Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-12-27


IS no appropriation to continue such board
beyond the termination of its present labors.
| therefore recommend that proper appro-
priatlon be made 10 continue the services of
the present Board for another year and in
view OF the fact that three members of the
Board hold positions in the public service,
which precludes them from receiving extra
compensation under existing lava. that they
lie authorized to receive a far compensation
for extra service rendered by them in the
performance of this duty. U. ). GRANT.
Executive Mansion, Dec. 10. 1871.
SYNOPSIS OF THE REPORT OF TUE CIVIL SERVICE
CoMNIssION-THE RULES SUBMITTED.
WASHINGTON, Dec 10. The Civil Service
Commissioners, after citing the act under
which they were constituted Commission,
enter upon sketch of the policy of the va
rious administrations in the earlier history
of the Government, with regard to appoint
ments to the Civil Service, and briefly note
the various efforts made from time ID time to
correct evils, and then pass to description
of the present condition of the Civil Service,
setting forth in detail the serious and threat
ening evils Of the present practice of treating
the inferior posts of the Administration as
party prizes. and answering various argu-
monts by which it Is sought to be justified.
They say that if by examination for ad
. mission % the OlNl service nothing
were understood but q test of mere literary
proficiency, it might lie reasonably opposed
as unsatisfactory.
/ \ country which declares that where tech
meal skill Is equal, it VIII select the candi-
date for It's service who Il the better educated.
is tie country which directly and practically
encourages intelligence and morality 1t is
true that certain distinguished men in the
public service might not have passed a Ger
tain literary examination Whica IS now re
quircd of young men entering the same
. service but it Is equally true that the older
men could have passed the examination, had
it iu their case been required, and the proof
is the capacity OF which their present dis
t.nction Is the evidence. The Commissioners
. say, in concluding their report We do not,
indeed, suppose that the adoption OF any
rules. however skillullv framed, would aJ
cnec remedy the evils IN the Civil Service.
which are universally acknowledged, ami OK
porloncc Will doubtless show how every
method Of reform may be improved. But
those evils viii certainly nos be remedIcd
without an effort Those who are content
To demand Civil Service reform, but who op-
pose every practical attempt o. promote Il.
must be Suspected OF having little real hostIl-
10y 70 the system which they dccry. For
tunatcly, however, public attention was
and there was never more favorable mo-
ment G. begin the reform. The party issues
0t the last .cW years arc gradually dl-ap-
pe3riu-. The pgrIl0us questions % .unda-
mental policy have been determined. and the
paramount Interests Of the country are now
those ID the Administration Honesty and
efficiency 0t the administration OF the settled
national policy Will now be the chief demand
ot every parity But nowhere can chat pur-
pose be- shown - plainly as in The reformation
.ol the Civil Service, 50 as O. secure integrity,
efficiency, ana economy.
Alter quoting FROM Il recent >peee. 1y
Mr. Gladstone. u show that a similar reform
ha= been made and has succeeded iu England
the Commissioners continue .'' W propose
sls1. that in this country the places in the
/, public service shall De restored 70 those wins
are found I'll b- fitted for them, and IL ans
one is disposed q think that an abuse o
forty wears is q law of the Republican system
little reflection Will show him his error
. Il he believes reform % Be Impossible, b,
merely shows that be is the victim of I'll,
abuse aud ur-et- that IN America every re-
I4ru Is uo--.l. Iha enforcement ct tn,
rg.e- tHat we submit for approval depends. o
course. anon tho pleasure o. tuc President
vet. s.ou.Ithev receive the sanction ~ Con
grlss 10 thc form at av. their eniarecmen
w9llI 5-esue, until repealed, NOS only the
pleasure hat tae Ju,gal the President. Taat
sanction. whether ~ the rule, now submit
tei. ar u any scheme. VIII more surely PRO
ma-e th4- purity and DliclcUev 1T Civil ~crEl cf
which tae country earnestly desires. that
sanction should +. delayed. rae rules aIoIte
.ur Ids action rs the President u.d no. Pm.
BIS successor but, unless wc are wholly
mistaken. the reform would So yinlieatc Il
self q tae good sense Of the country tha
the people themselves would reject amy part1
.ani any candidate that proposed Il rcaps,
.nto tie present practice. Tie improvement
.le t.,.r ~,r,-5.g Is ernf.n.tt.aIIv I'll,