The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-11-25
GOVERNOR HILL.

GONERNOR HILL.
We were much pleased with the remarks
of Governor Hill the other day concerning
civil service reform. The Governor may be
regarded embodiment of the most re-
cent popular expression of public sentiment
upon that subject. He specially disclaimed
any intention of eriticising the action of
President Cleveland, a disclaimer hardly
necessary. The duty of the Executive is to
enforce the law while it is the law, but we
do not think that this implies the advocacy
or approval of the principles upon which
the law is based.
SIS
Governor Hill says that his own admins
tration will be DemOcratic-will be partisan
in its appointments and management. This
does not mean that it will, therefore, BE-
either incompetent, unfaithful or dishonest
What is meant, is that he has the fullest con-
fidence in the friends and associates of his
own political party, and that among
them may be found men in every
way worthy OF any position in the govern
ment of the State of New York within his
gift.
By way OF softening the contrast between
his own action and that of the President,
and by way of explanation of the hardness
of removals in the Federal offices, the Gov
ernor goes on to say that the Democratic
party has been, in national affairs, for a long
time out of power, and that the persons
composing it nave grown rusty in matters
pertaining to the public service; that some
degree of inquiry precaution, and, conse-
quently, delay, must ensue to make proper
selection from material so long unaccustomed
to holding official positions. All this is
true and may be entitled to more considera-
ton than is usually given it.
A quarter OF a century Of continuous
power had practically made for Republicans
permanent tenure OF Office. The persons
so long employed in the discharge OF official
duties thus had the opportunity of becoming
well versed in them, and well acquainted
with the routine of Office details. These
same persons, thus drilled and trained, by
their loug incumbency have just as certainly
excluded and prevented other citizens from
becoming so. Now, shall this system of
irremovable official tenure, due to the acct
dent of political domination, be perpetuated
by act of Congress? We think that the hold
ing of Office, from the least unto the greatest,
is sort of political education at the public
expense, to which all citizens should have
an equal right and opportunity, and that no
law should forbid this right. Is it Just that
this education and the opportunity of ac-
quiring it should only enure to the benefit
of fovorad class apd fIot nil Ofbarc cbarld
be debarred from even the chance Of enjoy
ing it?
ae@
The attendance upon public meetings,
the hearing of political addresses
and discussions, the attendance upon
elections at the polls. constitute parts
of the political education of every citizen.
The functions of public office are other and
different parts of this same system of polit-
ical education. One may be Iikened to the
ordinary graded schools; the other to the
high schools in our system of free schools
for all the children of the Commonwealth.
Suppose il were sought to be enacted that
pupils from the common schools should no
longer be admitted to the high schools; that
the high schools should consist only and ex-
clusively of persons already admitted to
them, and that these favored pupils should
stay there perpetually, learning over and
over the same lessons, which in course of
time they would learn perfectly. Would
not every one exclaim against the wrong
and injustice of such policy? Now, this is
exactly the plan of the Civil Service Reform
League.
They insist that the doors of the high
school of political instruction shall be closed
shut against all corners, except in case of
death or resignation; that the persons now
in office shall continue therein; that no 9TH
ers shall learn or have the opportunity Of
learning these higher branches of political
knowledge. We hold that the wages paid
by the government to its employees, which
these spurious reformers call "spoils," and
these opportunities of higher political edu-
cation, which they call patronage" shall
be equally open to all citizens. By this it is
not meant that any unworthy or incapable
aspirant should be appointed. What is
meant is that persons, honest, faithful and
capable, should not fail of appointment
merely because others are or have been for
any length of time incumbents of such
places.
The policy of providing for perpetual