New-York tribune., 1878-10-12
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
GAIL HAMILTON'S PAPERS.
XIV,
rur rr.1rMoNY ~ FKDyRAL orFIcERs.

when he was preparing his report, he sent cir
ar letter to the heads of the bureaus to which the
,ule, had been applied asking them to state the re-
snlts Of such application. With preternatural frank
ness and fairness, Mr.. Eaton prints the replies
7 could not ask stronger confirmation OF my views
tbouqh Mr. Eaton arrays these letters as cheerfully
as Il each one waved flag Of victory for him.
The first is from the First Controller of the Treas
ury, Il. w. Tayler.
aWhen a first appointment is made to an
Inferior position, a proper examination Of
a eanddate. as to his general qualifications, both
Of education aud personal fitness, should be made.
''' This Was secured BY the Act Of 1858.
yhen faithfully executed; and 30 far as
oncerncd this Office | think it was 10 this
extent some advantages accrue from the civil ser
vice organization. Beyond this the evils, IN my
Judgment exceed the benefits board OF ex-
aminrrs cannot have such universal knowledge OF
the powers and duties devOlYed upon the seVerai
officers of the Treasury Department as 20 justify them
In expressing an opinion OF the qualifications neePeu
n each nor of the different qualifications requiredtor
he several branches of service in each Office
No one outside of the Office IN which the
andidate has been employed can be as well
qualified to Judge of his merits as the head OF
the office in which no has served.
''In one instance of vacancy in this office,
more than three months elapsed before an
examination was had and when had, 1t cost
the Government, in the time of competitors
of members OF the board and their clerks and
messengers and otherwise more than SlZo. Inc
same result would have been attained under the
Act of 1853. without cost and without delaV."
The opin. on that promotion should depend upon
the officers superior officer and not upon exaTnlna-
ton by board, is almost universally expressed ID
the responses to Mr.. EatOns circular. So also, Is
the opinion that the rules give good class OF Clerks
but il is often added that good clerks were secured
before the rules were heard Of The Naval Ohcer
SAYS: II AIN bound, however to say that prior TO
the proclamation of the President establishing civil
Service rules this office had been in the habit. upon
its own action. If requiring examination of candl-
dates for admission therein. These examIna-
tlons always proved of advantage and were
the means of introducing into the service appOintees
equally as efficient as any that have been appointed
s,nee October l6, 1872. In the end a&d
above all reliance must be placed on the discretion
and Judgment OF the appointing power"
NJ d. Leggett Commissioner of Patents, says the
system of examinations is not only good, but indis
Densable iu his Bureau. In TACT, had
Been rigidly applied for length Of time
prior TO the establishment of CriI AeTvoe Commission
Mr.. Hillhouse, Assistant Treasurer. says competi-
tive examination is great thing for preventing
outside pressure for appointments, but this office
kas aloOys been comparatively free from such influences,
because the personal risk and responsibility of its
head are too great to permit him 10 giUe 0dy 10 them
There is a hint worth dozen commissions.
Mr. Daniel AInmen, of the Bureau Of Nav
igatIon thinks the examinations should only
DO considered as testimony not as tests,
and should not preclude personal inspection and
Endorsements. Mr.. f. d. Townsend, Adjutaut-Gen-
'Tal of the War Department, finds that the rules
operate to subvert rather than 10 promote the secur
ing of competent clerks and the promotion of the
most deserving. A. b. Eaton, Commissary Gen
era found that the old system served the interest
of the public service the best"
If cur Reformers had the slightest appreciation of
he nature and objects OF facts, these letters printed
by their commissioner would be very instructive
reading. The plain English of them is that
the heads of departments, practical and
spCnsible business men, were willing that
Mr. Dorman B. Eaton should amuse him
elf with the crowd of candidates pressing
lgainst their ofice-dOorS outside; but after these
candidates got IN and became clerks, and the chiefs
were responsible for them, the Commissioners were
warned to keep hands Oft The Bureaus wanted
10 Reform fOOlery tamperng with their
actual business and they SAID it as plainly
as pOlitenesS would permit, and with more
courage than could be reasonably expected from so
degraded class as Mr.. George William Curtis de-
elares ofice-bOlders to be.
A wicked and adulterOus generation of RefOrmers
seeketh after a sign, and there shall no sign he
given. The business of this country must be con-
Quoted business principles and the first princi-
pie of business is to move heaven and
earth to find the man you want, and
there is business in the world whose prInclpe i
to go into schOol-house and take the pupil who
stands highest the examination papers. And
when this is found, the next principle of
business is TO give him the largest liberty of
action compatible with security and the strong
est security compatible with liberty of action.
In spite of the Jcremiads of reform, 1t is not only
safe but imperative to assume that American eti-
Eens honest. 1t is not only safe but imperative
to assume that the general rule for the Treasury
Department for instance, is that each officer wants
his work honestly aad thoroughly done-that he
works honestly himself, and wants every one un-
der him aud him to be honest These
men are 10 be trusted. They must be trusted. No
good work is to be got out Of anyone
who is not trusted Great responsibility
aud great liberty should go hand III
hand. Make him responsible for his subordnates
and his subOrdinates responsible for theirs
Make every officer accountable to his immediate
superior, and give to every officer the power to
choose his helpers. Here is responsibility direct
and tangible. To bring in board Of examiners be-
tween man and his assistants Is to anuinilate all
responsibility; Is to hamper and hinder him; is to
60 back to ehildisLness and pupiaRe and mere me-
chanical action. Let the Bureau choose it's en-
ploy6s as it wil-by competitive examination by in-
spectOn. BY recommendation, by inspiration-but let
ha hall IN ufr h,lifu ;to
There Is no substitute for this. Doubtless many
chiefs would be glad be relieved from the respOn-
sibility of making a choice by mechanical mark
ing of papers, but they ought not TO be re-
lieved from it. They ought to use their
indoment Tho -nahL tn tnaka the nLninn