New-York tribune., 1878-10-05

defects of individual character by machinery
Instead of insisting upon the right klnd
of men to do the work, the School Service and the
Civil Service seem 10 think that If you can only eS
tablish systems enough and organize examinations
enough. the work will do itself. We do not want
any more systems. We are top-heayy with systems
now. We want personal ability. Why exhaust the
country with great swelling political harangues
about laws and commissions aud reports and re-
FORMS to do what a man has perfect liberty TO DO
now, if he has the brains to DO IT.
Mr.. James is perhaps, a rara aris, bnt the post
masters Of this country are not an inferior set OF
men. A Postmaster-General, himself infected
with varoloid Of reform, told Us not long
suce that he was surprised on coming into
office at the excellence of the Postmasters
Reports and their generally hGh order Of character
Meeting the chief ones in convention was meeting
the very best class of American citizens while nine
tenths OF the country towns showed the best man
in the village for postmaster. Not more than one
marin a thousand he affirmed, had he turned out
of Office on account of politics. and those he sald
frankly, al turned out not for their politics. but
because found them working and talking against
melp And who blames himG A minister would
not keep deac0n-if he could help it-a man would
not keep his coachman, woman would not keep
her cook who should go around trying to
Oust master or mistress from position Why should
the head Of a department retain a snbor-
dinata, why should the President retain Cabinet
officer who was working and talking against ms
chcfi The ordinary motives, laws and emotions OF
humanity are not annihilated in the person Of the
Civil Service officer, and will not be even when he
is brought under the yoke of competitive examna-
tion.
have been kindly furnished by an ex-member of
II. e 81 l.
which prevailed in that department during Pfes-
dent Grants vicious and corrupt administration
From this it appears that the terrible machine
always put new clerk first at q desk extra
clerk" Ii he proved acceptable lie was pro-
NOTED to a frst-class clerkShp when Opp0r-
tunity offered. If not acceptable, he was
discharged. Promotions beyond trst-cass clerk
ships were open to competition among the regular
clerks in the department. The competition took
place under direction of the chief clerk. This was
the only competitive examination in use in the de-
partmcnt.
"ConsulshipsD says the ex-oflicer frankly, "were
intended 10 be filled by friends Of the dominant
party" There - nothing Objectionable in this.
There rs, the contrary, much that is desirable.
But there Is nothing desirable. there is everything
Objectionable, in crying nOn-partlsanshp from
the housetop, and under this cry ndustriOusy turn
ing out friends of the dominant party, and putting
IN their places friends of the appointing power.
Under the old system of competitive drinks, the
Secretary would select q candidate from mass of
applicants. The applicant would then he informed
that he was selected and that he must be examined
in certain chapters of Kent and in the consular
regulations. A little examining in the special duties
of the office regarded as better fitting q man
! for their performance.
The candidate was allowed to name a reasonably
! near day for his examination. On the day named
he was put in a room by himself, with table, pen,
! ink and paper, and a series Of questions
upon Kent and the regulations. HIS an
! swers to these questions furnished the best
proof of his handwriting, of his power of expressing
! himself, of his acquaintance with geography and
arithmetic, of his ability to state an account. and
| of the qualities of character which i'm
| portaut in consular office, After passing a sue
ccssful examination he was required TO file a certIi-
! cate IN a form furnished by the department. the
| sIgucr to be either known to tie Secretary or
! yOuched for by some one known to him, that the
| certfer knows HIM TO be man of good habits and
moral character, and fitted for the place
| he seeks. And this was said to be a most
! effective barrier against Congressional and,
indeed, all other pressure No man in or
out of Congress was found willing to
recommend an unworthy man when be knew
that recommendation was to 90 on file and himself
! held to the responsibility.
Diplomatic officers were not subjected to exami-
! nation.
Now what possible advantage could there be in
having Board of Examiners established and a set
of rules framed and system of competitive cxami-
nation thrown out to all cOmcrs1 You would have
| precisely the same number of officers chosen and
their moral character vOuched for in the same way,
or not vouched for at ALL The only perceptible dis
advantage is that you get an officer known to the
| Secretary or to some person whom he knows
and trusts Yet fail to that this is disadvan-
tage. If man by active political or other
| honorable work has brought himself into promi-
| nence and approved himself lit for a place under
| Government, that seems TO me to be a reason why
| he should be appointed. and not reason why be
should not be appointed. The demand of reformers
that men shall do political and party work without
hope of reward is largely hypocritical. They de-
| mand rewards themselyes-they are clamOrous for
place aud power with greater eagerness and more
lndecency than the machine politicians. But when
the demand is not hypOcritcal it is hypercritical
They make demand that is not in ac-
cordance with human nature. There Is no
religion and no ethics not founded on hope of
reward lie who spake never man spake, de-
clared, There is no man that hath left house, or
brethren or sisters, father, mother wife,
children OF lands for my sake and the Gospels but
he shall receive an hundred-fold now in this time,
houses and brethren. and sisters, and mothers, and
children and lands, tcih prosecutions and in the
world to come life eternal"
More than THIS Office was distinctly and detin-
itely proclaimed the reward not only of good
duct, but of personal following He who was faith
full over a few things was promised rule over many
things. He whose pound had gained ten pounds
was promised authority over ten cities.
And Jesus said unto them, Verify l say unto you,
That We which have followed me in the regenera-
ton when the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of