New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-01
THE REFORMER'S TURN.

The vacancy created in the State Civil Service
Commission by the death of Willard A. Cobb
should attract the attention of all Civil Service
reformers. as it will undoubtedly attract the
attention of politicians and call forth great
pressure in the direction of zgzags from the
machine. 1t is of the utmost importance to the
merit system in this State that the new member
of the Commission should be a man of sterling
character and ability to resist the specious ap-
peas of spOilsmen, and sure to stand firmly with
Commissioner Burt in opposition to the I'M
firing efforts of the politicians to secure ex-
emptions taking the starch out Of the law and
Constitution. 1t is evident that If the Civil Ser
vice Commissioners do not do this work in be-
half of good government it will not be done for
no reliance can be placed the political func
tioparies of the Government in such matters
Their, point of view Is too much that OF the
practical politician.
1t will not do therefore, to have a Civil Ser
vice Commission ready for accommodations and
concessions. 1t Is necessary to preserve the
balance between high ideals and practical pos
sibilities by having one branch of administra-
ton firmly devoted to ideals. The officers con-
cerned with politics may in the practical man.
agement of affairs have to accept things that
are half good and make the best of things that
are half evil They must have behind them a
body which stands up for the whole good as
against politicians who stand up for the whole
evil Then they may hope to steer an even
course of benefcent craftsmanship. But If
against the pressure of spoilsmen they have the
aid only of body Of weak who are ready
TO so half way toward the wrong at the first
pull on those they are expected to reinforce and
guide, the practical affairs of government are
likely to be conducted pretty largely on the ter
ritory Of the sposmen and not on the ground
of the reformers In the political tug of war
between good and evil it does not do to carry
the idea Of balanced forces to the length of put
ting some spoilsmen at the reformers end Of
the rope for fear the workers of evil will be dis
organized and rendered useless by being pulled
too far. The sport requires that each end should
be manned by its own people, pulling on equal
terms.
The Civil Service Commission is the ground
Of the idealists, from which they operate to keep
the practical politicians in wholesome check and
make them work for the public benefit There
is place for latitude" in it. 1t is, to be spe-
cifc, the one Commission above all others for
which machine recommendation should be an
absolute disqualification. even though the man
named be otherwise unobjectonable. The Civil
Service Commissioner exists TO be a check on
the inevitable tendency of organizations to use
offices for political purposes. 1t is not to be
pected that party politicians will nominate a
man unless they think he will incline to be easy
with them. Their wishes should he entirely dis
regarded, and the Governor should, the
bitter between the opposing moral forces in poll
tics, choose for himself Commissioner whom
he knows to be unbending representative of
the reform idea who will make concessions
to spoilsmen. but will be constantly pulling the
whole State Government little higher and
making the necessary partial victories of good
administration IL this imperfect world all the
time little less partial.