The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-12-06

work of this commission was suspended,
leaving the commission still in existence
without the means, therefore, OF causing
qualifications to be tested III any system
attic manner, of securing for the puOllc
service the advantages OF competition
upon any extensive plan. recommends
ed in my annual messa9e.of December,
1877, the making OF an appropriation Tor
the resumption of the work OF the com
mission. In the meantime, however,
competitive examinations, under many
emharraSSmeutS, have been conducted
within limited spheres III the executive
departments in Washington, ana III Il
number of the custom houses ana lne
postOnces of the principal cites ol tne
country. with a view to further test Their
effects and IN every instance lhty nave
been found to be as Salutary as lhey nave
been stated to have been under the al
miHistrltion of NV predecessor. | think
the economy. purity and efficiency OF the
public service would be greatly promoted
by their systematic Introduction, Wher-
ever practicable. throughout the entire
civil service of the government, together
with ample provision for their general
supervision, IN order to secure CONSIST
ency and uniform justice.
Reports from the secretary OF the lnte-
Il.
the postmaster in the city OF New ork,
where such examinations have been for
some time ON trial, and also from tht
collector of the port, the naval officer
and the surveyor of that city, ana from
the puStmiStprS and collect rs in several
OF the large cities show that the Compel
tive system. where applied, has in va
rIOus ways contributed to improve the
pubic service. The reports show that
the results have been Salutary III u marked
degree, and that the general Application
of similar rules cannot fail 70 be OF de-
Cided benefit to the service. The reports
of the government officers III the city OF
New York especially bear decided teStl-
mOny To the utility of
OPEN COMPETITIVE EXAMINATIONS
i'm their respective offices, showing lllaI
these examinations, and the excellent
qualifications of those admitted To the
service through them have had marked
incidental effect upon the persons preVl-
OuSly in the service, ANA particularly on
those aspiring to prOmOtlsn. Ihtre mas
been on the part of these latter an IN
creased interest in the work, ana desire
to extend acquaintance with 1t beyond
particular desk, and thus the morale of
the entire force has been raised. The eX-
aminations have been attended by many
citizens, who have had an opportunity to
thoroughly investigate the scope ana
character of the tests. and the method OF
determining the results, ana these visit
orS have, without exception, approved
the modes employrd and several ri them
have publicly atteSted their favorable
opinion upon such consideration.
deem it my duty to renew the recon-
mendatiOn contained in my annual mes
sage of December, 1877, requesting con-
gress to make the necessary approprla-
ton for the resumption of the work OF
the civll-service commission. Economy
will be promoted by authorizing moder-
ate compensation to persons III the puDllc
service who may perform extra labor
upon or under the commission as the eN-
ecutiVe may direct. am convinced l'laJ
if Just and definite test or merit Is en-
forced for admission to the pubIlc ser
vice and III making prOmouonS' Sucil
abuses as removal without good cause
aud partisan and official interference
with the proper exercise OF the appoint
ing power Will in 1t large measure ulSap-
pear. There are other administrative
abuses to which the attention of congress
should be asked III this connection. Mere
partisan appointments AMI the constant
peril of removal without cause very nat
uIally lead to an absorbing ana mlSchleV-
Gus political activity on the part OF thOSe
thus appointed, which not only lnterlertS
with the discharge of official duty, but IS
incompatible with the freedom OF cleo
tons not without warrant IN the view or
several of my predecessors III the pIesl-
Dental Office directly III accordance with
the law of 1871, already cited. endeaV.
Ored. by regulation made on tiie "a Oh
June, 1917, To put some reasonable limits
to such abuses. 1t may not be easy, and
= "A
define with precision the proper unit or
political action on the part OF federal
officers. But while their right to hold
and freely express their opinions cannot
be questioned, it is very pialn that lhey
should neither be allowed to devote TO
other subjects the time needed Tor lhe
proper discharge of their official duties,
nor to use the authority of their Office 10
enforce their own opinions. or to coerce
the political action of those who hold ar
ferent opinions. Reasons OF justice ana
public policy quite analogous to those
which forbid the use of official power for
the oppression OF the private citizen I'M
pose tupOn the government the duty OF
protecting its officers and agents from ar
bitrary eXactiOnS. In whatever aspect
considered the practice of making leVleS
for uaIty purposes upon the salaries OF
officers Is highly demOraliZing to the pub
lie service and diScredltaDle 10 the colln-
try. Though an officer should be as free
as any other citizen to give his own mon
ey IN aid of his opinions or his party, he
should also be as free as any Olhtr cltl-
zen to refuse to make such gifts. If sal
aries are but fair compensation for the
time and labor of the officers, 1t IS Il gross
injustice to levy a tax upon them. III
they are made excessive III order that
they may bear the tax, the excess Is an
indirect robbery of the public funds. l
recommend, therefore, such revision
and extension of the present statutes as
shall secure to those in every grade OF
official life orpublc employment the pro-
lection with which a great and enlight-
ened nation shall regard those who are
faithful in its service.
FOREIGN RELATIONS.