Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-01-19

fdea. the Dernauence of tenure for pub
lie servants. This idea had been ad-
vocated at the formation OF the
| government by those who favored a
strong government, bat It had been
rejected, because II was seen 60 be
anti. .reDublican. It was thought
right that Judges should be made in
dependent of popular will, because the
questions they had to decide de-
| Depded upon legal principles, and
| popular viii had nothing to do with
| them ;,and il was also right that ot1.
| GERS of the arI1y and navy should
| have a life tenure, because they were
specially educated by the government
| FOR their duties, but there was no
| parallel between these aud the civil
! service officers. The duties Of the
latter were generally prescribed by
! law, and were so simple that any in
| telligent man could soon master them
and he would have an opportunity to
do so without detriInent to the public
service. Another falIaciOus idea under
lying the report was that party i5 the
bane of government, and that to labor
for the success OF the party ought to
disquaIify q man for public Office. In |
all free countries there must be par |
ties. The great Republican party, |
which has achieved such wonders In |
the last ten years, found the public |
offices filed with its enemies when 1t |
came into mower. According 20 the /
civil service reform doctrine, IL ought /
to have left those offices in the pos
session Of the old occupants; but If Il 1
had done so how different would /
have been the history Of those years. /
Senator Carpenter read an extract 1
lzOm the report of the COMMITTEES, that
under the present system the appoint
ing powers were often subjected to
the threats and Establishments of per-
sOnal solicitation, and said that it was
base and malignant libel on the
leading members of the Republican
party in congress. He had been told
by high authority that one or two
persons had demanded appointments
on terms that could be called insult
ing or disrespectful and that those two
were in high legislative department
Of the government, and that having
their applications refused on account
of unfitness, the candidates in both |
cases being relations Of the applicants,
were now high champions of the
LAN Al SCI viz ACtgA ks 4EGEAAIAHA ~ E4t1
competition Of the examination sys-
TEN, he said that he did not mean to
deery learning. He thought that per-
sons who had not the advantages OF
an education In youth were more like
" than others to appreciate its sd-
vantsges fully; and ne belonged to
that class. Why, said he, II l were
q candidate for the position of copying
clerk In one Of the departments and
should 90 before an examining board.
of chemical turn Of mind; should
certainly be rejected, although I write
a fair hand and can copy papers
with great speed and accuracy.
l know no more of chemistry than
know Of the peaTly gates and the
golden streets Of heaven, Laughter.
and L never expect to. 1 mean l
never expect to know chemistry. 1
do expect to know more Of the pearIy
gates, and the golden streets, for l
understand that admittsnce there
does not depend upon a competitive
examination. Laughter.
In conclusion, Senator Carpenter
said, that there was a special reason
why the scheme ought not 60 be
4 iOpted st this time. AT the breaking
]ut Of the war patriotic fathers sent
heir sons to the army, while Others
ess patriotic sent theirs to school,
ind now If this system were adopted
he Sons Of the first class, who we're
lighting for their country while others
we're remaining at school, or
.Oilege, would be excluded
rom public Office, because
hey did not know sll about the huc- $
ustiOns OF the tides, or how neaE the
noon comes to the earth, or the names =
# the four principal rivers that fi1W-
q into the Caspian sea. Laughter. |
Senator Trumbull wished TO ssy a q
sW words on this subject, but not in
'eaat OF the competitive examination
ysten, which he (Ssnatur Carpenter)
sid had been suspended, and against
7hioh therefore IL was remarkable
hat he should have directed so much ,
+ his speech.
Senator Carpenter denied having
ala that the system was not TO 90
1to operation. Wha5 he had said
7sS that the rules and regulations
7ers 20 be revised so as 20 be car
led Into operation more effeetually =
in Otner words, the administration =
ad merely let go to get a better hold. -
Laughter.l
Senator Trumbaii-I certainly hope
lat civil service reform is not to be a
but that it is to be pur-
1ed. Having given the best atten- ocG
on could 80 the senator's remarks, al
certainly understood them TO be de- 50
oted almost entirely to rules and reg 4 i
latiOns which Il Is noFy said will not sn
'ork, and are to be changed. shall
Ike up no time Ia attempting to de-
ND those rules or the system of .om- pc
atitiye examination, bat am cer- M
IInly IN favor OF civil service reform
"A reform that shall save this govern Pc
lent from being plundered under
system which wastes one fourth of pc
ie entire revenue OF the country, and pc
is sad TO me to reflect that the senaS {
r from Wisconsin now takes posi- u
on, not sgainst particular rules, ar!
lt against the system which would :
,rrect IL. He stands up here In the
ce 0f Sn official document prepared Z
? care al and considerate friends of Pc
ie administration, by its best friends, ss5
hieh states that One-fOurth of your Z
tire revenGe-mOre than 500, 600, 900 sS
Is wasted In consequence of 3 sys- SO
10, the correction of which Senator I
arpenter, OF Wisconsin, now opposes. "a
The debate was continued to adj an
Qrnment, the whole range Of the 7
VII service being discussed.
Mr.. Edmond5 gave noticN that he a
ould, at sn early day, reply to shs
,nator Carpenter. III
The senate adjourned until Monday. ssIT
Y