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Show BOGUS CIVIL 6EEVICE BET OEM. Governor Haye' acceptance ia of the lofty, ideal style, and exhibits in every paragraph the rigid fidelity of the Puritan and doctrinaire to his political creed. It will be aocepted by the country as presenting in bold relief the fonr distinguiaing features of the advanced policy of the republican repub-lican party, viz., civil service reform, the regulation ol the common schools by the national government, the immediate im-mediate and absolute rule of the gold dollar as the national standard of value, and the assertion of tho right of the feddral government to interfere in state elections. Involved in theae features is (he question of the further centralization ot absolute power in the federal government, and a continued gradual change from the democratic republican form established by the constitution aud interpreted by the supreme court of the United states to a system in which the congress will exercise powers somewhat analagous to those of the parliament of Great Britain. The first principle to which Gover-. Gover-. nor Hayes calls attention ia that of civil service reform. He lays down the broad doctrine that removals from federal offices upon partisan grounds should not be tolerated; that party claims to positions under the general government should be ignored, and that a public official should be secure in his tenure ot office "ao long as his personal character remained untarnished untar-nished and the performance of his duties satisfactory." If elected president presi-dent the governor promises to adhere to this principle. It is no valid objection to this principle, prin-ciple, perhaps, to point to the fact that the republican party, which in ita national convention of 1S72 declared de-clared in favor of the abolition of the evils of party patronage, has, during the entire period since it assumed the control of the government, rigid'y maintained its partisan ascendancy by the most sweeping exclusion of ita political opponents from all participation partici-pation in the benefits arising from the appointments which it has controlled. President Grant for a time professed to be governed in making certain appointments ap-pointments by a rule which subjected all applicants for positions in the civil service to an examination by a government gov-ernment commission. This rule met with much opposition from republi-' oun mmhflra nf winprwa. and ita nK. servance was completely abandonee by the president at an early period o his second term. But whatever maj have been done in the way of civil aervice reform by the party in powei has not affected democrats in any degree, for the reason that they have been entirely excluded from official position under Grant's administration. There can be but one result from the adoption of this principle as interpreted in-terpreted by Governor Hayes, that is, to give to all the offices within tbe appointmont of the government the life tenure. If the republican candidate candi-date shall be elected in the pending campaign, and should adhere strictly to bis pledge (as General Grant has not done), he would be obliged to retain all capable subordinate offi cers in position during good behavior, thus maintaining the Grant official ring, which of ull things a great many republicans wish to get rid of. Governor Gov-ernor Haye dooi not state any limitation limi-tation to this rule, and why it should not apply to foreign ministers and consuls, to hoads of department bu ' reaus and all other officers who have do responsibility in shaping tho political polit-ical policy of the government as well as postmasters or mere clerks, it is difficult to see, for the principle w the amo. If Kd behavior tenuro for subordinate officials is essential to the purity and efficiency of the government govern-ment why should it not apply to all officers, from the president down? There ia a wrious question to bo considered in relation to the proposed reform. Is it a republican principle which can bo legitimately grafted ' upon our government of limited j powers, tenure of office and direct responBibilily tolhopeoplo? We find ' nothing in the constitution, or in tho 1 history of the convention that adopted it, which would warrant an official (i I life-tenure oven of subordinate officers of the general government. The only life - tenure provided for by the constitution is that of the Bupremo judges of the United States, which was established in order to place them above tho influences of partisan revolutions. There were not wanting men in that convention to ad vocato a life tenure for the offices of president and vice president, but this and all similar projects were defeated de-feated as contrary to the genius and safety of a republican government. govern-ment. An official life-tenure is an aristocratic, not a democratic, feature of government, and it is not in harmony har-mony with our unique system. It would build up a permanent official ring, not dependent upon the will of the people, the members of which could bo wielded effectively by an unscrupulous un-scrupulous administration for its reelection. re-election. The theory of our govern mcnt is not in harmony with the idea of hereditary rulers, statesmen or public officers; but that the will of the people as expressed at the ballot box should be carried out in the government. The proposed system would set up a government govern-ment substantially distinct from the people and out of their reach. There is a certain Bpecies of civil service reform the adoption of which might improve the workings of " the government. The establishment of a rigid, practical examination, based upon the requirements of the aervice, is essentially necessary in every department de-partment to secure the highest grade of talent attainable, and to exclude the mere political strikers. Another reform demanded is the reduction of the official list in every federal department depart-ment to the lowest number of men necessary to carry on the government efficiently and economically. The simplification of the present cumbrous cum-brous systftn of tarifl and internal inter-nal tiiration. and the restoration as far as possible of the rights of local government to the people would be a practical movement toward civil aervice reform. This feature of the republican platform, plat-form, as interpreted by Governor Hayes, is not therefore a reform in the interest of constitutional gov eminent. It is rather an aristocratic innovation, the principal result ol which would be to maintain republicans republi-cans in office, to consolidate the party by a permanent and impregnable official ring, and to place the machin ery of government beyond the control of the citizene and voters. It is antidemocratic anti-democratic and ita adoption we bo-lieve bo-lieve would be more disastrous to tbe public interests than the worst system of partisan removals that has ever prevailed. The party aervice needs to be elevated and a higher standard of public morals established, which will cure many of the evils attaching to the civil service. We may hereafter refer to the other principles advocated by Governor Hayea. |