Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-12-13
Civil Service Reform.

| The national civil service reform league
in convention at Chicago, is listening to
interesting papers upon subjects germane
to the occasion and giving approval to
! sentiments that cannot be spread abroad
| too widely or too thoroughly But some Of
these reformers talk their ideas of re-
| form in season and out of season. There
are those among them who would have
the people of this country understand that
| the Democratic humiliation in Novem-
| Der was due wholly or practically so, to
the fact, that civil service reform expect
| ing bread had received a stone from the
national administration. As well might
they aver that summer comes because the
swallows do. 1t seems to be the unfor-
| tunatc mission of many extremists to
search out some of the smaller and tribu-
tary springs of the flood and exclaim !" Lo +!
here is the source" and to reiterate their
declaration until people are become so
weary that they underestimate these little
tributary sources and even overlook them
altogether. The defeat, the overwhelming
condemnation of the inefficient, I'M
American, autOcratic and menacing adj
ministration of national affairs was not
the result of the fact that the President
who had posed as an ap ostle of this re-
form, had in performance shown himself
grossly negligent of even the require
ments of the law; it was not because the
greed of spoils had never been more ram
part than when the Democratic party
came into full power for the fl st time in
81 years. These facts were not the cause
of the defeat, and that person at Chicago,
or elsewhere, who essays to attribute the
defeat to such cause is not proving
himself a friend to the principles which
are supposed to actuate the league. The
part which the principles of civil service
reform played in the election was com
paratively small, but it nevertheless ex-
listed and credit should be given where
credit is due. Presid mt Cleveland's SER
disguised many and the activity along
the lines of civil service reform that he
has manifested since the election will not
win back the. respect of many who before
had worshipped at his shrine, for the chief
reason that they supposed their idol was
a friend to their cause. But Cleveland's
t,ef et,, hat hn tod TO
denim and evidently encouraged such
breaches and unbusinesslike perform
ances as Carisle's nepotism and Quincy's
looting of consulships. This latter de-
bauchcry of the public service touched
that sensitive spot, the business interests
of the country, and there are already evil
dencos that the result will be one little
anticipated by Mr.. Quincy The influence
which civil service reform cxerted in the
November elections was principally Wis
ible, however, in its application to NUM-
cipalities. What happened in New York
city and state, affords illustration Of this
The condition of affairs in New York
city hdd reached tne pOlnO Wnen removal
ton was absolutely necessary. If politics
was business venture there must at least
be as much pride in it as respectable mer
chants take in their reputation for hon
csty. This commonplace and not very
elevated ideal at least appealed to the
large majority, could be understood and
acted upon by them, and its success need
not preclude the adoption of higher ideals
in due time. The conscientious civil scr
vice reformcr has good reason to look with
pride upon the fruits of November 6,
right that will be accorded him unless
he should arrogate the whole to himself
The people want and are determined to
have efficient and patriotic administration
of affairs and civil service reform that
helps to this end will not be cas- t aside.
PRESS COMMENTS.