The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1873-05-02
Common Sense ii the Ciyil Service.

q
When George William Curtis resigned
his position as q Civil Service Commits,
sioner, gossip was busy trying to ac-
count for it. At last his letter Of resig-
nation has been published. He gives as
an explanation Of his course the fact that
some appointments have been made in
disregard of the rules prescribed by the
Board of which he was the Chairman.
The enemies of the Administration are
delighted. They chatter gleefully of
the defeat of the reform, and hope to
make capital out of it in some, as yet,
underlined way. -. s5'. :, +
just what civil service reform means
in the view, of Mr.. Curtis we do not
know, nor is it at all important to in
qmre. Neither do we know, what ap-
pointments he refers to. Il is quite
certain that in the multitude.of Of appoint
ments made since March some mis-
takes have been committed. It could
hardly be otherwise. But one thing is
sure: In breaking UP the old and per-
nicious patronage or spoils system, care
had to be taken to guard against the
Chinese rut. In the Empire of the Sun
mere knowledge, and that of the routine
order, is made the supreme test of fitness
for Government positions. There could
scarcely be worse system. T.FsF - 3 4
When this reform began, the legisla-
tive branch of the Government had
usurped the functions of the executive,
and, through recommendations having
the binding force Of commands, con-
trolled every cog in the administrative
machine. Until that method had been
effectually broken in upon, there was no
danger of going to the other extreme.
By this time the peril is about evenly
balanced. ai.fffy t,.-.. -sl-sfIE
The Government business should be
conducted on strictly business princi-
pies. It would never do in the manage
ment Of q vast concern, like a railroad, a
factory, newspaper, etc, to lay it down
as an inaenble rule that every vacancy
should be filed by promotion. Often
this should be done, and often it should
not. The master-spirit of the concern
aims to have in every post man adapt
ed to it, and he may be just fitted for
his present duty and utterly untitled for
another. A good teller would not always
make a good cashier; in case of va
cancy, the directors of bank may see
fit to go outside the force of the institu-
tion for q cashier. What corporation,
or proprietor of large establishment,
would be willing to adopt the Chinese
plan? The very idea would be secuted.
Every management says in effect to every
person in its employ: "You may be pro-
noted, and you may not be. That de-
pends wholly upon the circumstances in
each particular ease. If q better man
can be secured ontside for any vacancy
that may arise, he win be employed. y
These who happen to hold official posi-
tions would, of course, be glad TO get uI
q corner" on the offices, and keep of
outsiders, except as they are brought in
to fill the lower places. Supposing one
railroad runs on that plan, and a com.
4 peting line on the present plan of get.
ting the best men for every position,
4 wherever found: how long wonld it be
before the former would be outwitted by
4 the latter? Go to the headquarters vi
every road and you find that not one OF
them runs in the Chinese rut. The Chi
cago railroad most noted for giving its
employees chance to get on and mp has
for President man who never served
as Superintendent, Secretary, Treasurer,
or anything of the-kind. He was tnker
directly from the Bar. The true rule il
to get the best man for the place, neither
more nor less. Any regulations incon
sistent with this rule would be foolish
and injurious, and that equahyin pub
lie and private affairs.
When the civil service reform was il
its infancy there was no need Of laying
much stress upon its perversion. But
it is high time that the balance should
be struck between the two extremes. Il
is the old, old story; in avoiding the
rock, take care not to be drawn into the
whirlpool. We want common sense il
the civil service, and not set of cast
iron rules and regulations. CAicagc