Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-12-05

almost every official place in the subordinate ad-
mnistration of that country and OF British In
| extent Of the labor involved in it's preparation,
and the omission of Congress 10 make any pro
vision either for the compensation or the eN-
penses Of the Com mission has been postponed
until the present time. IL is herewith trans
While the reform measures OF another Gov
ernment are of no authority for us, they are en-
titled to influence, to the extent TO whicn their
| intrinsic wisdom, and their adaptation to our
| institutions and social life may commend them
The views have heretofore expressed concern
| ing the defects and abuses in our civil adminis-
tration remains unchanged, except in 80 far as
an enlarged experience has deepencd my sense
| themselves to cooperate for their removal. The
| grave evils and perils Of partsan-spoils system
| of appointment TO Office and of Office tenure, are
| now generally recognized In the resolutions of
the great parties, in the repOrts OF Departments,
in the debates and proceedings OF Congress, IN
evils has been pointed out and the need of their
reform has been admitted.
| To command the necessary support, every
measure of reform must be based on common
| right and Justice; and must be compatible win
the healthy existence Of great parties; "hicn are
| VIXEN che people nave approved policy at a
National election, confidence on the, part of the
1 officers they have selected and of the advisers
| who, in accordance with our political institu-
| tions should be consulted, in the policy which
ii is their duty to carry into effect Is indlHpenBa
| Bile. II is emInently proper that they should ex
plain it before the people, well as illustrate its
spirit in the performance OF thelroifcial duties.
| Very different considerations apply to the
| greater number of those who fill the subordinate
| places in the civil service Their responsibility
| is to their superiors in official pOaitIon. Ii Is
their duty to obey the legal Instructions of those
| upon whom that authority is devolved, and their
best public service consists in the discharge of
their functions irrespective of partisan politics.
| Their duties are the same, whatever party Ii IN
power and whatever policy prevails. AS con-
| should not depend on the prevalence of any pol
| icy or the supremacy oi any party, but should
| people most usefullv, quite irrespective of par
| tisan interests. The same considerations that
should govern the tenure should also preyail in
| the appointment. discipline and removal OF these
subordinates; The authority of appointment
| and removal is not perquis1te, which may be
used to aid friend or reward a partisan, but is
der all the sanctions which attend the obligation
to apply the public funds only for public pur-
Every citizen has an equal right to the honor
| and profit of entering the public service of his
country. The only Just ground OF discrlmina-
| tion is the measure of character and capacity he
| has to make that service most useful to the peO-
pie. Except in cases where upon Just and
sions, offices and promotions are bestowed as re-
wards for past services their bestowal upon any
| theory which disregards personal merit is an act
of injustice to the citizen as well as breach of
that trust subject to which the appointing power
In the light of these principles, it becomes of
great Importance to provide Just and adequate
| means, especially for every department, and
| large administrative office. where personal dis
criminaton on the part of it's head is not practi-
cable, for ascertaining those qualifications to
| which appointments and removals should have
reference. To fail to provide such means If not
only to deny the opportunity OF ascertaining the
facts upon which the most righteous claim to
office depends, but, Of necessity, to discourage
all worthy aspirants, by handing over appoint.
ments and REMOVALS to mere s Inb1 influence % and md
worthiest claimant to gain the appointment, and
the interest of the people to bestow it upon him,
| it would seem clear that wise and Just method
of ascertaining personal fitness for office must
he important and permanent function OF
every lust and wise 9h ro.t ~ e mas long &
those having the duty OF nomination and ap-
pointment 70 personally examine into the indi-
portion of those seeking Office; and. with the en-
largement of the civil service, that proportion
In the earlier years of the Government the
subordinate offices were so few in number that
it was quite easy for those making appointments
and promotions to personally ascertain the meT-
| its of candidates. Party managers and methods
| had not then become powerful agencies of coer-
cion, hostile to the free and Just exercise OF the
appointing power.
A large and responsible part of the duty of re-
storing the civil service to the desired purity and
efficiency rests upon the President and it is my
purpose to do what is within my power to adj
vance such prudent and gradual measures OF re
form as will most surely and rapidly bring about
that radical change of system essential to make
| our administrative methods satisfactory to q free
| and intelligent people. BY proper exercise of
| authority IL is in the power of the Executive to
Go much to promote such reform. But it can
not he too clearly understood that nothing ade-
quate can be accomplished without cooperation
on the part of Congress, and cOnsiderate and in
| teligent support among the people. Reforms
| which challenge the generally accepted theories
of parties ana demand changes in the methods
of departments, are not the work of day. Their
permanent foundations must be lald IN sound
principles, and IN an experience which Demon
strates their wisdom and exposes the errors or
their adversaries. Every worthy officer desires
to make his official action gain and an honor to
his country but the people themselves, far more
than their officers in public station, are inter-
ested in pure, economical and vigorous admin
istration.
| substance incorporated in the Revised Statutes,
the practice of arbitrary appointments To the sew
Was condemned and examinations as to capacity
to be conducted by departmental boards OF eX-
aminers were provided for and made conditions
of admission TO the public service. These stat
utes are a decision by Congress that examina;
tions of some sort as to atfaihnments hni ana ma
public service. The important questions since
the enactment of these laws have been as to the
character of these examinations and whether
| official favor and partisan influence, or CON-
mon right and merit, were to control the ac-
cess to the examinations. IN practlce'
these examinations have not always been
open to worthy persons generally, who
might wish to be examined Official favor
itism and partisan influence as a rule, appear To
have designated those " ho alone were permitted
to go before the examining boards, sublectlng
even the examiners to pressure from tne trlenos
| of the candidates very difficult to resist. As a
, | conseauence the standard of admission fell be-
low that which the public interest demanded. IL
was also almost inevitable that system which
, provided for various separate boards of exam
| iners with no common supervision or uniform
method of procedure, should resHlt IN eoninslqQn,
highly detrimental to the public interests. A
further and more radical change was obviously
In the annual message of December, 1870, my
, | predecessor declared that there is no duty
which so much embarrasses the Executive and
heads of departments as that of appointments; (;
, nor is there any such HrduOus and thankless Ia
bor imposed on Senators and Representatives as
that of finding places for constituents. Inc
| and often not even fit men for the public places.
The elevation and publication OF the Slyli SerY-
: , | ice of the Government will be hailed with ap,
proyal by the whole people of the United States.
, | Congress accordingly passed the act, approved
/ | March g. 1871. to regulate the Civil Service OF
! | the United States and promote the efficiency
! thereof" giving the necessary authority 70 the
Executive to inauguarate aClVll-nerVlee tSelorm'
: Acting under this statute, which was inter;
Drsted a. intended to secure a system of just and
: effectual examination under uniform super
: vision, a number of eminently competent per,
sons were selected for the purpose, who entered
with zeal upon the discharge OF their duties pre-
pared, with an intelligent appreciation OF the
reouirements of the service, the regulations con-
Z temniated and took charge of the examinations,
: and who, in their capacity as board nave peen
. known as the Civil Service Commission. Oon-
nea5sd for The Compensate on and for the expense
i Of carrying ON the work of the Commission.
II appears from the report of the C9mmg,i!ssRl3n mn! R
4 eIsminations had been held in various seotions
d Of the country, and that an appropriation OF
G about $500 would be required TO meet the an
nnSI eSpenses, including salaries, involved In
; dischsreing the duties of the Commission. The
; report was transmitted 70 Congress by special
n Fayora6le comment upon the labors of the
z Commission; I" II sustained by Cengres1Ss, sS.
is / have no doubt the rules can. after the
e experiencs gained. be so improved and en-,
y forced as to still more materially benehs
IS The public service and relieve the EXECUTIVE
J. Membsrs OF Congress and the heads OF Depart
l. ments from Influences prejudicial TO good Ad-
ministration. The rules, as they have hitherto
Il been enforced, have resulted beuehelaliy, as
shown by the opinions Of the members on tts
Cabinet aud their subordinAtes in the Depart
m ments. and in that opinion i concur, Ana N
= the annual mefsage OF Decemper OF tn0 SAINT SAINT
N wear similar views are expressed, ana an apptV
priation for continuing the work OF the Commia-
le sion again advised. =. - .