The commission, which was charged last spring with working out practical propositions for a reform of the Civil Service (and to which Mayor Medill belongs) has submitted to the President the results of its labor in the form of a set of thirteen rules. The President immediately adopted the Committee's proposals and has sent them to Congress so that they shall be put into the form of a law which will be binding also for future Presidents.... The former United States Attorney-General Akerman, has given his opinion that the free choice of officials by the President may not be restricted as it would be contrary to the Constitution.

However, one may suppose that, like the present President, also his successors, will voluntarily adopt the rules, because through them they are freed from a heavy burden. No President can possibly find it a pleasure to be beseeched by tens of thousands of hungry office-seekers for thousands of offices, and, after finally having made his choice without personally knowing the qualifications of the candidate, to then be held responsible for all their sins and stupidities. It will be a positive deliverance for the President, when the number of aspirants for subordinate administrative office is restricted to these examined candidates for each.

A reform like this is all that men like George M. Curtis, Joseph Medill, E. B. Elliott.....think at the present time possible. These men have just as much good will and clear insight as Carl Schurz, and probably considerably more common sense. If they believe that, given the prevailing social conditions and beliefs, a further approximation of European officialdom (than that contained in their proposals) is not possible, then we are not brazen enough to imagine we could shake their conviction by rhetorical flourishes and high sounding declamations. George M. Curtis, in particular, is a man of fully as high, or rather of higher mental endowment and considerably more extensive knowledge than Carl Schurz. If we have to choose between well-thought-out propositions by Mr. Curtis and declamations proving little but the irritated state of his nerves, by Mr. Schurz, we certainly will prefer the former.

For the rest, it is true of this reform as of all others, that the proof of the pie is in the eating. If the proposed system shows good results, then public opinion - and that of course is the main concern - will put an end to the custom of giving offices as reward for political service. Without such support of public opinion it cannot be effected....