Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1885-01-10
Saturday, January 10, 1885.
President (IeVciani's Civil SER
vice Letter.


the civil service letter that President
Clereland wrote to the Matt )nal Civil
Service Rcfrom League of New York,
and for the information of our read
ers and the public generally, we copy
the letter together with the Times
Democrats article upon the subject,
hclow:
NEW YORK. Dec 80. Tile follow
ing correspondence explains itself:
National Civil Service Reform
League, Office No. 1 Pine street, New
York, December 20, 1884. The Hon.
Grover Cleveland: Slr.-We have
the honor to address YOU Oh behalf
of the National Civil Service Refrom
League, an association composed OF
citizens Of i'll parties, whose sole pur-
pose is indicated by its name, and
which takes no part whatever i'll party
controversy.
The vast increase in the number Of
persons engaged in the civil service
and the grave mischiefs and dangers
arising from the general prescription
in the service which for half IL century
has followed the changes of party
control IF the National Administra-
ton have produced SO profound an
impression upon the public mind that
tue first effective steps towards reform
were taken, with the cooperation OF
both parties, i'll the passage OF the
reform act of July is, 1883. The
abuses which that act seeks to cor
rect, however, are SO strongly en-
irelched i'll the traditions and usa%es
of both parties that there is natural
ly widespread anxiety lest the party
change in the National Executive
effected 10y the late election should
show them to be insuperable, but be-
Eeving as we do that the reformed
system cannot be held to be securel,
established until it has safely passed
the ordeal of such party change,
and realizing with satisfaction and
confidence your public expression of
devotion to reform, and your official
acts as chief executive Of the State of
New York, we confidently commend
this case to your patriotic care Ill the
exercise of the great power with which
the American people have intrusted
YOU.
Respectfully your,
George William Curtis, president
William Potts, secretary; John JAY,
Mooreheld Storey, J. Hall Peasants,
W. W. Montgomery, Everett j.
Wheeler, Frederic Cromwell, Morrill,
Wyman, Carl Schurz, Silas w. Burt
A. Z. Marlborough, VIM. Cary Singer
VIM. w. Aiken, executive committee
President-elect Cleveland's reply
was as follows:
ALBANY, Dec IS, lSSl.-Hon. Geo
W. Curtis, president, etc.-Dear Sir
Your communication, dated Decem.
Der 20, addressed to Inc on behalf OF
the National Civil Service Refrom
League, has been received. That
practical reform in the civil service is
demanded, is abundantly established
bv the fact that the statute referred
20 in your communication to secure
such result has been passed in Con
sress with the assent of both politi
cal parties, and by the further fac
that the sentiment is generally pre-
valent among the patriotic people
calling for a fair and honest enforce
ment of the law which has been thus
enacted.
Iregard myself as pledged to thi:
because my conception of the true
Democratic faith and public duty re
quires that this and all other statutes
should be in good faith and without
evasion, enforced, and, because il
many utteranecs made prior to m,
election as President, approved b,
the party to which belong and which
! have no disposition to disclaim,
have in effect promised the peopl,
that this should be done.
lam not unmindful of the fact t,
which you refer, that many of on
citizens fear that the recent part
change III the national executive ma
demonstrate that the abuses whici
have grown up in the civil service ar
ineradicable. I know that they ar
deeply rooted. and that the spoil
system has been supposed to be in
timately related to success in til
maintenance Of party organization
and / am not sure that all of thos
who profess to be friends of this re
form will stand firmly among its ad
yocates when they find it Obstructin