The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1869-01-14
THE CIVIL SERVICE BILL.
Explained by Congressman
3 Ienckes, of Rhode island,
.dTOf His Civil Service Bill,
sdj 90 Now Pending in @

-
| 4aTOf His Civil Service Bill, I'll
sdj Now lending in fq
div bsd Congress. tret.e
Hon. Thomas A. Jenckes, Of Rhode
Island, aJmember Of Congress from
that State, delivered an address in the
Bost6n Board OF Trade Rooms, Eon
Wednesday afternoon, in explanation
of his Civil Service bill noWspending
before Congress-. The address was
made 10 acceptance of ian invitation
by the American Social SCIENCE Asso-
ciationrand eX-GOvernor Washbnrnr
/ of Massachusetts, one Of the Vice
Presidents, presided, sea
Mr.. Jenckes said that bis measure
was practical one, and one which
would result benefcially to the gov
ernment. Hanything better. could be
devised he would. accept it; but it was
evident that something must be done
very speedily to secure. the safe adj
ministratioR Of the affairs of,the, gov
ernment. The bill, he said If passed
would operate at once upon between
$4,000 and $4,000 persons, and only
the most capable men, would abe re-
tanned or placed in Office. He then
alluded to the frauds committed re-
Gently in distant places by revenue
and custom officers, In answer. to
the statement that if the heads Of de-
partments were hon6s6 the subordi-
Inatesweuld be, he would ans swerrthat,
admitting the men at the, heads of,the
departments to be trustwofthy,.i it is,
nevertheless, an impossibility for
them to keep a sharp lookout upon all
their minor officers. His measure, he
Eadded, would intervene between the
chief and minor officers, and noue Of
the latter would be enabled to, hold
Office unless they were in every way
capable. He would have the whole
matterunder the supervision of the
Vice President, an official who now
has no duties whatever to perform,
land who is the one above all others
Ito haveathe direction of the civil Off
GERS. He would allow every citizen
of the United States to rbecuInea a can
didate for Office, and do away with all
the ofice-giviug power and patronage
fof politicians aud members of Con-
lgress. Commissions for life or for
good behavior he did mt fayorS he
hwould rather have an officer bold his
position during efficiency Of service,
for the people have right, for the
money they. pay. to demand the very
best Of public servants. He would
mot allow superiOrs or. chiefs OF Office
ltO-remove capable subordinates at
their own caprice; but if charges
iwere brought against a man, he
lshOuld have a fair examination before
a board capable Of deciding upon his
qualifications, and if he was found to
be capable he would be retained. ..lits1
/ He drew a comparison between the
honor of the men engaged in the ma
val and army services Ofthet country
and those engaged in civil service,
showing that, while there was unlim-
tied fraud in the latter, he had in
quired almost in vain fol4 "a defalca1
tion on the part of any army or naval
official phe difference, he said, was
duet to the discipline ofthe services first
named and the lack discipline in
/ the civil service. He did not believe
| the race ofhonest men was extinct,and
| he felt thatif the people would take
the matter in andthey could soon
weed out the thieves and.replace them
by honorable men
! Besides competitive examinations
Iof the candidates for office, he would
Ialso have system of probation by
which an admitted candidate could be
removed fhe was found, upon prac-
ticle test, to be unequal Ito the duties
/ of his position. He knew there was
la great unwillingness on the part of
many to make such a great and i'm
portant charge as this bill would bring
about; bat he1hadIobserVed that Sthe
objections came from politicians rath,
i er than from the people and the. tax
/ payers. The people, be added, are
Ibegiuning to look into the matter, and
they will soon demand their right to
the removal .ofunworthy officials and
the appointment of only those oin
every respect qualified for their re-
ispective positions.
After Mr.. Jenckes had finished his
brief remarks, the following resolu-
| ton was unanimously PASSED BY the
meeting: i n ,nzi2ao7d 3o ,sTooR
10 "lResoLved; That the civilrserzioe of
the United States requires to be i'm
mediately and thoroughly reformed,
and that to this end every patriotic
citizen should give his earnest sup
port and influence to secure the pas
I sage by. Congress at its present ses-
sion of the bill introduced by the Hon.
Thomas a Jenckes, providing for
competitive examinations and for pro-
motion in view of merit, and thus
Iputting an end to the pernicious sys-
tenn of rotation in office and of the
bestowment of place as a reward for
party services 80 f
! Alexander H. Rice, formerly mem
Der of Congress from q Massachusetts,,
madea brief address in faYoRofg the
measure of Mr.. Je4ckes as. "a means
to secure reform in the civil depart
ments of the government. q e. ll'7-'