.. CLEvE-
LANDS simplicity and proceed at once
to oil oil the offices with Republicans.
Nine tenths Of them are filed by Re-
Publiesns to-day, VIC suppose.