s created a civil service commission, which
instituted competitive examinations to test the merits of candidates for
office in the departments at Washington. President Grant reported that
the new methods "had given persons of superior capacity to the service'"
But Congress, always niggardly in its appropriations for the work of the
commission, after 1875 cut them off altogether, and the rules were
suspended.

Under President Hayes civil service reform made considerable progress in
an irregular way. Secretary Schurz enforced competitive examinations in
the Interior department. They were also applied by Mr. James to the New
York Post-office, and, as the result, one-third more work was done with
less cost. Similar good results followed the enforcement of the "merit
system" in the New York custom-house after 1879. President Hayes also
strongly condemned political assessments upon office-holders, but with
small practical effect.

[1874]

The alarming increase of corruption in political circles generally,
after the war, helped to create popular sentiment for reform. Corrupt
"rings" sprang up in every city. The "whiskey ring," composed of
distillers and government employees, assumed national proportions in
1874, cheating the Government out of a large part of its revenue from
spirits. Liberal appropriations for building a navy were squandered.

During the campaign of 1872, the Democrats charged several prominent
Congressmen with having taken bribes, in 1867-68, to vote for
legislation desired by the Union Pacific Railroad. At the request of the
accused, an examination was had by a House committee. The committee's
report in 1873 recommended the expulsion of Representatives Oakes Ames
and James Brooks. Mr. Ames was accused of selling to Congressmen at
reduced rates, with intent to influence their votes, shares of stock in
the "Credit Mobilier," a corporation for the construction of the Union
Pacific Railroad. Mr. Brooks, who was a government director in the
railroad, was charged with receiving such shares. The House did not
expel the two members, but severely condemned them. Shadows of varying
density fell upon many prominent politicians and darkened their
subsequent careers.

[1883]

The tragic fate of President Garfield, following these and other
revelations of political corruption, brought public sentiment on civil
service reform to a head. A bill prepared by the Civil Service Reform
League, and introduced by Senator