New-York tribune., 1896-05-09
NEW CIVIL SERVICE RULES.

NEW CIVIL SERVICE RULES.
President Clevelands action in extending the
provisions of the Civil Service law TO cover
nearly 10000 more Government employees marks
the practical roundlng-out Of this great REFORM
movement, so far as the National Government
Is concerned 1t makes subject to examination
the whole classified service between mere labor
ers and officers requiring Senate confirmation,
with the exception Of a few cashiers, private
secretaries and confidential clerks. These num-
Der only 770 In the whole country. How small
this number Is and how complete Is the trans
formation Of the service will be understood
when it ia noted that the number Of places
filed By examination Is now S5,131, ana
when II Is realized that a few years ago
this vast number Of places was the spoil
OF politicians and this army OF workers was
dependent upon the favor OF big and little
bosses, upon turns Of political fortune and will
ingness to make campaign contributions for the
chance to earn a living In accustomed occupa-
tions
Competitive examinations in the Federal SER
vice were first introduced by President Grant
in the departments at Washington In 1873 but
the opposition Of Congressman. who found their
influence thus being undermined, prevented any
lapsed It was, however revived In the New
York Custom House and Postofilce by President
HAYES and continued by Presidents Garfield
and Arthur With the passage of the Civil Ser
vice law of 1888 and the appointment OF the
Civil Service Commission great change came
Political assessments were stopped and year
by year the number OF classified places has Deen
Increased. Arthur had over 1000 persons ur-
der Civil Service rules; in Clevelands first term
there came to be over 21,0O0; Harrison extend
cd the list until 1t included 43,13S on the day
he went out OF office. In his present term MT
Cleveland brought the number in the classified
list up to 55,73G before making the present large
addition to IT, The uncharltabe may object
that this action Is taken near the close OF his
term when there Is a strong prospect OF a Ke-
publican successor with view to keeping his
appointees In office and depriving the Repub-
lIcans OF patronage But We think this Is an
entirely unnecessary assumption In the frst
place Mr. Clevelands action is in line with that
OF other Presidents. who ever since the reform
began In earnest. have taken every convenient
opportunity 10 widen the scope OF the laws ap-
plcation No President has ever used his au-
thorlty TO open to spoilsmen the places once
dragged from their grasp. They have all been
content to be relieved as much as possible from
the placc-hunter's activities Second. the Presi-
dent probably understands. rs do most other men
who look beneath the surface Of public affairs,
that patronage Is weakness rather than strength
TO a political party Ii rarely. II ever wins an
election 1t can be used within the party TO
secure nominations and for building up ma
chimes, but such Uses hurt the party instead OF
helping it. They enable few politicians to con-
troll its action 10 the exclusion or the mass or
the people whose votes alone are what can give
a party success. II all the offices in the country
except those the occupants of which have to DO
with fixing policies were taken from the domain
OF politics both parties would be stronger, would
more perfectly fulfil the purpose of their exist
encc and give the country better government
There would be less incentive for demagogues
and bosses to misuse party machinery. but
there would be lot Of fellows who would take
less interest in elections than now. for they
would not care who fixed the policies OF the
country as long as they could not fill its Offices
While the new extension of the Civil Service
rules wipes out the spoils system In the domestic
departments, there still remains the consular
service to be reformed. The first step In this
direction was taken last September, when pro-
vision was made for examinations before ap-
poinment for about half of the consular places.
But there Is yet no surety OF tenure and no pro-
vision for training and promoting so as TO secure
the most efficient service Here Is field for
the next effort at Washington. And then there
Is room for work In States and cities. The
spoilsmcn. deprived Of the Federal patronage.
are making rally to maintain their system OF
msgovernment by means Of local offices This
State has recently witnessed the desperation OF
their efforts tc keep the Civil Service provision
OF the Constitution from being carried out. The
fight for efficient and honest ofiicc-holders must
yet be made In the cities and States. Much
has been done il the last twenty-five years. but
until every vestige OF the spoils system OF fill
ing public office as reward for political effort
Is swept away from political system thor
oughly honest and really enlightened admins
tration of affairs Is something we scarce can
hope for.