New-York tribune., 1886-07-08
UOLVEs As SHEPHERDS OF REFORM

WOLVES as SHEPHERDS OF REFORM.
The Civil Service Commission, after waiting
until. through various changes, strong Demo-
cratic partsans constitute majority Oh its
membership, has at last given out a set OF ne"
rules and orders to the local examining boards
all over the country, under which appointments
to and promotions in the Civil Service are
hereafter to be made. Iii the character OF this
new commission, entirely the work OF his own
hands, the President has submitted himself 10
the surest test of the sincerity of his loud ana
freouent protestations that he will carry out ii
reform law in all its purity and Just intent lie
has said over and over again that the only I'M
nortant issue before the country was the firm
establishment of this Civil Service law, which
was the first, last and all-prevailing object OF
his Administration.
The essence of this law is moral, not
political. Its supporters have urged IT, not az a
great measure OF wise statecratt put as
scheme of puriication. Looking at 1t IN TINS
true light Mr.. Cleveands opponents nave
been more than generous to him. Ihey nave
dcscnedly neglected to press the question as 10
whether his antecedents, or his career Ill
Buffalo during four .ffths OF his whoie me-
gave any assurance that the world could 10 'k
to him As a great reforIner. Assuming that he
was honest, nobody can deny that the fresl-
dent would have taken most extraordinary
mains to secure for Civil Service Comms-
s;oners those who are to execute the reform
which he adyertses as his controlling purpose,
. set Of men whose devotion to it was beyond
cavil or question. No matter how lar design
ing men mi Eht lead hun astray i'll other things
here. at all events, he would allow no
GINNING TO deceive him. And yet there is not
n sincere man in the country who does not
acknowledge that the presence of EdgeIton and
Oberlv on that commission, two painfully
uotorious Democratic machine workers. whose
whole publc careers have marked them as
spojlsmcn, is n direct impeachment either OF
Mr.. Cleveland's motive or of his intelligence.
II he is honest he must be wOfully stupid.
| The ouesti0n is narrowed down to just those
confines
The Edgerton- Oberly rules, which must be
sanctioned bv the President before they can
he promulgated, are only thin blind TO cover
LEGAL violations of the law. The postmaster or
collector who. backed by them, cannot pack the
service with rank partisans, is dull to the last
degree They open The door to every KIND OF
snoils work. They virtually make the Boards
| of Examiners in every CUSTOMS uisI'icV anu Nv
all most offices masters of the situation. They
reserve the right to allow only a " limited num-
bern of applicants to compete for the olhces.
ond permit the submission of any number OF
eligible names to the appointing officer when
ever he requests it upon the commission
approval Under these regulations the law Is
| simply nulliie1. Fitness. service, all that
commend, the applicant for the place, Will go
for nothing if the appointing officer in league
with Oberly and Edgerton desires to barter
public Offices for partisan services This Is
what Mr. Cley Glands reform has come to.