St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-08-13
The Progress of Reform.

The addresses of George William
Curtis at the annual meetings of the
National civil service reform league
have come to be looked upon as giving
a reckoning of the progress of the re-
form during the year, and indicating
the next steps forward. His address at
Newport was devoted to a considera-
ton of the work under the present ma
tiOnal administration. Mr. Curtis ex-
plains the need of organized efforts in
behalf of the reform by stating the truth
that "neither the republican nor the
democratic party, as snch, is distinctly
and consistently reform party" And
although claiming that there is a much
more general and decided reform SEN
timent among republicans than among
democrats, he admits that "it is not yet
strong enough to control the action of
the party" AS the reform was not a
distinctive party measure, it is cOnced-
ed that the presidential election of last
year did not turn upon it. And yet
Mr.. Curtis affirms, what few will have
the hardihoOd to deny, that Mr.. Cleve-
land was nominated and elected be-
cause he was refOrmer, "and if he had
not been identified with reform, he
would not to-day be president"
The obligation which this fact i'm
poses upon the president Mr.. Curtis
declares that he has, in the main, full
filled. The reform law "has been exc
cuted with entire fidelity" and there
has been nothing approaching "clean
sweep" There have been under this
administration, as there was even mere
cOnspicnOusly under the last two, vio-
lations of sound principles, mistakes
and Inconsistencies, unwise appoint
ments and equally unwise removals.
But the general purpose and prevailing
tendency of the administration, in Mr..
Curtis view, have been in the right di-
rection. The New York appointments
are adduced in support of this belief,
and they outweigh many times the mi :
nor mistakes like Higgins and Pills
bury.
In New York, as Mr.. Curtis points
out, the chief national offices have been
held from the time of Jackson to be
peculiarly the spoils of the successful
party in the election. If President
Cleveland had intended to give any
countenance to this practice, it is fair
to suppose that he would have done it
in that centre of political activity. But,
chief offices completely out of politics !;
reappOinted IA republican as postmas-
ter, selected business man for collect
or, reinstated a pronounced refOrmer
in the naval office, promoted deserv-
ing deputy to the appraisership. and
given the surveyOrship to democrat
who declares his sympathy with re-
form. Mr.. Curtis is right in saying
ioiS 10 10
treatment of the New York offices is a
signal proof of the sincerity and patri-
otism of the president and striking
illustration of the rapid progress of re-
form methods.
An interesting passage in the add
dress is the quotation from the circular
prepared for President Harrison by
Daniel Webster in 1876 taking almost
Identical ground as to causes of remov
al from Office with that assumed by
President Cleveland Mr.. Webster's
phrase, "active partisanship," was hap
sive partsans," but both meant the
same thing-that the Offices shall not
he used for party advantage.
Mr.. Curtis criticism upon the re-
ported clean sweep in the claims bu-
reau of the attorney generals office is
quite just, if the facts are as stated,
and his warning that, if this course
should unhappily become the general
policy, the ''whOle force of the civil
service reform sentiment of the cOun-
try would be strongly arrayed against
the administrations is well founded.
But Mr.. Curtis does not anticipate any
such issue of the contest now joined
between the refOrmers and the spOils-
men. For he declares that ''nO presi-
dent has given such conclusive evil.
dence, both of his reform convictions
and of his courage in enforcing his
convictions, as President Cleveland
has done" And never, in his view,
have the prospects of reform been fair
er than now Boston Herald.