New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-09-12
FOR THE sPoILs SYSTEM.
EMPHATIC ACTION OF TAMMANY HALL.

DbNODNtiEN EAhmiNlEG BOAtDS-SPEfCHE
OF W. b. COCHRAN AND OTHERS.
There was a full attendance at the meetin.
of the Hall General Committee last evening
Ex-Judge A. B. Tappan taking the chair congratu
lated the members having safely passed through the
hot and on coming up Ia good
shape for the business before them.
resolution from the Committee on Organization
that each Assembly District committee be authorized
TO add to its numbers ten members but that no district
DO entitled to votes than it now in the General
Committee, was adopted. Secretary Thomas f. Groy
read the call for the primary elections recently adopsd
by the Committee Organization, and inspectors wers
named by the charmen OF the several districts The
call was adopted W. Bourke Cochran offered the fsl-
lowing resolutions which received with great APP
plause:
whereas Popular control of the public service is an
essential element Of republican form Of government
and
Whereas. Recent legislation has tended to diminish
and the authority of officers chosen by the poo
pie to appoint promote and remove their own subord
Whereas, The Democratic party during the late Pres
identa election pledged itself 10 effect thorough and
complete reform Of the public service, therefore be it
Rcsolred, That the Tammany Hall Democracy de-
mands OF the state and Federal authorities the complete
to the people OF the State and Nation Efficient
capable and an honest public service;
administrative measures which may tend 10 create
dencunce ali attempts to grant life tenure OF office
any body OF public as the Gst step the
suDycrsOn or LnO3e uoctrlucs VI cquduty nave
Resolred, That appointments to Office should be mads
the untrammelled and undivided responsibility OF
public officers chosen by the people for that purpose aud
answerabe to their constituents for the manner In which
they have discharged their trusts
RssoIyed That the creation of irresponsible boards or
COMMISSIONS vested with the authority to control In
Sv elective officers is an abridgment Of the privileges
conferred the chosen servants OF the people and We
condemn unwarrantabe invasion OF popular
rights and undemocratie and ndefensble restriction
OF the vigor and effect OF the suffrage
Mr. Cochran said that he believed in an honest civil
service REFORM and the question they must face in
what consists the reform in harmony with the insttu-
tons of this country He objected to visionary idea
of Civil Service reform. He demanded reform that
was Democratic in spirit and was opposed TO examining
Yards He objected to them because they were incon-
sstent with the spirit Of the Constitution, radically
wrong In theory and must inevitably become absurd in
practice The only way I'm which fair
administrative reform could be made by healthy
public spirit acting ON officers chosen by the people.
Applause The Civil Service reform that had been ia.
trodnced was an English institution which had passed
the CostOm House without paying duty When IN $50
the English system Of competitive examinations IN
troduced by the crown it was concession to the peo-
pe I'm this country where all power was IN the pe0-
mania would engraft decidedly Saxon complexion
the affairs OF this country:
suffrage has placed the hands OF the people every branch
of the Government and where there IS such complete
II IL restriction Of the suffrage and ought TO be
demned. (Applausel. II this English system Is night
up to the President himself should not submit TO sim
liar examination" Applause
simply private business institution, and could not DO
conducted like a private business. When President
speaker had IN vain appealed TO him not 10 sign theste
Civil Service law. urging the same arguments that
be used now. The subject had never been inelligenty
discussed and when IL was he believed that the English
system would be rejected BY the people lGreat ap-
plause.l
and said general OF the resolutions met
The with
Civil reform was hat IL tended 10 check pubic
spirit Instead Of increasing opportunity ana Induce
nenr for citizens to take an interest IN the Governments
laws diminished the interest OF the people In the
administration OF affairs M But they were, We're IN
administer them, and Democrats bound TO
uphold their hands In enforcing them He mad doubt as
the wisdom OF passing resolutions nke tnese WITHOUT
more careful consideration. He moved 10 refer them 10
a committee OF I've. [Shouts OF" Nor" OFT
General Francis b. spiuoa opposed referring the
resolutions From here TO the Battery he exclaimed,
YOU can't find ten Democrats who believe IN ClYi
service reform (Applausel IL IS nothing but cum
ming Yankee trick to keep Republicans In ONCE
The motion 70 refer was withdrawn, and when those
in favor OF the resolutions were asked 70 rise every
member Of the committee stood up, anld great ehthus
General Roger A. Pryor being called upon for speech
exprcssed cordial approval oftheresoutions adopted
declare nv adhesion" he said, "to the honorable
formula To the yictors belong the spois Great APP
plnnse II Democracy had believed In 1851 that 10
the yictors do not belong the spos what would have
been the result The Democrats are I'm favor
ont Repsblicans and puts in Democrats. lApplausel
II has been said that this action viii drive out the Re
publcaus supported our ticket at the late election.
II so let them 20. Applause. There arc enough DEM
ocrats in the state 10 elect Democratic officers. waus
no Republican in the Democratic party as a Re-
tanIng power after an agonlzing struggle
Of twenty four years a Democratic President dictated
TO and dominated bv iuhnitesimal fraction Of the Re-
pubucan party" General Pryor concluded by expires
Sing his preference for Governor I'm the candidate
fnr Govarnor With vote OF thanks 10 the speakers
the General Committee adjourned