New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-01-17
HIP jOPD tNU THE CIlII SERI ICE.

AIR. LORD AND THE CIM SERVICE.
In spite Of the protests of the Ncw-lork 'IVil
Service Reform Association and of the NATIONAL
Civil Service Reform League. the majority "l
the Senate Finance Committee has agreed To
rcnori favorablv the nomination of Gcor@" /.
Lord to he civil Service Commissioner THIS
action means that the serious mistake made ny
Governor Morton in sending inns utterly hhHi
nomination to the Senate has been ralh"d ny
the leaders in that body. and that WIN fuil
knowledge Of the blow they are inilictin@ upon
civil Service reform they are ready 10 snare
with the Governor the responsibility for placing
= notorious spokesman in the Civil Service Com
mission Hitherto this nomination has been
treated as n blundcr. but from now on il can
hardly fail TO hc construed rs deliberate Al
front 10 the people. who believe that State offices
should bc filled for the benefit of The public ana
NOT 10 advance the interests Of politicians and
who desire that fitness and not favor should De
the fest in making appointments. When the
inter incongIriy of having Il man Ike MI I-oru
in the Civil Service Commission WIS first point
ol ont the Governor had an opportunity To prove
his independcncc and regard for III" public in
;crcst by correcting his mistake ana wi'hIraN-
ING a bad nomination. He has preferred 10
with full knowlclsc Of his unliinc>S and with
the deliberate intent 10 turn over the S'a''
civil service TO Politicians AID that ne chooses
10 concaie spo.lsmcn rather than win 'h'
goodwill of hgh-mndcd citizens. That Is III
price ne pays for adhcring 10 Il wrong COURSE
which he has been persuaded 10 take.
Their is 10 ground upon which Lords fitness
for civil Service Commissioner can be dri"nd'h
Those who support him do not even attempt
seriously 10 defend il but frankly declare their
intention to usD him for their own ends. They
love him for his uniilncsS. They want him To DC
4 Civil Service Commissioner because ne docs
no, believe in Civil Service Reform. lie has
openly confessed his contempt for II. ana Sen
alter Raincs. his leading supporter before me
committee is said 10 have declared ihAt al ia''
he had got man on the state CIVIL service
Board whose vote would serve 10 nulll1y tha' 81
Commissioner Burt. That means That IN" poll
tcians do not want any repetition 81 me lh'i-
dent of last year. when the superintendent al
Public Works was compelled, much against ms
WILL 10 obey the Constitution and I'll the Offices
under him according 10 Civil Service rules IN
stead Of selecting heDchmcn Of his own. as ne
attemntcd TO draw salaries for doing his bid
ding in notifies Civil Service commission
devoted 70 Civil Service Reform is an unrom-
fort1bl. thing 10 have about under such clrcum-
stances So little capable Of defence has Lord
bcpn that an attempt has been made follow
Inc thn advice of Mr.. Weller. to prove an
alihi. II is slid that the Mr.. Lord against whom
ncoplc really have such wcfoundcG objections
* not this Mr.. Lord but another Mr.. Lord. 1t
is conceded that Mr.. George d. Lord who was
Nn- y fc,
Tweed DAYS and figured in the revelations Of
thc Canal Ring frauds. would not make good
civil Service Commissioners but The public is
invited 10 remember that this is Mr.. George i.
Lord. This the public will gladly do There is
no need Of mixing the two Mr.. LORDS. MI
Georrc p. Lord has all the qualities that his
worst enemies could desire to make him an I'M
proper person for the Commission without ioad
in. him with the sins Of Mr.. George H. Lorh.
For such purpose it is not necessary I" prove
him guilty of high crimes and misd"mrlnorS
He might make Il fairly deccn, manager OF III
insane asylum, or member Of any one OF "a dozen
State boards. without being AT all acceptable
for a place in the Civil Service Commission
For that office man who believes III the merit
system and desires 10 keep subordinate govern
mcnt places ont Of politics Is wanted, ANA no
| acknowledged spokesman can proper! dl>charS'
| its duties For such work the "practlcal poll
tjcian' IS as much ont Of place as one guilty OF
crave wrongdoing. The nnfiincss is less in the
officials personal character than in his DISPOSE
ton not TO do in good faith the work b" Is set
10 do 1t is to be regretted that Governor Nor
ton should have consented by such a nomination
70 travcs,v his own professions Of devotion 10
Civil Service reform as expressed in his mes
sages The appointment of Stewart was shock
10 faith in that keen insight Of character ana
! business saGarity which are though, To- make
The Governors continuance in public lif" so
necessary to the general welfare. The nomina-
lion of Lord is a shock TO faith in his under
standing of the meaning Of Civil Service Reform.
II is much to be regretted that his reluctance 10
correct mistakes which he falls into in the scec-
lion Of otiicch0llers should subject him to mis-
| apprehension nj this time.