Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-06-07
The Civil Service Commission,

1t General Grant has made some unfortunate
appointments, as most Of his best friends are
obliged to admit, he has also made many re-
markably successful ones. 1t is noticeable, too,
that Offices of great national importance, as to
which we may suppose that the president was
guided by his own judgment, and not by local
and political influences, have generally been
filed by the appointment Of men of high char
acter and acknowledged fitness for the places
they occupy. An excellent instance of this is
the recent appointment of commissioners under
the act of congress requiring the president to
establish rules and regulations to promote the
efficiency and economy of the different depart
ments Of the government. The members of the
commission are nearly all gentlemen of national
reputation, and together make up board
combining in an unusual degree the results
of independent study of the subject to be
dealt with, official experience and sound
business habits. George William Curtis
of New York, and Joseph Medill of the Chicago
Tribune are the theorists of the commission.
They are both journalists well known for their
ability and influence; they have written much
upon the defects and necessities of the civil ser
vice, are strongly convinced that it needs re-
form, and probably have definite ideas as to the
methods to be employed We call them theorists
because they have had, we believe, no practical
experience in official life; but they are not con-
ceited and opinionated doctrinaries; they will be
ready doubtless to give due weight to the
opinions Of their colleagues formed under long
experience of the practical workings of the pres
,,a,
in his own state have been proved by the adop-
ton there, in a great measure through his exer.
tons, of The provisions of their new constitution
establishing minority representation and pro-
hibiting special legislation.
Of the other members of the com mission, Mr..
Alexander G. Cattell, lately member of the
United States senate from New Jersey, has an
honorable record as politician for many years.
and is merchant of high character; of Mr..
Dawson S. Walker we have no special informa-
ton Mr.. Z. B. Elliott is the chief clerk of the
treasury department, and the author of the sys-
TEN Of examination which has been employed
there under Mr.. Boutwell's direction and made
more efficient than those in use in the other de-
partments. Mr.. Joseph II. Blackfan, the sixth
commissioner, is the superintendent of the for
eign mails in the post Office department, and has
had long experience in the public service. 1t
would not be easy to select board of six com
missicners composed in more judicious propor-
tons Of official and different classes of unofficial
persons, and commanding in a higherdegree the
confidence Of the public in their capacity, nteg
rity and special fitness for the duties assigned
them.
We do not believe the civil service is in sc
desperate a condition as some alarmists repre-
sent. One would suppose from reading what
they say that q clean sweep was made of the
force in all the departments at the beginning of
each administration, if not oftener; that the
public business was very imperfectly done and
that it might be done much better at very much
less cost As matter of fact we know of sew
eral clerks, all that we do know indeed, who
were appointed from five to ten years ago. have
gradually risen in grade, and have never, so far
as we know, expressed Or felt any apprehension
OF losing their places through changes of adj
minisiration. We hear from time TO time n,
chief clerks or heads Of bureaus who have hold
their positions for twenty, thirty or more vears
and suppose there are many such in the several
departments, though not so many as there would
have been except for the fact that the ascen
dency of southern men and southern idea
in Washington for many years before the rebel
lion, had filed the offices largely with secre
traitors, whose presence was more dangerou
and corrupting, on account of their treasonabl
tendencies than their official experience wa
valuable to the government and who wen
therefore removed in great numbers. OF tn,
manner in which the public business is don,
any one who has had occasion TO write on off
clsl business to any of the departments ha.
some limited means Of Judging. We think the
universal testimony Of such persons will b.
that they received prompt, courteous and busi
ness like answers. This is small matter com
pared with other duties, but something is 10 b,
inferred from efficiency in this. The reeularit,
and completeness Of the monthly debt state
ment, for another example, show a high de
gree Of excellence in the machinery which