Year: 1872




permit Wherever there is room for Improvement,
there improvement should be introduced; and we
should not shrink from the work because OF fears
that we shall not-devise better plan.


One of the evils OF the present system of making
appointments is its robbery from officers of the ex
eeutlve and legislative branches of the Government
of large portion of their time, which could be
more prodtably applied to the discharge OF other
and more important duties. At the incoming OF an
administration every Cabinet officer, together with
the President, is literally overwhelmed with appli-
cations for office. AT the very moment when he
ought to be entirely to examine carefully and
critically the operations of his position, when ne
would naturally desire 10 understand the nature OF
the different subordinate positions TO be 1iled, and
the characteristics and capicity requisite to the
proper discharge of the duties pertaining 10 the
various offices, his whole time must be gwen no to
interviews with applicants, TO the examination OF
papers, and The ullIDg OF Offices about which he
knows little, while he knows less about the persons
whom he is expected TO appoint. lie is obliged TO
commence at the wrong end OF his work. lie must
employ his men before ne knows the kind of work
to be done and 1t must needs be that mistakes are
mace, ana ne nnuS after awhile that some OF his ap-
pontees totally unfit for the work to which he
has assigned them He has toiled night and dav
he has worked like slave, but when be gets back
to the other end of his work, ana learns what he
ought to have learned at first he finds that much of
what he has done must be done over again, or else
the puDlc service suffers. 1t has areauy suffered
from his own loss OF time, and now it sll further
suffers By still further abstraction oi time from
his legitimate duties.


At an early period of our history, when there





the burden was comparatively light, and little time
was consumed; but now, when the appointments
number scores of thousands, there ought to be
some method devised by which the designation of
appointees may not involve large portion of the
time OF the President and heads OF Departments:
and, by custom which has grown out OF the neces-
sles OF the system, large portion OF the time OF
members OF Congress Is consumed IN the same way.
Al the beginning OF an Administration member has
Tune Tor scarcely anything else, and from that time
on not week passes, scarcely day, that some
G y1f.t af.adI
attempt TO get position for constituent. | DO
not complain oil the work, and 50 long us the sys-
TEN lasts VIII strive earnestly Tor my share anu
90 al can Tor those who apply to me; but every
candld man must admit that 1t the time thus spent
were applied to the study OF public questions IN
VOWED iii the legislation of Congress, the pnhnc
service would be largely the gamer. II may be said
mat there Is time enought Tor ali, ana TINS Is only
the plea OF Idleness; but have oniy TO say thai
after working sixteen hours day, | am NOT in tue
mood TO work much longer TO make uD Tor tjn.
ments.


Win the proposed change in the manner Of max
ing appointments remove wholly. or in part this
immense Durden? II it viii. then here is an argll-
ment lor It's adoption, or at least giving to IN.
PRESIDENT every Facility TO make the experimental
Change proposed BY the civil service commission


Another evil which attaches to cur present civil
service system is that 1t leaves open door Tor cor
raption TO enter. DO not say that corruption act
u~y Goes enter, except III Isolated cases, but the
opportunity Il aHOraed, ana because the system is
iidoe TO aouse It .s assumed that the abuse eiss
Not ipug since l saw this statement in reputable
aid Influential journal OF extensive circulation:


" ne people are lred " having appointments
bought anG SOLD, and they must be irickeu out
ot tIe.r 1vlsn by politicians in Congress-


The sentence conveys unjust aspersi0n but it
also rejects to large extent, the popular belief;
and ssch an opinion, gaining credence IRON an oc-
G~sonai instance O corruption, j IN the highest
degree defaor1li2ing 50 long as the means q. evil
exist there are those who viii believe that the means
are pSett. Would remove every Chance Iof s,.S-
pleioE. We assured that ''patrenac. viii not
give up its privilege oil appointing gnlrace mise
y assuming tnat only ignorance anu consequent in
eIhclency IS appointed. he men who manage the
service are better than the system through s. aIch
thsy act, and hence while tie IaCts do not ustifv
Inc assumption, the system rendering such a condi-
u0u OF Things possible, il is assumed that what
might be, actually is. II would be better TO adopt
arise.


4 prominent western journal recently said:


he civil service reformers, after six years of
agitation have gathered considerable strength and
nave mace an armed reconnaissance. The move
infnt mas developed an enemy, intrenched and ia
COZ siderable force, in both Houses OF Congress- in
the Departments, and among prolessed politician.
nat enemy i not found in any one man, or set of
men, so much as IN the desire to buy and sell Office
Ter political services. Whoever becomes tainted
with this itching to make merchandise OF the pub
nc oIhces- whether a. vendor or purchaser may be
counted on lnStinCtivey Zoe TO civil service r..
form Every man who wants to get an Office for
winch he Is unwilling to contend ON the ground OF
ilness, but demands as pay Tor political services


all every man WHO UcSr6S 10 give the Office him
"ilnout hlnUrance, a. a means vi compensating for
political services, arc alike against civil service re-
form"


here we find the bold assertion that .sofIicea ar
bought and sold Tor political services" that men
inthe merchandise OF the public Offices" These
charges, ami al o. Ike character grow out OF the
posslolhues OF the system. II is possible Tor crm-
nal practices 10 exist hence they do exist. Hence
every man who becomes an officer, with a share OF
the patronage IN his control, stakes his reputation
ana, though as pure as an iccle is liable to become
At "A Grl f,,.al,
srucuon Is sucn as TO render him an object of sus
plcion. And herein exist the necessity and stern
reason Tor change. Not, as is so loosely assumed
ihat lneulclency ana dishonesty readily find place
but because the system tends to give every man
connected with II a general reputation for dishon-
esty and corruption. 1t may be reasonably do,.ot-
ed that system of competitive examination, or of
election by the people, will put greater efficiency or
honesty into the public service than we have now
but either will protect the officers OF the Govern


ent against The unjust suspicious and foul aSper-
sions OF which they the victims; and not
only the public service but the community at
large will be benefited by the change.


Another evil OF our present system is that il par
ayses the strength, and is often fatal to the officer
VINO makes or recommends appointments
II Is nonsense to speak of the power OF the pat
ronage." 1t weakens every man that touches ii
1t is power only in the hands OF his enemies and
enemies the distributor OF the patronage is sure to
nave tie cannot procure the appointment OF a
FRIEND no matter how suitable for the place with
out alternating more than one and the aggregate of
opposition to him is swelled by every appointment
he makes. No one who was here three wears ago
Will ever forget the that were enac ed daily
around this hall, at the Presidents House. and ut
the several department offices. The hotels were
crowded with those who sought the opportunity 10
serve their country. They Jostled each other on
the VIDE thoroughIares of the capital they swarm
ed like bees about every officer whose favor they
wished, or whose Influence" they sought Day
ana night Tor weeks they strove together for each
instinct PRIZE. For every office worth the seeking
there were at least a score of applicants and OF
course most OF them drew blanks IN this lottery
ana tnen SICK and sad at heart, bankrupt in purse
and self-respect, they departed and shook off the
aust Oh their feet against the Administration The
Senate began TO hold executive sessions to confirm
the NOMINATIONS and a swearing train departed
from the city every evening. Many of those men
nave nursed their wrath TO this day, and will carry
IL INTO the cincinnati convention Hostilities were
begun III the first month of the Administration, and
the patronage was the cause of the war.


ne appointments make enemies for the appoint
ing power, and those appointed, though worthy
and well disposed, can do but little to counteract
the evils Ii they attempt to act the very fact of
Delng oncenolders, to a large extent disSipates
their influence. 1t is undoubtedly true that an Ad
mlnistratlon depending for strength upon its own
appolntees has built on the sand. An Administra-
ton, or party, or officer, is strong only when
rooted and grounded in the confidence of the peo-
pie Ihe occupants of the offices not and
not De shield when the storms beat and the floods
come. johnson relied upon them and sank out of
slgnt the people are with Grant, and the billows
Will not pass over him.


The patronage is especially injurious to men,
ners OF Congress. That they have no patronage is
the one thlng that reconsiles our friends on the
otner side OF this Chamber to their position. Hav-
ing no patronage, they returned here term
after term, and acquire experience, power,
and influence. AT the opening Of the
Eorty-second Congress nearly one half of
~