The civil service movement of the 1880's was designed specifically to challenge:

Political corruption

Government jobs were being given out based on favors and deals for votes. Unqualified people were working in government jobs and often the corrupt deals led to more corruption.

The bosses and the system created by the bosses were the source of much of the corruption. City bosses gained votes for a political party in return for government jobs under the party's administration. Government jobs were good paying and were circling in the same groups of people.