Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1879-12-11

just method OF ascertainibg personal fitness
Tor oiice must be an important aud per
manent function of every just aud wis,
! government. II has long since becom,
Impossible, In the great offices, for thos,
having the duty OF nomination and ap
poln,ment, to personally examine into the
individual qualifications OF NOR. than
small proportion OF those seeking Office
| aud, with the enlargement of the civil ser
! vice. that proportion must continue 10 be
come less.
In the earlier years Of the Government
the subordinate offices were so few il
number that 1t was quite easy for thos,
masing appointments and promotions 70
personally ascertain the merits OF candi-
dates. Party managers and methods had
not then become powerful agencies OF CO.
ercion. hostile TO the free aud Just exercise
of the appointing power.
a large aud responsible part of the duty
OF restoring the civil service TO the desired
purity and efficiency rests upon the Presi-
dent, and u Is my purpose to do what Is
within my power to advance such prudent
and gradual measures OF reform a. will
most surely snd rapidly bring about that
radical change of sy stem essential 10 max e
our administrative methods satisfactory to
free aud Intelligent people BY a proper
exercise of authority, Il Is IN the, power OF
the Executive 10 do much TO promote such
reform. But Il cannot be too clearly un
derstood thai noihin. adequate can be ac-
complished without cooper ration on the
part OF Congress and considerate and in
teiigent support among the people. Re
forms whict challenge the generally ac-
cepied theories Of parties. and demaud
changes In the method. OF departments
nj - hg vsnFk NJ
nent foundations must be laid In sound
principles. and in an experience which
demonstrates their wisdom and exposes the
errors oither advcrsaries. Every worthy
officer desires 10 make his official action a
gain and an honor TO his country, but the
people thensrlves, FAR more than their
officers 10 public station. are interested In a
pure, economical, and vigorous admins
'raiion.
By law. enacted In 1858 and 1855. and
no" In Substance Incorporated In the Re
vi-ed Ststutes, the practice OF arbitrary
appointments 10 the several subordinate
grades in the great Departments was con-
demned, and examinations. as 10 capacity,
10 be conducted BY departmental boaris OF
examiners, were provided for and made
conditions OF admission to the public SER
vice. These statutes are a decision hy
Congress that examinations OF some sort,
a. TO ailainments and capacity. are essen
ual 10 the well-oelng OF the public service
The important questions since the enact
meGt of these laws have been a. 10 the
character of these examinations. and
whether official favor or partisan Influence,
or common right and merit, were to con
troll tie access 20 the examinations. In
practic-, these EXAMINATIONS have not al
to. h., -
ly. who might wish 20 be examined ON
ciai iaSorilism and partisan influence. a. a
rule. appear 10 have designated those who
alone were permitted to 90 before the ex-
aniuins boards, suoJecting even the ex-
amincr. ID pressure from the friends OF
the candidates very difficult to resist As
a consequence, the standard OF admission
fell below that which the public interest
demanded. Il was also almost Inevitable
thai system which provided for various
separate boards OF examiners. with no
common supervision or uniform method Of
procedure, should result iu coufus lion. in
consistency. and inadequate tests of capac-
ity highly Detrimental to the public Inter
ests. further and more radical change
va. obviously required.
N the annual message OF December.
$50, my predecessor declared that there
u no duty which so much embarrasses the
Executive and heads OF Departments as
that OF appointments nor Is there any
such ardaous and thanAless labor Imposed
Oh senator. aud Representatives a. that Of
nndlng places FOR constituents. The pres
cnt system does not secure the best men
and often not even tit men for TIA public
places. The elevation aud purlficatlon OF
the civil service OF the Government will be
hailed with approval bv the whole people
of the United States" Congress accor-
dingly passed the act, approved March 3.
1871. TO regulate the civil service OF the
United states and promote the efficiency
thereof" giving the necessary authority TO
the Executive 10 inaugurate a civil service
reform
Acting under this statute, which was in
terpreied as intended TO secure Il >ystem of
just aud eif-ctual examinations under uns-
form supervision, a number Of emnenlly
competent persons were selected for the
purpose, who entered with Zeal upon the
discharge OF their duties, prepared with
an Intelligent appreciation OF the require
meWs o! the service, the regulation, con
teDplaled. aud took charge of the examin-
atious. and who. IN their capacity a.
board. have been known as the "Civll-
Service Commission" Congress for two
years appropriated the money needed Tor
the compensation and for the expense OF
carrying on the work OF the Commission
IL appears from the report of the Com
mission. submitted 10 the President in
April, 1874. that examinations had been
held In yarions sections OF the country
aud that an appropriation of about S25 600
would be required 10 meet the annual ex-
peu-es. including salaries. involved in dis
charging the duties OF the Commis sion
The report was transmitted 10 Congress by
special message Of April Is, 1874, with the
following favorable comment upon the
labors of the Commission: III sustained
by Congress. have no doubt the rules car,
after the experience gained, be so improv-
ed and enforced as TO still more materially
benefit the public service and relieve the
Executive, Members of Congress. and the
heads OF departments. from Influences
prejudicial TO good administration. The
rules, a. they have hitherto been enforced,
have resulted beneficially. as Is shown by
The opinions OF the members OF the Cabinet
and their suoordinstes In the departments.
anI in that opinion concur" And in the
annual message OF December of the same
year similar views are expressed, and an
appropriation for continuing the work OF
the Commission again advised
The appropriation was not made, and. as
consequence, the active work of the
Commission was suspended. leaving the
Commission itself still 10 existence. With
out the means. therefore, of causing quail
iications to be tested In any systematic
manner. or of securing for the public SER
vice the advantages of competition upon
any extensive plan, recommended in my
annual message OF December. 1877, the
making OF an appropriation for the resump-
tion OF the work Of the Commission.
10 the meantime. however. competitive
examinations under many embarrassments
have been conducted within limited spheres
in the Executive Departments in Wash
ington. aud in a 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 instance.
they have been found to be as salutary 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
practicable. throughout the entire cis
service OF the Government, together with
ample provision for their general supervis-
ion, 10 order to secure consistency and
uniform justice.