For  a  time  this  refusal  in  a  large  measure  suppressed  the  re-
form methods.'  That  it  did  not  arrest  the  reform  sentiment,
is  very  clearly  shown  by  the  fact  that  it  was  an  element  which

'  I  say  for  a  time  and  in  large  measure,  because,  though  the  rules  appear  to
have  been  formally  suspended  in  some  departments,  they  have  hardly  any-
where lost  their  influence,  and  various  public  officers  have  since  shown  so
much  respect  lor  the  public  interests— notably  Secretary  Schurz  and  Postmas-


448  CIVIL  SERVICE   IN  GBEAT  BRITAIN-.
exerted  a  greater  influence  in  the  next  Presidential  election
than  it  had  ever  exerted  upon  any  previous  national  canvass.
With  the  members  of  that  Congress  directly,  but  not
solely,  must  rest  tlie  responsibility  of  deserting  and  arresting
a  reform  to  which  they  were  pledged,  and  of  losing;  without
the  least  gain,  a  powerful  hold  upon  the  confidence  of  the  na-
tion. In  noticing  this  lamentable  triumph  of  personal  and
partisan  selfishness  over  statesmanship  and  public  faith,  we
cannot  fail  to  recall  the  fact  that,  at  near  the  same  time  after
the  first  introduction  of  the  merit  system  into  Great  Britain,
Parliament  condemned  it  by  an  adverse  vote,  but  its  members
never  (like  the  members  of  this  Congress  ')  refused  an  appro-
priation requested  by  the  Executive  to  carry  it  on.
