New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-03-04
CIVIL SERVICE PREDICTIONS.

TIE BrsT PRACTICAL METHoD-AN EXAMINING
BOARD GENfRtLLY DEEMED UNDESIRABLE
TRAINING MORE IMPORTANT THAN oRGINAL
SCHOLARSHIP.
lFRoM TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or THE TEIBUNHI
WASHINGTON. March 3.-SenatOr Boutwell,.
Chairman OF tho Senate Committee on Reorganization OF
the Departments addressed last Spring 10 the several
members Of the Cabinet series Of inquiries, among
which was one designed To ascertain whether any system
Of examination Tor appointments promotion different
from hat nns in could Dc introduced with benefit
into the service Secretary Deano wrote in reply;
iexpress NY hearty approval of tle plan proposed in
your letter namely, the providing ~ COnmiSrOn Ia DC
appointed by the Pres lent with The consent Oi me sen
for admission into tic Executive departments ! would
Vrpyms tuItlcr with tue sing vi successful exam
mat and the boiling OF accruu'ate OF Sur. rom u,
commissions together with cert ate showing Aat the
ucrsun Is ~ good moral cha'dcicr ana 81 sOber ana IN
dusriuus habits should by statute be madc ltefHuseS
apple ton to appointments II I'M, system 'honii De
adoe,i y .arge amount of the time Oi tue heas Of tGe
de arlucns ana of the cheis of the several bureaus
which is G. nsumei by applicants Tor ONE cgul w.
devoted To the necessary and legitimate demands
Of t.e public service. The suggestion tlat me tAd ii1a
ion Should rot he competitive, aud tai persons IN Ia,
service be not subject 10 it, also comedies with my
secretary Fish, in replying the question, says
The clerical force Of this Che state Department. prob
ably far b, ond thai Of any othercXecntyc Department
should tie immediate and personal confidence 81
variety Of atamucns, greatly IN dsproporiion win the
nnmb.r oi Il clerks. l. indeed needed. practical iaIni
du.y transactions of the Office. power rciicen,c
which only scortancd by the test Of experience OF Of
lnnaie personal knowledge OF tde iary, and cboi BE-
10y iS w ~ st,,r, f ,,nrn of m bns.ss of lie
Department. Tue entire clerical force oi the Depart
~, m In c,nro,naii, IL limited by law fo ~ clerks M
Guiding tao Cei Clerk; II indeed u be ied to sub
i.ct this important officer 10 examination. The majority
- tIcsc l i nave been employed IN The nr,t inst ic,
As copyists or un Ter temporary cnl, nrnt - they de
yclu,d capacity IN Ills Inc, oILer dhd more adNhc
IN, nTnc1t 80 rlveu them aud almost without rNccI
4 m an the more lulnlttit bi
rraus and dulles, Including The th!'i tIcik ard nearly
all the Chiefs OF Burcais have been mus aNu,ed as
Jhey have exhibited practical capacity iOr tie duties &"
winch they assign d.
imam ay Gar, or SIC co. sicntnr ,vlmnIrion
Very excellent CLERKS are ten themselves train To the
pcci.itr dates o. .is d pIrtmrHt rom in Ic c"pJHt.
,gGn probably mi. not have passed tine Namul"n "i
u General Board ,cr,cd Win te view Oi examining tn
uuud. ls II not tA"IsdhG,' en- I.!,n ~ lIt -,n'".
Ey.rtiflVc department. II- 'y OF ch!HrIil, o.!
qualification, md oi hef'' r'l"Ici ln',n- ~ - ~ a. a,
ui TINS dep itneEi ,cdltr a""i'- VI "Nl 'H :"
,lirh aii shuuld br s,Ucl lam ~ &c iuipn INST Tu
sGucrs side oi me department i"rNaume persons
10 be app tinted 10 cCra ,hi,'s III the departments.
Secretary Robcson writes ~ fOlo"s;.
wae do not tAins toe continent Of such board Of
,ru,iis,I unrTs rgccS't IL tue letter "ou" %" Nrp
necessary or convenient 10 Ia operation, ftr as re-
srls thc N4yy department. here tie orcc Of clerks d,
limited 90 about p.iy d OF Ntuu dir mpit oI r'0 "a
r.s in some rnst.ciag li" Jiudty VINO ,ciyc Iun'-
non alter l,u rA yer i lo.,r H,e~ aud WHO have
not e.rtpIor t'ru -ulJct o." t"c 'irut's 81 I"ii'o
-,t 10 not con,icr tue o'j cuIu. -crior,
nature and SUCH provision cloud 20. Thought nr-'s
.,r, ann! c4l.. generally al ,uc departments, tIr
aoI u BE- ufc dfi.IIty IN adapting 70 condition
iud 81 nni.,striii, OBJ. 81 t4e Say Department.
Ex-AtorLoy-G neral Williams gave ais opinion as
lulloss:
1 do not believe -uch Board wnull DE Of any con
4 e ant adV4uta e. Gee puzzle s.r.i.c. lHl ''did '
tir more Than a-rrr thc educational Giaiih tii'
Il app,anf. Ter c,rs-.iips. According tU co. "bsriN.r
iiuu and pcrlcnc', "a, IvIsHL- Low ih'h '" IH'
Do tipus are MT s'uri ~ arh''I 10 such uuaiiird
Iona A.suu tLdf clerks have tie rcG itIf iu iIsil
al. ntc-IIty, Tie O.Htr qualifications a4' ruHr'htg
cured ~ the pTt-rni mode ~ appointment. !
10 not SEQ how Eugrt Oi Commissioners t0uiu
satisfactorily determine ds totlr,r matters nave lu
th It i~ NOT always .TIc inst prrhIu, LIsut lhr hrr
scholarly a.taiuicnts make Tic best cicTAs. loads eli"
deia tn nt, not oidiudrt. tn.lh, aIInut pc.,n-
Ia, Gle. b. lure L.ty are -lfl-r tit b-y iit Do. th
lng ia education. Ihc only WY n WHOM o. c.i De- Sr'i
tanned witnpr NOT ih.l atc ucu iru 10 nhti guam
cation. B, hy ,iu iiIli jJ NOT lnb t1i mani '.rt"
who e known g. Ie .ou".t aud Industrious ana 'iiiLtu
f. Inc Discharge their aut- a.c discharged ur want u
cou,tuucy. III. IciOrc doubt ;ciy mach whr.e. dl}
.y-frn q. appoint ctTks can b. G"Ni-'d hct''r tiu
.nr Que existing, though a. c"uIi p.u'h'y a. hu
proved b, glciU-- Ire ant tIfo % in' Idri o iDut
T. wing inc appoiutug aui loss al uu the part 81
lninu, 10 o. Congress IN urlug appointment, moro WIN
te.ptt 10 personal regard Tor tnr applicants lIl 4V
tur!r times FOR p1oes ia tire d'pI-'u"ut