Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-12-03
AN & STATE JOURNAL. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8 1879

whom thnt authority Ia devolved, and their best
pnblic service consists in the discharge Of their
functions irrespective Of partisan politics Their
| duties are the same, whatever party IL in power
and whatever policy prevails. Az consequence
y follows that their tenure Of office should no,
| depend on tho prevalence Of any policy or the
supremacy Of any party, but should be deter
mined by their capacity 10 serve the people most
usefully, quite irrespective Of partisan inter
| ests. The same considerations that should gov
| ern the tenure should also prevail in the ap-
pointment, discipline and removal Of these sub.
ordnates. The authority Of appointment and re-
mloval Is not perquiste which may be used 10
aid friend or reward partisan but IL trust to
he exercised In the public interest under all the
sanctions which attend the obligation to apply the
public funds only for public purposes.
Every citizen has an equal right to the honor
and profit OF entering the public service of his
country. The only just ground Of discrimination
is the measure OF character and capacity he has
TO make that service most useful To the people
Except In cases where, upon Just and recognized
principles, as upon the theory Of pensions offices
and promotions are bestowed as rewards for past
services, their bestowal upon any theory which
disregards personal merit IL act Of Injustice to
the citizen. ne well as breach Of that trust sub
iect to which the appointing power is held
In the light Of these principles, 1t becomes Of
great importance TO provide Just and adequate
means, especially for every department, and large
and administrative office. where personal discrim-
nation on the part Of Its head IL not practicable,
Tor ascertaining those qualifications to which APP
To fail to provide such means is 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 aspi-
rants by handing over appointments and removals
to mere influence and favoritism. II II Is the
right OF the worthiest claimant TO gain the APP
pointment, and the interest Of the people to be-
stow 1t upon him, 1t would seem clear that n wise
and Just method Of ascertaining personal fitness
for office must be an important and permanent
junction OF every just and wise government. IL
has long since become impossible In the great
offices, for those having the duty Of nomination
and appointment to personally examine into the
proportion Of those seeking office; and with the
enlargement Of the civil service, that proportion
must continue to become less In the earlier
years OF the government, the subordinate offices
were so few in number that 1t was quite easy for
those making appointments and promotions to
personally ascertain the merits of candidates
Party managers and methods had not then be-
come powerful agencies OF coercion, hostile to the
Tree and just exercise Of the appointing power.
large and responsible part Of the duty of re-
storing the civil service to the desired purity and
efficiency rests upon the president, and 1t is my
purpose to do what Is within my power to adj
vance such prudent and gradual measures of re-
form rs will most surely and rapidly bring about
that radical change Of system essential to make
our administrative methods satisfactory to free
and Intelligent people. BY proper exercise Of
authority, IL Is in the power of the executive to
do much to promote such reform But IL cannot
be too clearly understood that nothing adequate
can be accomplished without cooperation on the
part OF congress and considerable and intelligent
support among the people. Reforms which chal-
lenge the generally accepted theories OF parties,
and demand changes in the methods of depart
ments, are not the work of a day. Their per-
manent foundations must be laid In sound princi-
pies and In an experience which demonstrates
their wisdom and exposes the errors Of their ad-
versaries. Every worthy officer desires to make
his official action gain and an honor to his coun-
try, but the people themselves, far more than
their officers in public station, interested in
pure, economical and vigorous administration.
THE HISTORY OF THE REFORM
By laws enacted in 1853 and 1866 and now in
substance incorporated in the Revised Statutes
the practice OF arbitrary appointments to the sew
eral subordinate grades in the great departments
was condemned, and examinations "a to the ca
pacity, to be conducted bv departmental boards
OF examiners were provided for and made cOndi-
tons OF admission TO the public service These
statutes are n decision by congress that examine
tons OF some sort as to attainments and ca
pacty are essential tn the well-being OF the pub
lie service. The important questions since the en-
actment of these laws have been as to the charac-
ter OF these examinations. and whether official
favor and partisan influence or common right and
merit we're to control the access to these exam
nations. In practice these examinations have
not always been open to worthy persons gener-
ally, who might wish to be examined Official
favoritism and partisan influence, as rue ap-
pear to have designated those who alone were
permitted to 90 before the examining boards,
snbiecting even the examiners to pressure from
the friends of the candidates very difficult to re-
sst. As consequence, the standard Of adms-
sion fell below that which the public interest de-
manded. 1t was also almost inevitable that sys-
tenn which provided for various boards of exam
ers, with no common supervision or uniform
method Of procedure, should result in confusion
and inadequate tests of capacity
highly detrimental to the public interests
further and more radical change was obviously
required.
In the annual message of December, 1870 INV
predecessor declared that there is no duty which
20 much embarrasses the executive and heads of
departments as that of appointments; nor is there
any such arduOus and thankless labor imposed on
senators and representatives as that OF finding
places for constituents The present system does
not secure the best men, and often not even fit
men for the public places The elevation and pu-
rification of the civil service OF the government
will be hailed with approval by the whole people
~ the United States" Congress accordingly
passed the act approved March 3, 1871 to regr-
late the civil service of the United States and pro-
mote the efficiency thereof" giving the necessary
to the executive to inaugurate civil
service reform. Acting under this statute, which
was interpreted a intended to secure a system of
Just and effectnal examinations under uniform
number of eminenty competent
persons were selected for the purpose, who en-
tered with zeal upon the discharge of their duties
prepared, with an intelligent appreciation of the
of the service, the regulations CON
and took charge of the examinations
and VINO, IN their CAPACITY as a board, have been
known as the "civil service commission" Con- |
gtess for two years appropriated the money
needed for the compensation and for the expense
Of carrying on the work of the commission.
1t appears from the report of the commission |
to the president in April, 1874, that |
had been held in various sections
OF the country, and that an appropriation Of about
S25,OO would be required TO meet the annual ex- |
tnNIn
ing the duties of the commission. The report was
transmitted to congress by special message of |
April Is, 1874, with the following favorable COM
ment upon the labors of the commission: " II |
sustained by congress- have no doubt the rules |
can, after the experience gained, be SO improved |
and enforced as To still more materially benefit |
the public service aud relieve the executive, men,
beers OF congress, and the heads of departments, |
from influences prejudical to good administra-
ton. The rules, as they have hitherto been en- |
forced have resulted beneticialy, As is shown by
the opinions Of the members of the cabinet and |
their subordinates in the departments, and In |
that opinion concur And Ia tue annual mes |
sage OF December of the same year similar views |
are expressed, and an appropriation Tor continu- |
ing the work OF the commission again advised |
The appropriation was not made, and as conse-
quence, the active work of the commission was |
suspended, leaving the commission itself still In
existence. Without the means, therefore, OF |
causing qualifications to be tested in any system
attic manner, or OF securing for the public SER |
vice the advantages OF competition upon any ex- |
tensive plan, recommended in my annual mes |
sage of December, 1877, the making OF an appro-
priation for the resumption OF the work Of the |
THE PRESENT PRACTICE OF EXAMINATIONS
In the meantime, however, competitive ex- |
aninatons under many embarrassments have |
been conducted within limited spheres ia the ex- |
ecutiye departments in Washington, and In "A |
nunJer Of the custom-houses and post offices of |
the principal cities of the country, with a 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 |
81 my predecessor think the economy, purity, |
and efficiency OF the public service would be |
greatly promoted by their systematic introduce |
ton, wherever practicable throughout the entire |
civil service OF the government together with |
ample provision for their general supervision, In
order 10 secure consistency and uniform justice. |
Reports from the secretary of the Interior from
the postnaster-general, from the postmaster iu |
the city Of New York, where such examinations
have been some time ON trial, and also from the |
collector Of the port, the naval officer, and the
surveyor in that city, and ffom the postmasters |
and collectors in several OF the other large cities
show that the competitive system, when applied |
has, In various ways, contributed to improve the |
public service. The reports show that the results |
have been salutary in n marked degree and that |
the general application OF similar rules cannot fail
to be Of decided benefit to the service The re- |
ports Of the government officers, in the city of |
New York especially, bear decided testimony to |
the utility OF open competitive examinations In |
their respective offices, showing that these ex- |
aminations, and the excellent qualifications OF |
those admitted Ia the service through them, have
Lad al