The New York herald., 1868-01-08

Of the States above rsssd o. a 70 the exes. V
shs Sr.sSs or S % suffered suSs
aoubtsd whether the iosses sxpssienced from such
6: e :1 been
Now this same high tribute Of praise Might also t u
ss@ o =. USsS g the regular
their financial transactions with the govsinmsnt ana il
the assunpsion b true hsn me remedy for the evils
ocers who manage the revenues subssantaIIy
the same basis as regards selection education.
navy and this, in few words, Is the system Witch
secures snicenoy and honesty In the CIVIL service os
The report on the civil service Of the United saiss
presented . the Thirty ninth Congress BY tho Hon.
rsucnmsn ana sss las, rsnort or the Conmissoner q
Internal Revenue, discuss fully the leading features
Of the machinery cvil administration whoh has bees
found effective 70 different countries, ttas any furAer
detailed reference the subject here
Al. however. some objection to the enactment Of
from apprehension that tho test OF examination,
condition precsdsnt for appointment 70 and PrOmotos
In office. will greatly interfere with entirely destroy
the power OF political patronage. the lemmississee
would call attention tha fact that the expssncs o(
sncpson In tn. th.. country, as IN the United ssss
the use cf Political patronage Tor tho snrpers
2, ~. as,,SSaa . SSs.a'Fsa oss.
quired 10 fn vacaucies Is substantially placed a
tho disposal OF members Of Parliament belonging 70 The
dominant party. Tne method OF procedure. however,
folio s:-Iho member Of Parliament applies in tho
first instance to the Parliamentary Secretary OF the
the polticsi head Of some department II the ocia n
question Ii wiling and able accede to the members
request he presents the applicant with what Is called
snomnatioa 70 one Of the ofces In his gift Ihs per-
nominsted docs not, however, matter OF course
enter the public service for no interest however pew
srful can confirm appontmen. unless the nominee u
aole to obtain certificate OF fitness from the Comnis-
Of the Civil Service appene BY the trown In
Orisr 70 obtain this certltcate .ae applicant toe
Office is required in the first ancc to executs 40
afdAvit respecting his age, physical capacity. mosel
approved he next subjected TO examination, the
satisfactorily result Of weich followed ny appOnt-
proportion the applicants for office only fah 70
sustain the examination, but even do not press the1P
application for Office 80 lsr a. 10 submit themselves ~
the required test; the result OF which that
Der Of whom member OF Parliament IS able 70
crafty compliment by nomination to otice Is rso-
dersd much greater than It would be the n0mina
ton In the drst instance, made entirely absolute.
But Irrespective Of the merits OF ay particular plan
for reforming the civil SERVICE one thing oughS
clearly to BE- understood. and that is That sLs
present systom OF political patronage Is, for tho pso
luxury That the Comm ssioner may not expose hiln-
self TO he charge OF indalgng in mere geneaitss u
making such statements. ne submits an actual case
pressing The names Of persons and localities.
There established st the inauguration Of the In-
tcrnai Revenue system two collection distrcts (whOh
may bs designated respectively and 81 remarkably
similar respects population wealth AMI the character
any other two districts in the whole country. In
both OF these districts the principal revenue Officers
from 1862 TO 1865 were men OF unusual capacity
and energy, who manifested a PRIDE wsn
interest," In the discharge Of their duties; and
closely did the revenue receipts In the two districts
approximate that those or A differed from those of b
years OF the internal system 70
the extent Of only in aggregate OF tour
millions, the rsce pts from from 1861 70 1855 having
been 4,092, ,648, and from $4,055,33A
In 1866 partial public. but poiticai sentiment In
demanded change In tue revenue office. The mcmbeT
OF Congress from the district acquicsced did aso The
Executive and secretary OF the Treasury while tue
Senate ultimately confirmed . new appointment In
fhA vial uaol lax md he'd
great efforts also made TO effect his removal. Since
tue removal In question was effected the resut Of In
there been but little change either regards
the business transacted or the taxes removed or abated
the other in nearly equal degree and yet the receipts
OF district compared with district fell on during
ssoo oco mOrs sn.n the Inference between tho receipts
Of the two districts for the preceding yeara results
mainly attributable TO the nsxperience q the new on.
In district ana the subordinates which ho
appointed In this case, therefore, we have the data
FOR approximately estimating whatit cost the Treasury.
privilege OF making removal Of efficient
officer for political reasons and substituting in mis- place
. person onlirciy inexperienced.
In default Of any reform In the administration q
the revenue through the passage OF . ovN
% n,ens and promotion q oaicsrs. the commssions1
would suggost the expedtency Of detailing BY act Of
revenue agents assessors collectors or nspectorson-
GERS OF tho regular army and navy, who through ~.
Of .1s active and "a: necessity q
after % unemployed The fidelity, education aaA
sintsgencs OF these officers havs already hesn
tested and In OF any derolictiou OF duty vio-
aon Of trust the rules OF their respective
provide means for prompt inquiry and speedy punish
msnt
Tho Commissioner 10 also Of the opinion shAs
even with continuance or the present system .
citiss Of the country could be consolidated into siass
collection districts and placed under the charge OF 0oo
s9d r. nS 81 the
city Of officers which are now recognized
The expersnce Of every State IN which the exstsnso
or heavy debt and the requirements for large cxpendt-
necesstate the raising Of large 70 tAs
effect that thers Is no department in which u more
essential that nation should be wisely well hou.
esty served In that OF hs Department OF Finances
and that tho relations OF this department are
and capital Of country Ihs. good management on he
part OF the prerequisite TO prosperity the pare
OF the Other reform Of the civil service by which
greater degree OF falthfuness and efficiency secured
in officers whose duties purely administrative, 80
seutial as this may be- will not therefore, Of itself b
be desired for the future but It would seem TO be de-
srable that there should be provided for the depart
ment whole some better form OF machinery for or
ganisng nqurins. directing and sdjudicating thaa 10
In existence.
Secretary Of Treasury and Commissioner Of Internal
Revenue the duties Of their incumbens at tho pesene
time are nscessary TO great degree clerical and me
routine work which daily accumulates upon them
Is sufficient to almost entirely engross thcsr whole time
and attention In fact, with the exception Of the
Special commissioner of the Revenue, whose ofhcs 10
. temporary one, there Is no responsible ofaceR
attached 10 the Treasury Department bat 50
completely occupied with q routine Of daily adminstra-
tive duty to preclude the possibility his institut-
ing and prosecuting any original inquiry whatever In
respcct TO the industry and Developments OF the
country or the isfusnce which the adoption Of any
given line OF policy may exercise upon thcm.
The tendency therefore, OF the country, 30 far ~
the financial department OF the government Ia con-
cerped Is rather drift with the current Of events,
instead OF controlling It.
matters the efficient remedy for this state OF things
will In the opinion OF tho Commissioner, be found
naax. nf ~. 0f th~
Revanue, and In transferring to the same the whole
business OF collecting tho revenue both customs ana
internal subject only to tho general supervision Of ths
Secretary OF tho Treasury.
The Commissioner would further propose that the
board be constituted Of five members: acha,rman who
might be the time Deputy Assistant Secre-
tary OF the Treasury Commissioner OF Internal keve-
nue. Commissioner Of Customs, and two 90 citorss
and sufficient Inducements In respsct 70 salary and
permanence In of1ce. should be offered TO for