Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1872-01-03
THE CHRONICLE.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
The Prsident's Message With the Re-
pert Of the Civil Service Board.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10.

gress approved March Sd, 1871, con-
; Vened a commission of eminent gen.
: tlemen to devise rules and regulations
] for the purpose of reforming the
civil service. Their labors are now
complete, and / transmit herewith
their report, together with the rules
which they recommend for my ae-
ton. These rules have been adopted,
and will go into effect on the 1st day
of January, 1872. Under the law re-
ferred to, as interpret it, the authori-
ty is already invested in the Execu-
tive to enforce, these regulations, with
full power to abridge, alter, or amend
them at his option, when changes
be deemed advisable. These views,
together with the report of the Com
missioners, are submitted for your
careful consideration as to whether
further legislation may be necessary
in order to carry out an effective and
beneficial civil service reform. If left
to me, without further Congressional
action, the rules prescribed by the
| Commission, under the authority
already mentioned, will be faithfully
executed, but they are not binding,
without further legislation, on my
/ successor. Being desirous of bring
ing this subject to the attention of
Congress before the approaching re-
cess, I have not time TO sufficiently
examine the accompanying report to
enable me to suggest definite legisla-
\ tive action toinsure the support which
may be necessary in order to give a
( thorough trial to policy long needed.
/ ask for all the strength which
! Congress can give me TO enable me TO
carry out the reforms in the civil SER
vice recommended by the Commits
sioners, and adopted to take effect, as
| before stated, on the lst of January,
1872. The law which provides for the
convening of a commission to devise
! rules and regulations for reforming the
civil service authorizes, think, the
permanent organization of primary
board. under whose general directions
all examinations of ofapplicantsf for pub
lie office shall be conducted. There is
no appropriation to continue such
board beyond the termination of its
present labors. I therefore recon-
mend that the proper appropriation
be made to continue the services OF the
present board for another year, and in
view of the fact that three members
of the board hold position in the pub
lie service, which precludes them
from receiving extra compensation
under the existing laws, that they be
authorize d to receive a fair compensa-
ton for extra service rendered by
them in the performance of this duty.
[Signedl .. S. GRANT.
Erecutiue Mansion, Dec. 10, 1871.
The Civil Service Commissioners,
after citing the act under which they |
were constituted commission, enter |
upon g sketch of the policy of the vari- !
Gus administrations in the early his |
tory of the Government with regard 1
to appointment to the civil service, and |
briefly note the various efforts made |
from time to time to correct evils, and I
then pass to q description OF the pres
ent condition of the civil service which /
has hitherto been sustained by COM
mon consent, setting forth in detail
the serious and threatening evils of
the present practice of treating the I
inferior posts of the administration as
party prizes, and answering vRrious
arguments by which it is sought to be
Justified. They say that if by ex-
animation for admission to the civil
service nothing were understood but
a teste of mere literary proficiency, it
might be reasonably opposed as unsat-
isfactory, for it is unquestiOnable that
a man might be an excellent appraiser
of linen, and yet know nothing of
history or accounts; but, on the other
hand, it is equally undeniable that an
excellent appraiser of linen is not the
less excellent because of general INTEL
ligence. OF two excellent accountants
the one who has the most general
knowledge is certainly preferable. and
a country which declares that where
technical skill is equal, it will select
the candidate for service who is the
better educated, is a country which
directly and practically encourages
and morality. 1t is true
that certain distinguished men in the
public service might not have passed
q certain literary examination. which
is now required of young men enter
ing the same service, but 1t Is equally
true that the older men could have
passed the examination had il in their
case been required, and the proof is
their capacity, of which their present
distinction is the evidence.
The Commissioners say. in conclu-
ding their report: I'VE do not in
deed suppose that the adoption of any
rules, however skillfully framed, will Z,
at once remedy the evils in the civil
service which are universally ac-
and experience will
doubtless show how every method of
reform may be improved, but those
evils will certainly not be remedied
- hn
content to demand civil service re-
form, but who oppose every practical
to promote it, must be sus-
pected of having little real hostility
to the system which they decry. For
tunately however, public attention
was never more resolutely turned to ,
the subject, and there was never a
more favorable moment to begin the
reform. The party issues of the last
few years are gradually disappearing.
The perilOus questions OF fundsmen-
tai policy have been determined, and
the paramount interests of the eoun-
try are now those of the Administra- ;
ton. Honesty and efficiency OF adj ,
as q settled national poll
CIV will now be the chief demand Of
every party, but nowhere can the
purpose be shown so plainly as arefor-
nation of the civil service so as to Sc
cure integrity, efficiency and econo-
N.Y."
Extracts follow from a recent speech
Of Gladstone, to show that similar ,
reform has been made, and has sue
ceeded in England. II
The Commissioners continue; 1--WE
also that in this country places ,
in the public service shall be restored
to those who are found to be fitted for {
them, and If any one is disposed to |
think that an abuse of forty years is
a law of the republican, sstem, lit !
tie reflection will show him his error.
If he believes reform to be impossible, :
he merely shows that he is a victt I
Of the abuse, and fOrgets that in j
America every reform is possible /
The enforcement of the rules that we '
submit for approval depends Of course {
upon the pleasure of the President;
yet should they receive the sanction
of Congress- in the form of law their