James Garfield was a reform-minded Republican who fought against the spoils system, which was a practice of awarding government jobs to political supporters, regardless of their qualifications or merit. Garfield believed that appointments to government positions should be based on merit and the ability to perform the job well. He worked to overhaul the civil service system and create a more professional, qualified bureaucracy. He signed the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act into law in 1883, which created a merit-based system of hiring and promoting federal employees. This was a significant step towards ending the spoils system and creating a more efficient and effective government. Unfortunately, Garfield was assassinated in 1881, and it was left to his successors to continue the fight against the spoils system.
