Evening star., 1896-09-30
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM
Permanency in Minor Offices the Theory Of
This Government.
Some Reasons Why There Should Not
De q Return to the Evils OF
the spoils System.


On July 0, 1881, after the nation had bean
brought face to face in the most appalling
manner with the evils Of the "spoils sys-
tem." through the assassination of Presi-
dent Garfield by the spokesman, Guiteau. /
took "a small part in creating a public
opinion in favor OF Its abolition" by send
ing communication on the subject to tho
San Francisco Post. At the conclusion Of
nly philippe against the system I express
ed the hope that there would ''be found
men pure and able and disinterested enough
to attempt and achieve a remedy" 1 had
lived to see my hope well on the road to
fulhllment. when an ominous cloud was
thrown upon its horizon by the Chicago
convention platform and the utterances of
the nominee OF that convention. Permit
huential Journal. to reiterate many Of the
thoughts and opinions then expressed;
thoughts and opinions which have been
confirmed by observation and experience.
What II Meant by Civil Service Re-
BY civil service reform is meant the
continuance. during the good behavior, Of
qualified persons in the minor departments
of the government, where the work is mere
routine, allowing full play for the inde-
pendent election Of heads Of departments
where any question Of administrative abil-
ity comes In. Those servants begin at the
bottom rung Of the ladder. are promoted
for efficiency and attention. and are not
'victors." who look upon the emoluments
Of Office as their ''spoils'
The system advocated Is the very acme
Of a democratic form Of government; a
system OF open competitive examinations
for the intelligence Of the country, where
every citizen Is equal In the eye Of the
law: where there is no groveling for in
f1uence. no fear and no favor. but the
hest man wins. The system has been
adopted. Indeed. In monarchical countries.
and an insidious attempt Is often made to
connect IL with monarchical institutions:
but the fact Is the change was effected
in spite Of the monarchists because the
spoils system replaced in a great measure
the old feudal burdens; and the competi-
tive system met with the most resolute re-
sistahce from the patrician order. con-
scious that 1t was founded on the purest
democracy.
The Immortal Blackstone says in this
connection: Our national debt and taxes
have also, in their natural consequences,
thrown such weight Of power into the
executive scale of government as We can
not think was intended by our patriot an
cestors, who gloriously struggled for the
abolition Of the formidable parts OF the
prerogative. and by an unaccountable want
of foresight established this system in their
stead. The entire collection and manage
ment Of so vast revenue being placed
In the hands OF the crown has given rise
to such a multitude Of new officers. seated
by and removable at the royal pleasure,
that they have extended the influence of
government to every corner of the ma
tion- All of which. put together. give the
executive power SO persuasive an energy
with respect to the persons themselves.
and so prevailing an interest with their
friends ard families will amply make
amends for the loss Of external prerog-
ative."
This system continued down to the close
Of the last century, until a succession of
courageous and public spirited statesmen.
without the support of the court and
against the wishes of parliament, has by
a steady appeal to the common people of
Great Britain, gradually, yet in a mar
velously short space of time. worked a
reform which is nearly all that can be
wished in the civil service Of Great Britain.
Permanency in Minor Offices the
Theory Of Our Government.
1t is generally assumed that 1.-The theory
on which our government was founded
was change and rotation in office" AS a
matter Of fact. the whole number of re-
movals. from all causes. during the first
forty years of the government was but
seventy-four, an average of less than two
for each year. and it was not till 1879. dur
ing the administration of Andrew Jackson
that the 'spoils' system was inaugurated
Besides. nowhf re in the Constitution is this
theory to be found. That document SAYS
The President may, by and with the ad.
vice and consent of the Senate. appoint
ambassadors etc. 1t gives him no power
of removal He Is authorized to fill any
vacancy that may happen" during the
recess Of the Senate, subject to their sub
seQuent approval. but he has no right to
create vacancies by removals for the sake
Of filling them with his friends. Even a
clause In the bill introduced during the
session Cnn0YaCS cyix he
dent a limited and partial power of re-
moval Of the Secretary of State, without
the consent of the Senate met with the
most strenuous opposition from the best
and ablest men in the House. on the ground
that the admission by inference of any
control. however limited. by the executive,
was anti-repubican, and would in time
degenerate into control over the freedom
of opinion and political rights of all per-
sons in the civil service. and make them
slaves and tools OF an unScrupulous poltti-
cal party.
Evils Of the "Spoila System"
The loss through Incompetent office hold
ers; the time misspent In offices or not spent
there at all: the serious demoralizing effect
the spoils system has on almost all the
avenues of progress in the community. and
especially its potency in keeping in abey-
ance or defeating necessary reforms: all
these are so patent and So universally ad-
mitted by persons whose opinions are worth
anything that they need no further notice
than their mention. Besides, the v.ctors
never got the spoils. There were not spoils
enough for one out Of every ten of the dupes
who had been led by some designing dema-
gogue to forfeit time and energy and friends
and the pursuit Of their legitimate calling
to follow the ignis fatuus of office seeking
through political influence. And even the
solitary one often found that he was left to
console himself with the limpid waters Of
the Jordan while the sisters and the cousins
and the aunts, aye, and the servants, for II
had even come to that of the chief of the
department were enjoying the milk and
honey in the promised land.
i shall close this article with a quotation
on power and patronage, which, it has been
alleged, is an Indispensable accompaniment