Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-12-05


within my power to advance such prudent
and gradual measures of reform as will most
surely and rapidly bring about that radical
change Of system essential to make our ad-
ministrative methods satisfactory TO free
and intelligent people. By proper exercise
of authority it is in the power Of the Execu-
tive to do much to promote such a reform.
But it cannot be too clearly understood that
nothing adequate can be accomplished with
out cooperation on the part of Congress,
and consderate and intelligent support among
the people. Reforms which challenge the
generally accepted theories of parties and
demand changes in the methods of depart
ments are not the work Of day. Their per
manent foundations must be laid in sound
principles, and in an experience which dem
onstrates their wisdom and exposes the errors
OF their adversaries. Every worthy officer
desires to make his official action gain and
an honor to his country, but the people them
selves far more than their officers in public
station, are interested in pure, economical,
and vigorous administration.
Bv laws enacted in 1853 and 1850 and now
in substance incorporated in the revised Stat
utes, the practice Of arbitrary appointments
to the several subordinate grades in the great
departments was condemned, and examina-
tons as to capacity, to be conducted by de
partmental boards Of examiners, were provid-
ed for and made conditions of admission to
the public service. These statutes are a de
csion by Congress that EXAMINATIONS OF some
sort as to attainments and capacity are essen
tial to the well being Of the public service.
The important questions since the enactment
of these laws have been as to the character OF
these examinations, and whether official ia
vor and partisan influence or common right
and merit were to control the access to the
examinations. In practice, these examina-
tons have not always been open to worthy
persons generally who might wish to be ex-
amned official favoritism and partisan in
huence, as a rule appear to have designated
those who alone were permitted to 60 before
the examining boards, subjecting even the
examiners to a pressure from the friends OF
the candidates very difficult to resist. As
Il consequence, the standard of admission
fell below that which the puplic interest de-
manded 1t was almost inevitable that a
system which provided for various separate
boards of examiners with no common SUI
pervison or uniform method of procedure,
should result in confusion. Inconsistency, and
inadequate tests Of capacity, highly detrl-
mental to the public interest. i further and
more radical change was obviously required.
In the annual message Of December, 1870,
my predecessor declared that there is no
duty which SO much embarrasses the Execu-
tive and heads of departments as that Of APP
pointments, nor is there any such arduous
and thankless labor imposed on Senators and
Representatives Us that of finding places for
constituents The present system docs not
secure the best men, and often not even fit
men, for the public places The elevation
and publication of the civil service OF the
government will be hailed with approval by
the whole people of the United States
Congress accordingly passed the act, APP
proved March 3, 1871, ito regulate the civil
service of the United States and promote the
efficiency thereof, giving the necessary au-
thority to the Executive to institute civil
service reform.
WORK OF THE COMMISSION.
Acting under this statute, which was i'll
terpreted as intended to secure system Of
lust and effectual examinations under uni
form supervision, number of eminently
competent persons were selected for the pur-
pose who entered with zeal upon the dis
charge of their duties prepared with an in
telligent appreciation of the requirements of
the service the regulations contemplated, and
took charge of the examinations, and who, IL
their capacity as a board, have been known
as the civil Service Commission" Con
gress for two years appropriated the money
needed for the compensation and for the ex-
pense of carrying on the commission. 1t APP
pears from the report of the commission,
supmtted to the President in April, 1874,
that examinations had been held in various
sections of the country, and that an appro-
priation of about S25, 900 would be required
to meet the annual expenses, including sala.
rles, involved III dlScharBlnb tne duties OF
the commission.
The report was transmitted to Congress by
special Message of April IS, 1874, with the
following favorable comment upon the labors
of the commission IF sustained by Con-
gress, l have no doubt the rules can, after
the experience gained be SO improved and
enforced as to still more materially benefit
the public service and relieve the Executive,
members of Congress, and the heads of de
partments from influences prejudicial to good
administration. The rules, as they have
hitherto been enforced have resulted benef-
cially, as is shown by the opinions
Of the members of the Cabinet and
their subordinates in the departments, and in
that opinion l concur" And in the annual
Message of December of the same year, slmi-
lar views are expressed, and an approprla-
ton for continuing the work OF the commits
sion again advised. The appropriation was
not made, and, as a consequence, the active
work of the commission was suspended, leay-
ing the commission itself still in existence,
without the means, therefore, OF causing
qualifications to be tested il any systematic
manner. or of securing for the public service
the advantages of competition upon any ex-
teusve plan. ! recommended III my annual
Message of December, 1877, the making Of
an appropriation for the resumption Of the
work of the commission. In the meantime,
however, competitive examinations, under
many embarrassments, have been conducted,
within limited spheres, in the executive de-
partments at Washington, and III number
of the Custom Houses and Post Offices of the
principal cities of the country, with view to
further test their effects, and in every in
stance they have been found to be as saluta-
~ as they are stated to have been under the
administration of my predecessor. think the
economy purity, and efficiency of the public
service would be greatly promoted by their
systematic introduction, wherever practical
BILE, throughout the entire civil service of the
Government together with ample provision
for their general supervision, in order to Sc;
cure consistency and uniform justice Re
ports from the Secretary Of the Interior, from
the Postmaster General, from the Postmas-
ter in the city of New York, where such eX-
aminations have been some time on trial, and
also from the Collector of the Port, the Naval
Officer and the Surveyor in that city, and
from the Postmasters and Collectors i'll sew
eral of the other large cities, show that the
competitive system, where applied, has In va
rious ways contributed to improve the public
service The reports show that the results
have been salutary in marked degree, and
that the general application of similar rules
cannot fail to be of decided benefit 10 the
service. The reports of the Government Of
fcorB in the city of New York, especially,
bear decided testimony to the utility of open
competitive examinations il their respective
offices, showing that these examinations and
the excellent qualifications Of those admitted
to the service through them, have had a
marked incidental effect upon the persons
previously in the service, and particularly up
on those aspiring to promotion. There has
been, on the part of these latter, an increased
interest in the work, and desire to extend
acquaintance with itbeyond particular desk,
and thus the morale of the entire force has
been raised The examinations have been
attended by many citizens, who have had an