Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-04-22
REPORT OF THE CIVIL SERVICE
COMMISSION.

CO4HIUIScLOA'.
The report of the Civil Service Com
mission now submitted to the President
goes very thoroughly into the subject OF
reform. 1t takes up the history OF the
movement, the causes which led to it,
showing ample reasons for an effort at
Improvement in the mode of filing the
civil service. What the system adopted
is and how it works are stated. The plan
is to divorce appointments as much as
possible from the influence of political
parties, making them rest upon merit and
fitness in the applicant rather than upon
political considerations. The accomplish
ment of such task is one of great diff
Guilty. Candidates are examined by fAed
rules. Competitive examinations are held
in which scholarly qualification and other
tests of fitness for the practical discharge
Of the duties of office are applied. The
members of the Cabinet consider that the
rules have promoted the public interests
in various particulars, and among them
in the following:
"They have, on an average, where exam
nations apply, given persons OF superior
capacity and character to the service of the
Government, and have tended to exclude I'M
worthy applicants.
They have developed more energy in the
discharge of duty, and more ambition to &C.
ouire information connected with official
functions, on the part of those in the service.
They have diminished the unreasonable
solicitation and pressure which numerous APP
plicsnts and their friends. competing for APP
pointmsnts, have before brought to bear up
on the Departments in the direction Of
favoritism.
They have, especially where competition
applies, relieved the heads of Departments
and Of Bureaus, to a large extent, of the
necessity of devoting to persons soliciting
places for themselves or for others time which
was needed for official duties.
They have made it more practicable to dis
miss from the service those who came in un-
der the civil service examinations, when not
found worthy, than it was, or is. to dismiss
the like unworthy persons who had been in
troduced into the service through favor or
dictation.
They have diminished the intrigue and
pressure, before too frequent, for causing the
pose Of bringing other, perhaps inferior, per-
sons into the service.
And, for such reasons, those officers think
that It 10 expedient to continue the reform
upon the method upon which it has proceeded,
making from time to time such notifications
in details as experience may show to be most
useful"
In the system adopted clerks and Off
GERS are not compelled to pay partisan as
.sessments. 1t does not apply to cases
where the Senate must confirm or to post
masters, but will apply to the clerical
force in large post offices and custom
houses. Caucus influence is worthless of
course under such system. The Com
missioners think the reform will be ex-
tended as soon as it has fair chance for
trial and proves by its operation the ad-
vantages claimed for it. Reference is
made to the English system, which the
method adopted in this country initiates
in some respects, and which is represen-
ted by authority to have produced good re
suits. although decried by Arthur Helps
in his book. The report objects to the
scheme of giving the power of nomination
to members of Congress, AS one that would
be exceedingly mischevous if adopted.
The report claims that the rules bring Off
ces nearer the honest people, instead Of
keeping them away; that they break up
the old monopoly of appointments, while
preventing any new monopoly; that they
strengthen and purify party action, hav-
ing regard to principle, but check that
flowing corruption that they increase the
sense of official responsibility to justice
and character, and develope spirit of
severe criticism of official delinquency;
that they DO not favor mere scholas-
tic or ornamental attainments, but tend to
fill the public offices with persons having
useful attainments and practical capacity;
and that the system is neither expensive
or cumbersome, but may be. very effective
ly operated with small expense, if Con-
gress will only take such action as to show
the public that it means to redeem the
pledge of the party, and sustain the Presi-
dent. An appropriation of only twenty
five thousand dollars is needed for the
coming year, which is the same as has
been made each previous year.
Inregard to fault-fuding because more
has not been done, the Commissioners
argue that the reform must grow gradual
ly, must be pushed in certain directions
before the whole field can DO covered
They think if it can be demonstrated beyon
question that the new methods introduced
will enable the administration of the De-
partments and offices in Washington and
New York City to be carried on more eff
GENTLY and with less expense, the prob
lem of civil service reform will be soly ed
and the victory of the higher over the low
er elements of our politics will be assured.
If the experiment were being tried in
only single Department at Washington,
or in only one great office, such as that
Of the collector or postmaster at the city
of New York, it would still have the sub