The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1870-05-26
A Blow at Political Patronage.

Although tr. Jenckes' bin may not
be destined to become law, the deba of
Tuesday, and others like it, will be useful
in inviting public attention to under liable
abuses, and to the constantly inere asiGg
need of aevising some practical measure
Of reform. The two great evils that now
exist-namely, the inca pacity OF officials,
and the corrupt processes whereby so
many of them obtain their plaees-are
directly struck at by Dir. Jenckes bill
The question is, first, whether by IFS pas
sage the bill viii prove eifectual; and sec
ond- whether il would be likely to entail
incidental disadvantages to ncutraliEe Its
benefits. On the presumption that the
bill Is the same as that brought on by
Dir. .ienckes' in a former session, we fan
to perceive any such disadvantages, al
though it must be admitted that the
scheme is Liable to some Of the uncertain
tics that are insepsrable from novel ex-
perlHients IN legislation. Ii the pubic
wished to be well served, they certainly
stand the best chance when their SER
wants are selected by competitive EXAM
inatlon; snd as hardly any method of
filing the public offices could we'll be
worse than that now IN use, change OF
any sort is likely to be for the better.
Mr.. Jenckes' bill provides, in brief,
that some twenty-three thousand civil
Offices shall In future be filed frcm among
persons found best qualified, after open
and competitive examination, and alter
terms Of probation. The selection IS to
rest with three Civil Service Commits
sioners, who are to hold Office five years,
and, of course, to be afforded adequate
clerical assistance. Neither political bias
nor Influential friends are to have weight
in shaping a decision which Is to rest
purely and simply upon the merits OF
the candidate. Honestly applied, such
a system ought TO work admirably.
Without doubt it tends toward exclusive
ness; but the exclusion applies solely TO
ignorance incapacity, or yiciousness. 1t
might, by stretch OF language, be tenn
ed 'aristocratic Indeed this was vo-
clferously urged against the bill when 1t
was discussed before. Yet 1t may be
submitted that In this particular instance
the cry is most likely to be raised by the
uninstructed and corrupt, or 10y men who
profit BY the sutirages of those classes.
4 proposal TO fill all the civil Offices IN
the City Of New York, by competitive
examination, woad raise ii storm OF OPP
position on similar grounds. The motive
and the logic..i yaiue Of such opposition
can be readily estimated. They would
be OF much the same weight ana charac-
ter whether applied 10 New York or TO
the wider field. as proposed at Washing
ton. Mr. Benton said on uesday that
his objections to the bill was that 1t took
the power out Of the hands Of the PEG
pie, and put it into those Of Comihis-
sion. Bat if we grant that the specific
power is nov in the hands of the people
"a proposition open 10 question-Whiie
the result is that we can have the
most incompetent civil service in thrls-
tendon, it is hardly reasonable to cayll
on this ground as against project, the
legitimate object OF which IS to Obtain
civil service equal to the best. Ii It be
ariStocratic to know ones business thor
oughly, and TO attend to 1t with reguiarl-
ty anu dispatch, We fear that II Nr.
Jeackcs' bill becomes law, great
many public servants will be aristocrats :,
bat the pahlic might be willing to submit
to this sentimental grieyance II 1t were
accompanied by the solid advantage ot
efficient and economical service.
1t present it too often happens that
/ INCOMPETENT men are rewarded by office
tJr helping TO ralse other incompetent
men TO higher office. So general and
persistent has become this abuse that,
with the usual tendency OF political evils
to gravitate from bad TO worse, it is rap-
iilv becoming intolerable The people
are in fact heavily amerced TO sustain III
Vulnerable petty Rings, composed Of men
VINO add little to ambition and the habit
Of corrupting, save ignorance and folly
Meanwhile, as pOruIatIon aud wealth
increase, and with them necessarily the
refinement and complication Of govern
mental details, the power Of stupid. UNI
trained, and unscrupuious officials to
work costly mischief is also indefinitely
auaumxnted To meet this state OF
things, some strong and comprehensive
reform has become necessary, and Air.
Jefckes' bill would probably answer the
purpose. Its aims are all we'll defined
and sensible, and in d awing it, the prob
able variance between theory and prac-
tee has been judieiously provided tor.
We, consequently. hope that 1t viii re-
ccife all the attention it mt,its, and that
whether Congress prove ready for Its
passage at this time or not. II viii event
ually become . law.-N l. Times.