The national Republican., 1869-01-09
The civil Service BiII.


We invite acareful perusal OF the following
communication
To The EDITOR ov THE REPUBLICAN,; Per.
NIT me to say that I heartily approve your
article In the REPUBLICAN OF this morning on
aeivii service bill" have been quite generally
and fully set forth BY the public journals Of
the country, but yours, believe, 10 the only
proposed anything like an examination or 10.
quiry as TO Its demerits. ] hold that this 10
emphaticslly measure with regard 70 which
our Legislators should "make haste slowly"
There are q good many pros and cons to be con-
sidered and debated. Let both sides of the
question be fully examined, and then, II II ap.
best to be had, let Il be passed into a law,
There certainly is need Of reform 10 the civil
service as, perhaps, also, In the military ser.
form lei us not $50 Il blind, on reform. As TO
this measure OF Mr.. Jenckes, 1t was proposed
some time since, 1t 10 true, but nothing like
full and fair exsminsuop I OF II hm yer osen
at Boston the other day, Mr.. Jenekes said
that ait proposes to place commission OF
competent men M "a, a. the aGo1s RS, 20 eSn%ihe ne in,o
of these minor places. Men are to be selected
&C cording to their fitness for the post they are
%,.sSohpssrs M ,SSps may be appointed, and The humber
| OF these is to be "determined by experience
So said Mr.. Jenckes.
Now, to speak only of the clerical force Of
the country, let US remark that as there are SO
| many different kinds OF business transacted by
| the Government, experience would probably
OF sub.commissioners. How large that mum.
| Der must be can only be known after Sufficient
| experimenting. How long an experience will
| be necessary In order to ascertain what num-
ber will he required, 1t is hard to tell. On the
| subject of examination, II 10 well said by you
that " II follows not that the successful stu
most practical disposers Of the public busi.
ness" This 10 every word true and II seems
to me that 10 order to make an Intelligent ex'
animation 81 esnaidate me sun,eommssion, iiis q
business or work to be performed by the per
son on examination, Otherwise they will have
to rely on others for Information and knowi.
other, in fact, a fair and intelligent examina a.
tion will probably be quite as much out Of the
question as now; Allowing that only those
| would be competent to remain, does II not fol.
/ low that the number OF the sub-commIHs sloneTs
be TsEs TEEse hs s srys tsS G b SeSs
ment alone. How many examiners would be
required for Its varied duties
venture to refer any a1xloI. 1,st ioquire,r,
the able and experienced chief clerk of the War
Oiice, with a view to ascertaining his opinion
on this point; For one would Be perfectly
mittee for the War Once. II additional mem
| bers were needed, l would not object to their
appointment, bu, would prefer to have him
| him reliable and better qualified for the posi-
tion than any other man could possibly be.
Complaint Is made, and rightly so, OF the undue
influence often exercised by Congressmen and
/ others in matters Of appointment to Office.
Il Does anyone, however, suppose that this evil
\ viii come to end with the passage OF the
| Jenckes billl Would any one be so kind as to
Il guarantee to us the appointment OF commits
sioners and sub-commissioners who shall be
beyond the reach OF bribery and corruption
After the passage of this bill, will not Senators
and Representatives then-the same as now
have their relatives and friends and favorites
| whom they will wish to have In offlce' And
| will they not, In macy cases at least, exercise
quite as strong and unjust an influence over
| commissioners and observation-disclosures then as
| they do over heads OF departments nowl
think they will. In my opinion, the proposed
bill will not remedy the evil; II will only put
1t In another shape. hope, at least, that the
| measure will be much further discussed and
better understood before 1t becomes law.
| INQUIRER.