New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-30
MR. CURTIS AND THE PRESIDENT:

The address OF MIR. George william CuTtls
before the National Civil Service Reform
League is chiefly remarkable for what it does
not contain. This is the annual meeting OF
the League. We are on the eve of the NOM
mating Conventions, and of the Presidential
campaign. President Cleveland, whom the
men Mr. Curtis represents claim to have elected,
is coming before the people for Judgment. BY
the time the next annual meeting of this or
ganization is held he or his Republican oppo-
nent will have been inaugurated. Under these
circumstances, it would be natural to expect
from MIR. Curtis some detailed and frank dis
cussion of the record the new Administration
has made upon this subject.
But Mr. Curtis avoids it with extraordinary
timidity considering how plainly he spoke at
the meeting of last year. He permits himself
only an occasional allusion to it. which is usu-
ally indirect and so far as possible apologize.
He begins with the suggestion that " the course
of American history does not depend upon
Presidents but upon the people" If this is to
make us feel that it is not of much consequence,
after all, what the President does, It must be
said that Mr.. Curtis would hardly put it in that
way if it were question of the probable fdel-
ity to Reform of Mr.. Blaine, for example, as
President. Mr.. Curtis admits that Mr.. Cleve-
land "has done much and has permitted much
that every friend of reform must deplore," but
he hastens to add that the President has
maintained all that had been gained in the ex-
amnations, he has extended the range of the
classified service. and he has revised and
strengthened the rules" This will impress
every one at all familiar with the subject as
surprisingly partisan statement. The exam
nations have been characterized for the first
time under Mr. Cleveland by gross and I'M
punished frauds in great Offices The extern
sion of the range of the classified service has
been of little Importance, and there has been
no extension of the operation of the law to
Offices having less than fifty employees as there
would have been If MIR. Cleveland had been
sincere. The revision Of the rules was GER
tainly not large achievement. The copspic-
uous mention Of it shows how hard it is to find
among the Presidents acts some which are in
accord with his professions on this subject. Yet
this is absolutely all the President of the Civil
Service Reform League can find to say in Mr..
Cleveland's favor after he has been more than
three years in office. We have searched the
address in vain for any other commentator
1t is pitiful showing. and yet one, we vent
ure to predict which willnot stand in the way
of Mr.. Curtis's Jealous support of the President
for reelection.
As we have said, it is what the address does
not contain which makes 1t noteworthy. Mr.
Curtis barely alludes to the Civil Service scam
dals in Maryland, but makes no reference to
the Presidents share in them. He refers with
pride to the exposure by Reform associations Of
abuses in Indiana charitable INSTITUTIONS, but
has nothing to say of the abuses in the Civil
Service there, in Chicago and Philadelphia
He points with pride to the fact that the effort
is making to apply the reform principle to the
selection of school teachers in Buffalo. but ut
tiers not a word about tho scandals OF the New
York Custom House. which have attracted the
attention Of the Senate and have caused The
Evening Post' to say, in bitterness OF spirit,
that probably not /" a single independent voter
in this State, of the thousands who supported
President Cleveland in 1884, any longer at
taches any importance to the utterances OF the
members of the Administration on the subject
of Civil Service reform.n Mr. Curtis finds time
to give vast deal Of ancient history regarding
The Civil Service and the abstract questions at
battle-ground that has been beaten hard by
many feet; but has nothing to say of the de-
moralization Of the postal service by wholesale
removals. further than to remark, vaguely,
that "post-ofices are still treated as party
booty" He urges the adoption OF single
term amendment to the Constitution. and aet-
ually quotes what Mr.. Cleveland said On that
subject four years ago, without giving the least
sign that he is conscious OF any contradiction
between the Presidents position then and his
use since Of the whole power OF his Office to
force his reelection Partisanship could no
further 60.
Mr.. Curtis had 4 difficult task, This Wes.