Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-05-14
CURTIS AND CLEVELAND.
The Presidents Policy Discussed at the
civil Service Reform Meeting.

me Brehident's foltcy Discussed at the
civil Service Reform Meeting.
The annual meeting of the Civil Service
Reform association in New York called
together a goodly number of gentlemen
who are interested in that cause. George
William Curtis, president of the associa
ton, on calling the meeting to order
spoke briefly concerning the rapid ad.
vancement made in the movement in less
than ten years and the hold it had taken
on public feeling He believed it was the
question upon which the immediate fut
ure of politics stood. The president, Mr..
Curtis said, was most conspicuous IN his
intelligent belief in the principles of civil
service reform, and held to views which
were MOTH history and principles of his
party Mr.. Curtis spoke of the difficult
ties President Cleveland was meeting
with in carrying out his principles on the
important question, and the courage
shown by the executive in UNFOLDING his
own views. Mr.. Cleveland had been put
under political pressure such as was
never seen before. The entire mobile body
OF his party descended upon him for a
clean sweep of civil service.
Another consideration that Mr. Curtis
called attention to was that the president,
like others, bad felt the necessity of party
support. Some party he must have. What
could he do without it "The Civil Ser
vice Reform association" continued the
speaker, sis not IA political association.
Every president has been praised and
blamed during its existence and consider
ed as the executive agent of the people
But as an individual, looking at ii as Il
civil service reformer, | should say that
the course of the president, however
courageous and sincere, must be Il com
promise between his party on the one
hand and the interests of reform on the
other; and the inevitable end Of such a
course is disaster. What can we do
said Mr.. Curtis, 'to help the president in
his maniul struggle ? We want | as
sumo, the co operation of the president
What are we to do to aid Il man struggling
with our principles - Mr.. Curtis then
suggested that, rs a practical measure,
the association could do ALI its power tC
effect the repeal of the four years law
The president would be relieved Of much
pressure from those continually asking
change of office. In another way the as
ISOLATION should support the bill making il
almost a penal OffenSe for senators to so
licit nominations to office The president
had told Mr.. Curtis that a judgment had
been delayed Il year because the president
had refused to name a man the senator
from that State was interested in. Men
will see the day said Mr.. Curtis in con
cluslon, "when non-political offices will be
filled by merit
In the report the executive presented
was given Il review of what had been done
for civil service reform during the year
The treasurers report showed a balance
of 1912 Ii in the treasury The following
officers were chosen for the coming year
President, George William Curtis; vice
presidents, Carl Schurz, Charles ;. Fair
child, Roswell ID. Hitchcock, John Jay
William f. Dodge, Oswald Ottendofer
Horace f. Demng and Orlando b. Potter
Edward Cary, Charles Collins, Georg,
Walton Green, Elial +. Hall, Walter
Howe, A. X. Macdonough, Jacob f. Mil
Ter, George Haven Putnam, Theodore
Roosevelt, William Cary Sanger, Edward
NJ. Shepard, William H. Thompson, Fred
erick w. Whitridge and Silas w. Burt