Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-01-03
For the Journsi,
Our Washington Letter.
WAsnlSernS. ID. @. Jan. 1.

WAsnISSroS, ID. C., Jan. I, 1872
Mc"rs Editors The cry Of Reform is al
ways presumably popular one and as such is
often raised, when other issues fail, by politicians,
to bring themselves before the admiring gaze Of
the people as exceptionally honest men, who
above Nil others are devoted to the public inter
est, and are to be honored and trusted according.
ly. II is generally the dd cdptandum ruipU ar
gument of the demagogue and is most often
raised just before an important election. The
people, startled from their busy occupations, natur.
ally join in the cry without stopping to inquire
into the actual necessity for the reformation.
OF this character is, TO large extent the
question Of Civil Service Reform, which has fur
nished the staple for more buncombe speeches,
and inspired more empty editorials than any 9TH
er subject during the past two years. Much Of
the valuable time Of Congress during the last sex
sion was wasted in empty discussion of mpract-
cable bills, which were offered to remedy all
manner OF imaginary evils supposed to exist in
the Civil Service, but which that body wisely
failed 10 place upon the statute books Finally
on the last day Of the session, which closed March
}, ISL, clause was quietly inserted in the Gap
preparation Bill, which provided " That the
President Of the United States be, aud he is here.
by, authorized to prescribe such rules and regula-
tons for the admission Of persons into the civil
service Of the United States as will best promote
the efficiency thereof and ascertain the fitness Of
each candidate in respect to age, health, charac-
ter, knowledge and ability for the branch Of ser
vice into which he seeks to enter and for this
purpose the President is authorized to employ
suitable persons to conduct said inquiries to pre-.
scribe their duties and TO establish regulation.
Tor the conduct Of persons who may receive APP
pointinonts in the civil service " An approprin.
ton Of ten thousand dollars. was made to add in-
tcrest and vitality to the item. On the last day
Of a session, acfs and Hills 60 through Congress,
with rush, very much as logs and flood wood
20 through a broken boom in a spring fre,het.
Many things which have been previously reject
ed ON their own merits, or which have not dared
to Try an honest, independent passage, sneak
through successfully on q last night, covered up
in " the omnibus bill" or saddled as a rider
upon some important measure that il bound to
go through, One will be surprised and puzzled
in looking through the United States Statutes TO
notice the immense number Of " acts of March
3D. Thus passed the innocent little sentence
from which has grown and is to grow the much
talked of Civil Service Reform.
1t is the Presidents policy to execute the laws
of Congress, which he does with a aithfuness
and impartiality which shows that. avoiding the
precedents Of his predecessor he regard. his high
office as purely an executive one Accordingly.
be appointed Civil Service Commission. com.
posed Of eminent gentlemen, who have held man,
and protracted sessions here during the snmtne,
and fall The result of their labors il embodied
in a report recently submitted 10 Coneress no.
COMMANDED bv n special MESSAGE from tho pro.i.
dort l,n, Tho, ION, - 49,. =.
a,.. ..,. :. o. "a :, ~ .L.,.. r..r,t
aho,t twolyc colnmrs 81 tho u,,.I,ra1 !.
orons ,,i,b r.o,orl. rolo.;,,,, - ,,,o J.e,i,i 49,.
~ ,lo ,,i,,t ST., ~. -. -
ro-s IN OWL ond i, - -
nrosorihe ,bo norooo, ,,o,, h,.o ,,a ...,.,
!, d.a,. c,o.c.I "a :, -. -,
,rc,ir ond ,r,r,,tc'I ,.i,,,,ro - ~,
d,,ior I,oon,i,,os =, rroo, Io,,,,,h -. -.
s,r,od ,I;oo,io,, ~. ,Ia, ,st;,L -
o,e so,i.Gc,oril, arg,rorod ond J., avr,,;r -.
i,,oo, o,,d ororn,;.,,, g III, .,,lo. mr.
.;,,, r. -. -. - -,
fifteen i" prIos and pon,la,inn. " a." 60
service 9, which arc ,honselros 900 Lon. ~
oorrora,od i, AZ. 49, M. e.,
,h,, -, -, sI,ai,
,vho - a., oi,i.o,, - 49, IT'D g..
shan ~, ha,o - - ,n1 w
The second creates a new class Of offices. which
will quite largely increase the number Of maid
public servants by continuing the present mr. :,
similar Commission as an Advisory Bonrd wi n
shall have the making and altering of the rules
&c. and exercise general supervision over IN,
Raards-af Examiner A sufficient ns,,,i.,. a,
subject all applicants to thorough literary ex-
animation. From the operation OF the rules pre-
scribed are excepted large number OF high Of
hcias, tthe reason whereof is not clearly stated
and all Postmasters whose salary is less than tw'
hundred dollars per annum. All other Offices, Of
whatever kind or character, or wherever located
are open to all corners who aspire thereto, wh
must enter upon public competitive examina
tion before one of the Boards Of Examiners
From the number examined the Board select
three, from among whom the appointment mus
be made. | believe that it is not provided as t
how the candidates and the Examiners are to com,
together whether the mountain is to come Ia
Mahomet, or Mahomet 60 to the mountain. i
the Boards are to be perpatetic in habit of cours,
mileage and expenses will constitute pleasan,
incident OF their travels, and add somewhat to the
expense Of the machinery
express not merely nv own o,inion hint thai
IF raarl, o,.or,, o.,o -. :; II. A.. II