The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-05-10
Why Should Tie Extend Them?
he Ptfsburob Djspafch has these curious


remarks about civil service reform:
"As 1T /. now, there are more Government positions
included In the spoiis of party than before the reform
was inaugurated. although the proportion is happily
diminished by about 2.,s psr cent Of tho total.
I'VE have not yet observed any strenuous anxiety OF
Mr.. CLkvKiASD's second Cabinet to extend the classified
lists. But IL the President is to make good his reform
pledges, hia Administration before its close ought TO
bring the majority Of the Government positions under
the operation of the law
1t is true that the number Of Government
| Offices has been increasing most unreason-
| ably in the last ten years. but. on the other
hand, so has the number OF offices made
| subject to the civil service rules. Why does
it devolvo upon Mr.. CLEVELAND to increase
the number OF the classified officers He is
bound by the Chicago platform to a policy
OF civil service reform. but what Is meant
by civil service reform Here we must not
consult the personal opinions Of Mr.. CLEvE-
LAND or anybody else. but the platform:
Public office is a pubic trust. We reanirm tho
declaration of the Democratic National Convention OF
1876 for the reform of the civil service. and We call for
tho honest enforcement of the laws regulating the
same. The nomination "f a President. as in the recent
Republican Convention. by delegations composed
largely Of his appointee.. holding office at his pleasure.
is n scnndalous satire upon free popular institutions.
AMI a startling illustration Of the methods by which a
President may crafty his ambition. We denounce a
policy under which Federal oficeholders usurp control
OF party Conventions in the states. and VIC pledge tho
Democratic party to the reform OF these and ali other
abuses which threaten individual liberty and local
self-government.'
This resolution pledges the Democratic
party to the enforcement of the civil
service laws. but it contains no word OF ap-
proval for those laws and no expression Of
n desire for their extension. 1t also warns
off Democratic Federal oficeholders from
trying to boss national or local party con-
ventions. Tho declaration of 1876. reafiirmed
in 1892. is as follows:
reform is necessary in the civil service. ExpeIi.
ence proves that efficient, economical conduct OF the
Governmental business is not possible If its civil ser.
vice be subject to change at every election. be a prize
to be fought for At the ballot box. be a brief reward Of
party zeal. instead OF posts of honor assigned ;or proved
competency. and held for fidelity in the public employ:
that the dispensing or patronage should neither be n
tax upon the time of all our public men. nor the instru.
ment OF their ambition"
To purify the public service by turning
out rascals of whatever party. and by intro
ducing efficient and economical administra-
ton was Mr.. TILDEN's political task. To a
public familiar with the long, scandalous
corruption and maladministration Of the
GRANT epoch. the question of the tenure of
the minor offices was OF small account.
From the good nature. the weakness. or the
foolishness Of their adversaries. tho civil
service reformers have since managed to
commit the appointment Of nearly one
fourth Of the civil servants of the Govern
ment to a strolling company OF examiners;
and the proved competency which the
Democrats Of 1876 asked for. is aScertained
in no sober and businesslike way, but by
the methods in which a child's. proficiency
in A b G is determined. The Demo-
Gratis Of 1876 could not foresee that a
set OF supervisors OF examination papers
would virtually wrest from the legiti-
mate appointing authority the power OF
to 1890 Offices. or that a DEM
ocratic President would be urged to abate
still more his W p~rerogatives. The Demo-
Gratis OF 1876 could ave had no such notion
In their minds; the Democrats OF 1892 could
put any new meaning into the civil SER
vice declaration Of 1876. Neither before nor
after the passage OF the PENDLETON Civil
act. have the Democrats given any
Of approval of the Chinese practice.
nor any wish for its extension. Between
approving the selection of competent and
civil servants. and approving the
OF them by means OF Irrelevant
examinations held by sporadic boards. is n
as wide as between PADEREwsKI
and the God OF Cavity.