Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1879-12-05

come powerful agencies OF coercion, hostile
to the free and just exercise Of the aP-
pointing power
A large and responsible part of the duty
Of restoring the civil service TO the desired
purity and efficiency rests upon the Presi-
dent, and it is my purpose to do what is
within my power 10 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 administrative methods satisfactory to
a free and intelligent people. By proper
exercise OF authority, it is in the power of
the Executive TO do much to promote such
a reform. But 1t cannot be too clearly un-
dersIood that nothing adequate can be ae-
cOmplished without cooperation on the
part of Congress and considerate and in
telligent support among the people. Re-
forms which challenge the generally accept
ed theories Of parties, and demand changes
in the methods of Departments, are not the
work OF day. Their permanent founda-
tion must be laid in sound principles, and
in an experience which demonstrates their
wisdom and exposes The errors Of their ad
VersarieS. Every worthy officer desires to
make bis official action gain and an hon
or to his country, but the people themselves,
far more than their officers in public sta
ton, are interested in a pure, economical,
and vigorous administration.
By laws enacted in 1858 and 1866, and
now in substance incorporated in the Re
vised Statutes, tho pratice of arbitrary ap-
pointments to the several subordinate
grades in the great departments was con-
demned, and examination as to capacity,
to be conducted by departmental boards Of
examiners, were provided for and made
conditions Of admission to the public ser
vice. These statutes are a decision by
Congress that examinations of some sort,
as to attachments and capacity, are essen
tial to the well being of Che public service.
The important questions since the enact
ment of these laws haYe been as TO the
of these examinations, and wheth-
er official favor and partisan influence, or
common right or merit were TO control the
access to the examinations. In practice
these examinations have not always been
open to worthy persons generally, who
might wish to be examined. Official pa
triotism and partisan influence, as a rule,
appear TO have designated those who alone
were permitted TO go before the Examining
Boards, subjecting even the examiners to
a pressure from the friends of the candid
ates very difficult to resist. As q eolse-
ouence the standard of admission fell be-
low that which the public interest demand
ed. 1t was almost inevitable that system
which provided for various separate Boards
Of Examiners with no common supervision
or uniform method of procedure, should
result in confusion, inconsistency, and in
adequate tests of capacity highly detri-
mental to the public interests. A further
and more radical change was obviously re-
4uired.
In the annual message Of December,
1870, my predecessor declared that ''there
IS no duty which so much embauasses the
Executive and heads of departments as that
of appointments; nor is there any such
and thankless labor imposed on
Senators and Representatives as that of
finding places for consti, uents. The pres
snt system fails to secure the best men, and
)ften not even fit men for the public places.
The elevation and publication of the civil
service of the Government will be hailed
gith approval by the whole people Of the
passed the act, approved March Sd, 1871,
'to regulate the civil service Of the United
States and promote efficiency thereof" Civ
ng the necessary authority to the Execu-
i've to inaugurale civil service reform.
Acting under this statute, which was in
as intended to secure a system OF
Just and effectual examinations under uni
iorm supervision, a number eff eminently
persons were selected for the
purpose, who entered with zeal upon the
discharge of their duties, prepared, with
IN intelligent appreciation of the re-
IuiFements OF the service, the regulations
and took charge of the ex-
and who, in their capacity as a
Board, have been known as the ''CiVil Ser
vice Commission" Congress for two years
appropriated the money needed for the
and for the expense of car
'ying on the work of the Commission.
1t appears from the report of the Com
mission, submitted to the President in
April, 1874, that examinations had been
held in various sections of the country,
md that an appropriation of about $685.
700 would be required to meet the annual
expenses, including salaries, involved in
the duties of the Commission.
The report was transmitted to Congress by
special message of April 18th, 1874, with
he following favorable comment upon the
abors of the Commission: "If sustained
1ylCongress have no doubt the rules can,
lfter tie experience gained, be so improF-
d and enforced as to still more material |
y benefit the public service and relieve |
he Executive, members of Congress, and !
he heads of departments, from influences |
)rejudicial to good administration. The |
'ules, as they have heretofore been enforc- |
ID, have resulted benefieially, as is shown |
y the opinions of the members of the Cab !
net and their subOrdinates in the depart |
nents, and in that opinion concur" And |
n the annual message of December of the |
anne year, similar views are expressed,
md an appropriation for continuing the /
york Of the Commission again advised.
The appropriation was not made, and,
IS consequence, the active work Of the |
Commission was suspended, leaving the /
Commission itself still in existence. With
jut the means, therefore, of causing quai |
fcations to be tested in any systematic |
manner, or of securing for the public ser
ice the advantages Of competition upon |
my extensive plan, l recommended in my |
nnual message of December, 1877, the |
making of an appropriation for the re-
umption Of the work Of the COmmis- |
ion.
In the meantime, however, competitive
examinations under many embarrass-
nents, have been conducted within limit |
d spheres in the Executive Departments |
n Washington, and in a number of the |
ustom housesiand. d.postofices Of the prin-
lpal cities of the country, with q view to
urther test their effects, and in every in /
tsnce, they have been found to be as sal 4
.tary as they are stated to have been un-
Ter the administration of my predecessor.
think the economy, purity and efficiency /
f the public service would be greatly pro-
noted by their systematic introduction, /
practicable, throughout the en-
ire civil service of the Government, to- 1
ether with ample provision for their gem
raj supervision, in order to secure con-
istsney and uniform justice.
Reports from the Secretary of the Inte-
ior, from the Postmaster General, from
he postmaster in the city Of New York, /
7here such examinations have been some
lines on trial, and also from the collect
r Of the port, the naval officer, and the /
urveyor of that city, and from the post
masters and collectors in several of the 9TH
r large cities, show that the competitive /
ystem, where applied, has, in various
Tays, contributed to improve the public /
ervice.
The report shows that the results have |
,een salutary in marked degree, and |
hat the general application OF similar |
ules cannot fail to be of decided benefit /
o the service.
The reports Of the Government officers,
n the city of New York especially, bear |
.ecided testimony to the utility of open |
omDetitive examinations in their resDee-