 Garfield 's murder by a deranged office @-@ seeker awakened public awareness of the need for civil service reform legislation . Senator George H. Pendleton , a Democrat from Ohio , launched a reform effort that resulted in the Pendleton Act in January 1883 . This act reversed the " spoils system " where office seekers paid up or gave political service in order to obtain or keep federally appointed positions . Under the act , appointments were awarded on merit and competitive examination . To ensure the reform was implemented , Congress and Arthur established and funded the Civil Service Commission . The Pendleton Act , however , covered only 10 % of federal government workers . For Arthur , previously known for having been a " veteran spoilsman " , civil service reform became his most noteworthy achievement . 
