The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1879-12-06


appropriated the money needed for the com
pensation and for the expense of carrying or
the work Of the commission.
IL appears from the report of the commits
sion, submitted to the president in April, 1874
that examinations had been held in various
sections OF the country. and that an ap
P Be REQUIRED " to meet the a %1u.e
expenses, including salaries, Involved in
discharging the duties OF the commission
The report was transmitted to Congress by
special message OF April Is, 1874, with the fol-
lowing favorable comment upon the labors oil
the commission: "If sustained by Congress,
have no doubt the rules can, after the ex
perience gained, be so improved and enforced
as To still more materially benefit the public
Congress and the heads of departments, from
Influences prejudicial To good administration
The rules, as they have hitherto been en-
forced. have resulted benehcially. as Is shown
bers Of the cabinet and their sub
ordinates In the departments, and In that
sage of Of December of the same year. similar
views are expressed, and an appropriation for
continuing the work Of the commission again
The appropriation was not made, and, a
consequence, the active work of the commits
sion s, was ,suspenSSd: Leaving the commission
therefore, OF causing qualifications
to be tested In any systematic
5 Of securing for the
upon any extensive plan, recommended In
my annual message of December, 1877, the
making Of an appropriation tor the resump-
In the meantime, however, competitive OK +.
amininations under many embarrassments
In the executive departments in Washington,
and in number OF the Custom Houses and
postoffices of the principal cities of the
fects, 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. l think the economy, purity
and efficiency of the public service would be
greatly promoted by their systematic Intro
duction, wherever practicable, throughout
the entire civil service of the Government, to-
gether with ample provision for their general
supervision, In oroer to secure consistency
and uniform justice.
from the acknowledgement, from tue post
master In the city of New York, where such
examinations have been sometime on trisl,
and also from the collector of the port, the
naval officer, and the surveyor in that city,
and from the pOstmasters and collectors In
several of the other large cities,
where applied, has, In various ways,
TO improve the public service.
The reports show that the results have been
salutary IN marked degree, and that the gen.
eral application OF similar rules can not fall to
be of decided benefit to the service.
The reports of the Government officers In
the city OF New York especially, bear decided
examinations in their respective offices show
Ing that "these examinations, and the excel
lent qualifications Of those admitted to the
service through them, have had marked In
cldental effect upon the persons previously in
the service, and particularly upon those asplr-
ing 10 promotion. There has been, on the part
of these latter, an increased Interest In the
work, and a desire to extend acquaintance
with II beyond the particular desk occupied,
and thus the morale Of the entire force has
been attended by many citizens who have had
An opportunity to thoroughly investigate the
cd OF deter mining the results and those Wis.
itOrs have, without exception, approved the
methods employed, and several of them have
publicly arrested their favorable opinion"
Upon such considerations. | deem II my
duty 10 renew the recommendation contained
In my annual message of December, 1877, re-
questtng Congress to make the necessary ap.
for the resumption OF the work of
the civil service commission. Economy will
be promoted by authorizing moderate com
pensatiOn to persons in the public service who
may pc form extra labor upon or under the
as the executive may direct.
am convinced that IL just and adequate
test of merit is enforced for admission to the
public service and In making promotions,
such abuses as removals without good cause
and partisan and official Interference with the
proper exercise OF the appointing power, will
I'm large IN asure disappear.
There are other administrative abuses to
which the attention of Congress should be
pOintments. and the constant peril of removal
without cause, very naturally lead 10 an alb
sorbing and mischievous political activity, on
the part Of those thus appointed, which not
only interferes with the due discharge of off,
cial duty. but is Incompatible with the free
dom o reflections. Not without warrant, in the
office, and directly within the
law of 1871, already cited, endeavored, by
regulation, made ON the I'D day Of June, 1871,
10 put some reasonable limits to such abuses.
It may not be easy, and 1t may never perhaps
be necessary, to define with precision the
proper limit of political action on the part OF
rl.tl l.at~ rlfwl.k
aud freely express their opinions can not be
questioned, 1t Is very plain that they should
neither be allowed to devote to other subjects
the time needed for the proper discharge OF
their official duties, nor to use the authority
Of their office to enforce their own opinions,
DR. to coerce the political action OF those who
hold different opinions.
Reasons of justice and public policy. quite
analogous TO those which forbid the use OF
official power for the oppression of the pri-
vate citizen, impose upon the Government
the duty OF protecting Its officers and agents
from, arbitrary exactiOns. In whatever aspect
considered. the practice of making levles, for
upon s nabs SCI d
to the country. Though an
officer should he as free as any other citizen
s e should also be o. free as any
other citizen to refuse to make such gifts. III
salaries are but fair compensation for the
tice to levy a tax upon them. II they are
made excessive In order that they may bear
the tax, the excess Is an indirect robbery of
I recommend, therefore, such revision and
extension Of present statutes as shall secure
to those in every grade of official life or public
the protection with which
gre and enlightened nation should guard
those who are faithful in It's service.
Our relations with foreign countries have
With Great Britain there are still unsettled
questions, growing out OF the local laws of the
provinces and the action of provin-
los ba n ~
rights secured by treaty to American fisher.
men. The United States minister In London
b as been n, Instructed TO present demand for
American citizens at Fortune Bay Of the 9Th
day of January, 1878. The subject has been
taken into consideration by the BRITISH Gov
and an early reply Is anticl lated.
Upon the completion OF the necessary pre-.
examinations, the subject of our par
ticipation In the provincial nsherles, as regn-
or the British Government with
view to an early and permanent settlement Of
the Whole question Which was Sny semPora
Efforts have been made TO obtain the re-
moval of restrictions found injurious to the
exPortatl0n Oh cate 20 .ne Eniee cr Sa
regard to the rescue and saving OF life and
property on the lakes, which has resulted In
lations of tue Dominion Government on the
subject, In the interest OF humanity and COM
merce.
In dccOIudnCc WITH tue JOlut EcsOiutiOu Vi
the last session OF Congress, commissioners
were appointed to represent the United States
at the two international exhibitions In Aus
tralia, one of which is now In progress at
sydney, and the other to be held next year at
Melbourne. A desire has been expressed by
our merchants and manufacturers interested
In the important and growing trade with Aus
tralia, that an increased provision should be
made by Congress for the representation of
our Industries at the Melbourne exhibition Of
next year, and the subject is respectfully SUBJ
mitted to your favorable consideration.
The assent of the Government has been
given to the landing, on the coast OF Massa-
chusetts, OF new aud independent trans
atlantic cable between France. by the way OF