Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-12-01
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Continued from First Pags.l

II Was also almost inevitable that sys-
tenn which provided for various separate
boards of examiners, with no common
snDarvision or uniform method OF pro-
ceAnre should result in confusion, in
consistency. and inadequate tests OF ca
nacity highly detrimental 10 the public
interests. A 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 EN-
harnesses tine Executive and heads OF
departments IS that Of appointments;
nor is there any such arduous ana
thankless labor imposed on Senators and
REPRESENTATIVES rs that Of finding places
for constituents. The present system
does not secure the best men, and often
not even lit men for the public places.
The elevation aud publication OF the
civil service Oi the government VIII De
hailed with approval by the whole peO-
ME of the United States Congress ac-
cordinglv passed the act, approved
March 3. 1871, ITO regulate the civil ser
vie, of the United States, and promote
the efficiency thereof giving the neces-
sary authority % the Executive to inau-
gurate 4 civil service reform.
Acting under this statute, which was
Interpreted rs intended % secure syS-
tenn OF Just and eisectual examinations
under uniform supervision, a number
of emiuent'y competent persons were
selected Tor the purpose, who entered
with zeal upon the discharge OF their du-
ties, prepared, with an intelligent APP
probation of the requirements OF the
service, the regulations contemplated,
and took charge of the examinations,
and who. i'm their capacity as board,
have been known as the "Ciyil-Serylce
Commission" Congress Tor two years
appropriated the money needed for the
c6mpensation and for the expense OF
carving on the work OF the Commits
sion.
1t appears from the report OF the Com
mission, submitted 20 the President IN
April, 1874, that examinations had been
held i'm various sections OF the country,
and that an appropriation OF about So
600 would be required 10 meet the an
nual expenses, including salaries, in
Volved in diScharging the duties OF the
Commission. The report was trans
mittcd to Congress by special message
of April Is. 1874. with the following IN
yorable comment upon the lahOrs Of the
Commissions: "If sustained by Con-
preSs. | have no doubt the rules can,
after the experience gained, be so inn
proved and enforced rs 10 still more ben
etit the public service and relieve the
Executive, members OF Congress, and
the heads of departments, from inHu-
ences prejudicial to good administration.
The rules. rs they have hitherto been
enforced have resulted benehcially, as
il shown bv the opinions of the MEM
hers ofthe cabinet and their subOrdinateS
i'm the departments, and IN that opinion
| concur" And i'm the annual message
OF December of the same year similar
views are expressed and an approprla-
ton flrcOntinuing the work OF the Com
mission again advised.
The appropriation was not made, and,
rs q consequence, the active work OF the
commission was suspended, leaving the
commission itself still IN existence.
Without the means therefore, OF causing
publications % bee tested IN any sys-
tematic manner, or OF securing for the
public service the advantages of COM
petition upon any extensive plan,
recommended in my annual message o;
December, 1877, the making OF an ap
preparation for the commission.
Inthe meantime, however, COMPETE
tive examinations under many embar-
rlSuents have been conducted within
limited spheres i'm the Executive De
partmcntS i'm Washington, and In a
number Of the custom houses and post
offices of the principal cities Of the
country. with a view 10 further test
their effects and i'm every instance,
they have been found % be as
saiutarv "a they are stated 70
have been under the admlniStra-
ton Of my predecessor. l think the
economy. purity, and efficiency Of the
pubir service would Dee greatly pro
NOTED vthpir systematic Introduction,
wherever practicable. throughout the
entire civil service Ui the government,
together with ample supervision, in
order to secure consistency and uniform
justice.
Reports from the Secretary OF the In
teriur. from 'uc Unconstitutional
from the postmaster in the city OF New
York. vLer, such examinations have
been sometime on trial, and also from
the collector Ui the port, the naval
officer. ami the surveyor in that city,
and from the u1-tmaStrrs and collectors
i'm several at the other large cities, show
that the competitive system, where APP
piled. has. i'm various ways, contributed
10 improve the public service.
The reports show that the results
have been Sdiutary m 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 otii-
GERS. I'm the city of New York especially,
bear decided testimony 10 the utility OF
open competitive examinations M their
respective offices. showing that these
examinations. and the excellent Quallh-
cations oi those admitted tu the service
through them. have hat a marked Incl
dental effect upon the persons previous
lv i'm the service. and particularly upon
those aspiring o. promotion. There has
been. on the part Of these latter, an in
creased interest in the work, and de
sire % extend acquaintance with it be-
yonl the peculiar desk occupied, and
thus the morale of the entire force has
noon RAISED. The eNamina-
HONS IItlNt ''f'l'lI tA'fN'tf wv
zrnS who have had an opportunity to
thoroughly investigate the scope and
character Of the tests AMI the method OF
determining the results. and those visit
ors have. without exception, approved
the methods employed, and several of
them have publicly atte,ted their favor
able opinion.
Cpou such considerations, ! deem it
nav dutv o. renew the recommendation
contained I'm my annual message Of De-
cemhcr. l~17, requesting Congress to
make the necessary Appropriation for
the resumption of the work of the Civil
Service Commission. Economy will be
promoted by authorizing q moderate
compensation % persons ia the public
service who may perform extra labor
upon or under the Commission, As the
Executive may direct.
I am convinced that IL q Just and ade-
.ouate test Ofmerit Is enforced for admis-
60, o., thu rubItIs sArxfpp and IN making