Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1872-02-09
Civil Service Reform.

Civil Service Reform has long been the cry Of
very many whose aspirations for Office have
been bligLted. Many others whose honesty of
purpose an / disin:erested motives could not be
questioned have also unitcl in demanding such
forms in the civil service of the Government
as comports with character'an qua!ifcati' ia
proper standard. Ofthe justice and propriety
Of such demands, there can be no doubt, and 1t
i, with no little satisfaction that we perceive a
readiness on the part OF the President and his
advisors 70 iuaugurate measures tending to its at
taiument. While the work to ba accomplished
is necessarily complicated and difficult and can
MT be expected to attain perfection, yet the will
manifested by the Chief Executive reflects much
credi on him, and also on the great Republican
party which placed him in power. The dispo-
sition thus manifested to reform abuses will give
tie party and the Administration stronger hold
oil the popular feeling and an extended tenure
of office.
That our readers my form some estimate Of
the programme laid down By the Civil Service
Commissioners, we give the synopsis Of their
r'pJrt.
On the 10th of December, President GRANT
Service Commission appointed by authority e
the act of Congress of March 4th, last. The
Commission consists Of seven gentlemen ofwhom
Gs0RGE WILLIAM CURTIS, of New York city, is
Chairman. This Commission reported a series
at thirteen rules which were adopted by the
President and which went into effect on the lst
day of January, 1872. The substance Of the
rules are as follows:
That the President shah appoint an "advisary
boIrd of suitable persons" to whom all aPplicG-
tions for civil appointments shall be made; that
the said board shall group the different position
in each branch ofthe civil service, according t
the character of the duties required, into several
grades that vacancies in a higher grade shsll
he filed By promotion from a lower; that no PEI :
sons net citizens of the United States shall be
appointed to any office in the United Sa;esi that
the President shah appointa committee of three
persons in each Department Of the Civil Service,
tiexamine applicants that no head Of pe-
lartment or subordinate officer skall "authorize
"ur permit. or assist in levying, any assessm. Mt
''of money, for political purposes, under the
'form of voluntary contributions, or otherwi.
"upon any person employed or under his con-
s'tro., nor shall any person pay any money 50
i'assossetF," and that all positions heretofore Ill
I'D without the corcurrence of the Senate, shall
be IN ide upon tue recommendation Of the proper
examining board, for a proba tionaTY term 1t SIX
months, and II at the end Of that term, satlsIac
tory proofs OF their fitness is furnished the b9ard
Of examiners, they shall be re-appointed. The
enforcement Of these rules, until they are made a
law by Congress, remains at the pleasure OF the
President.
The total number OF postma sters IN the United
States whose salaries amount to more than two
hundred dollars per year is i've thousand two
hundred and nine. In the larger of these offices
Inbordinates found, on examination, to be hued
therefor ara to be promoted to the charge OF th'
,ifiee when vacancies occur. lfthey fail to pas
Or none of them desire ths Office, it is to be throw
open to public competition. The number OF Of
hces yielding less than two hundred dollars pei
wear is twenty-five thousand. These appoint
Iuents will still be made in accordance with tes
timonials 10 character. 1t is stated, and no doul
with truth, that large numbers OF these place.
are held simply to accommodate the neighbors'
aud fer the benefit Of the custom which thel
bring to small stores. great many OF snei
l.laces could be 6lledby women, aud Mr.. Cur
tbs is in favor of 80 doing. It is also stated W
know not with what degree of truth-that in tn
Internal Revenue Bureau women have passe'
much better examinations than men, IN lhi
connection we may add, that this determination
10 0iye women wider field 10 the public en-
plovment, aecords with the views expressed b.
the President to correspondent OF the Ne'
York NaR. In that conversation he is reported Il
have said that he sbould favor civil service re
form which would throw open to women l.
postofies service aud the postal lelegrahT, If th
latter should BE- adopted. lie believed that
large portion Of the work in each could be per
formed by Noaen'