National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-04-21
CIVIL SERVICE REPORT.
GOOD RESULTS ALREADY OBTAINED
FROM PRACTICE.


GOOD RESULTS ALREADY oBEzLNE1
FROM PRACTICE
TRIUMPHs OF THE SYSTEM -coNTEM
PLATED IMPROVEMENTS . COMPARISON
WITH THE BRITISH sYsTEM-WHAT i
NEEDED TO INSURE PERMANENT sue
CEss-ExPEEsE OF ANOTHER YE AR
TRIAL. ..-. .....s-.-... .as-tra
The last report OF the civn service commits
sion. presented to Congress yesterday, is
document of 9s pages, in which the result
thus far attained under the competition system
and its probable workings in the future, to
gether with the reasons which led to its adop
tion and those which form its continued main
tenance, are carefully considered and discussed
1t is claimed that ''the proof seems to be deci
sive that the new system has, to considerable
extent, removed mercenary and partisan pres
sure from the Departments, has stimulated
learning on the part Of those desiring appoint
ments; has secured better class OF persons in
the Office, and has developed habits Of study
and fidelity."
We quote from the report the following con.
densed statement Of the views Of the heads Of
Departments, as officially made known TO the
"They consider that the rules have pro
NOTED the public interest in various particulars
and among them the following; .sgs. .
"Q.) They have, on an average, where ex.
aminatlons apply, given persons Of superior
capacity and character TO the service of the
Government, and have tended to exclude IN.
worthy applicants.
"(s) They have developed more energy IN
!the discharge Of duty, and more ambition TO
al
functions on the part Of those IN the service.
"fS.1 They have diminished the unreason-
able solicitation and pressure which numerous
applicants and their friends, competing for sp-
7, pointments, have before brought to bear upon
The Departments in che direction Of favoritism.
"(e.) They have, especially where competi-
tioF applies, relieved the heads Of Departments
ihhd bureaus, to large extent, Of the necessity
OF deRoting to persons soliciting places for them
. selves or for Others time which was needed for
offlcial duties.
"(5.) They have made &c more practicable
TO dismiss from the service those who came IN
iunaer the civil service examinations, when not
Hound worthy, than It was, or Is, to dismiss the
Hike unworthy persons who had beenintroduced
into the service through favor or dictation.
500 They have diminished the intrigue and
pressure, before too frequent, for causing the
, removal Of worthy persons for the mere pur-
pose Of bringing other, perhaps inferior, per-
sons into the service. -, ..'-..... -.
"(7.) And, for such reasons, those officers
think that it is expedient to continue The re-
, form upon the method upon which it has pro-
eeeded, making from time TO time such modi-
hcations in details as experience may show to
be most useful"
The heads of bureaus in the several Depart
ments are almost uniformly In favor Of the
system as applied to original appointments, but
are divided In opinion as its application to pro-
motions, q considerable number Of them claim
ing for themselves larger influence than thes
now possess in deciding upon the claims Of COM
peting applicants. a-- --....- $3.50.
does not introduce any new theory into the
Constitution, but only facilitates the old the
Org of investigating the personal merits of ap-
plicants for Office. =. .........# go =
It was always the duty of the President and
heads Of Departments TO obtain clerks sndsub-
ordinate officers having the best qualifications,
and TO use the best means for sscertaining
such qualifications. When the officers and
clerks were few, and the duties of Government
were simple, Il was possible for those having
the appointing power to make q scrutiny per-
eoDally; but now, as formerly, there is Only
one President and one head Of bureau, and
of Department, although the number and du-
ties of the subordinates are ten or O hundred
fold increased; and, therefore, there must be
some aid in making the examination of csndi-
dates. The numbers and completely in the pub
lie service are constantly increasing, and with
every such increase the excessive power and
opportunities of venal psrtisans and cunning
1obbers in Office and patronage are correspond
fngly increased. Nothing better than such
public competitive examinations by separate
boards, under the supervision of one central
Commission, to secure harmony and order, can
be, or at least has been, suggested. 1t is not
question Of perfection or complete relief, but of
the best practical method, The appointing
power is still bound 70 Use III Ind5hsM IA
1electin~ sns 5 5es. q &c tte fteen from whom n
has to choose, and all the time that power has
to bestow is needed for this choice.
The commissioners cite the authority Of Mr.
Gladstone and others to show that the COM
petitiYe system in Great Britain has been demo-
cratic In its tendency since it's effect has been
to deprive the privileged classes Of their ancient
MtHteef 70 persons Of intelligence, culture and
character, regardless of the class to which they
belong. The charge that this system tends to
build up bYTeaucracy-thst is, distinct and
permanent Office holding class-is met BY the
statement that in Germany its acknowledged
effect has been to undermine the power and
destroy the monopoly Of office which such a
class had formerly possessed.
The report shows that the reform was In
sugurated in Englan1 about 1925, in limited
sphere; that It has been steadily extended, and
that in 1870, after full discussion, competition
was applied to nearly all Of the subordinate
Offices Of the nation. The results have been
more efficiency, greater economy, higher char
scter, and less intrigue and corruption in the
public service. There is every reason to be-
lieve that faithful persistence in the applica-
S1Sm ~ a. ~ ~ sne ~ w .S.H
r,.s-sISs same res>-..s III .4-.s coL..-..
The common objections to the competitive
system are taken up and discussed at consid-
cradle length, and paragraph Is devoted to
those appointments which require TO be con-
frmed by the Senate, after which the commits
sion conclude with the following statement of
nm. .-'tuation and prospects OF civil service re-
form; ~'sS-@ z-1y -5S 49,, 49,
/. The practicability of fairly conducting
examinations as 10 the qualities to be tested,
and of fairly rating the results Of competition,
and Of preserving reliable evidence OF the same,
has been established. a
2. It has been demonstrated that competitive
examinations for entrance 20 the public service
will, besides diminishing evil influences In our
politics generally, bring better class Of per-
sons into that service and insure more efficiency
In administration. EeS -a-a
5, ID fegard 70 promotions, It has been shown
that the method of competition may be so
united with the exercise Of the proper authority
OF neaQs OF on1ces or bureaus as TO prevent the
favofltism and ANNOUNCEMENTS too frequent
under the old mode OF making promotions,
and secure more fidelity and Intelligence in the
service. ..-.-
&. There VIII be needed for some time longer
supervision and investigation, on the part Of q
commission, in order TO secure the appropriate
application and adaptation of the principles
OF the new system to the several parts Of the
service TO which it may be applied. @
5. To arrest the new system now, when 1t
has encountered all possible obstacles and has
surmounted most Of them, but has not had
time to develop the experience required to e1-
hibft the best duplication Of its methods and
the full results Of its influence, would be In
every way inconclusiYe and unfortunate.
Q. To carry on the reform for another year,
there is needed an appropr.s..sJ1n Of &C., OO1,
Hith AM hng:..S1 o the President to give there
from q moderate compensation to any person
9mployed for the services rendered by virtue Of
such employment, whether such person be
otherwise in the service Of the Government or
not. - ga -
). 2. Il Is desirable that the appropriation
should be in language as to no longer leave
doubt among the people whether 4 be the In
tention of Congress to allow the new system 0
full and fair trial; for we are convinced thst
distrust on this point has, while greatly en-
coufaging the elements of resistance and en-
feebling those of support, IN no small degree,
Increased the difficulties Of the President and
NJ this commisef0r