The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-12-04

II
nlgnly satisfactory, i thought il desirable to
have fuller information upon thes1bject, ana
SScc ,e9 requested the Chairman Of the
th 1oISsb''cs eG5nIssion 70 make
pose. The result has been an elab-
o ora can and comprehensive report. The report
sets forth the histcry.-of the PARTISAN sspoils
| system in Great Britain, and Of the rise and
la ot the parliamentary patronage, and OF
ohciaI interference with the freedom of cleo
tons 1t shows that after long trials of va
nous Kinds OF examinations, those which are
| competitive and open on eqlIal terms to all,
and Nshfeh are carried on under the superin-
tendence of single commission, have
conditions of admission to almests@evcry
/ official place in the subordinate admins
! Eatfon Of that country and OF British India.
extent OF the labor Involved in its prepare
/ ton, and the omission of Congress TO make
! any provision either for the compensation
or the expenses Of the Commission, has been
/ postponed until the preseut time. Ii is here
form measures a another 'Gosernrnerit are of
70 authorfty for ns, they are entitled 70 in
! wisdom and their adaptation TO our institutions
and social life may commend them TO
| our consideration. The views l have hereto
| fore expressed concerning the defects aud
abuses in our civil administration remain I'M
! changed, except IN 50 far as an enlarged ex-
perience hasdeepened my sense of the duty
both of officers and of the people themselves to
cooperate for their removal The grave evils
and perils OF partisan spois system of APP
pOintment TO Office and Office tenure are
now generally recognized. In the resOlu-
tons of the great parties, in the reports
OF Departmental in the debates and proceedings
of Congress, in the messages of Executives,
the gravity of these evils has been pointed
out. and the need of their reform has been adj
mitted- -Toeommand- the necessary support,
every measure of reform must be based on
common right and justice, and must be
compatible with the healthy existence
of great parties, which are inevitable and
essential in free State. When the
People ., have aytot,d apprSyedd policy at ga
GERS they have selected, and the adj
visers who, in accordance with our political in
stjtutiens, should Toe consulted in the policy
which it s their duty TO carry into effect, is in
dispensabie. IL is eminently proper that they
should explain il before the people, as well as
Illustrate its spirit in the performance of their
official duties. 1t hardly need be pointed out
thai very different considerations apply to the
greater humber Of those who fill the
subordinate places in the civil service.
Their responsibility is to their superb
ors in 'glieial' position, 1t is their duty to
obey the legal Instructions of those upon
whom that authority is devolved, andtheir best
public service consists in the discharge of
their functions irrespective of partisan pol
fitics. Their duties are the same whatever
party is in power, and whatever policy pre-
walls. As a consequence, it follows that their
tenure of office should not depend upon the
prevalence of any policy or the supremacy of
any party, but should be determined by their
capacity to serve the people most uSefully quite
tbat is Should govern the te s
should also prevail in the appointment, dis
cipline and removal Of these subordfnates.
The authority of appointment and removal is
not a. perQufSite which may be used to aid
friend or reward a partisan, but is q trust to
be exercised in the public interest, under all
the sanctions which attend the obligation to
. apply the public funds only for public pur
poses. Every citizen has an equal right 10 the
honor and profit IF entering the public service
IF ne fry n n
elimination is the measure of character and
capacity he has TO make that service most use
full to the people.
Except in cases where, upon just and recOg>
niZed principles, as upon the theory of pen
sions, offices and promotions are bestowed as
rewards for past services, their bestoWal upon
any theory which diSregardS personal merit is
an act Vfinjusuce to the citizen, as web as
breach Of that trust subject 10 which the ap-
pointing power is held. In the light of these
principles it becomes Of great Importance
provide just and adequate means, especially
FOR every department and large administrative
once, where personal DISCRIMINATION on the
part of its head is not practicable for ascer-
tanning those qualifications to which appoint
ments and removals should have reference.
70 fail TO provide such means is not only
to deny the opportunity OF ascertalning the
facts upon which the most righteous claim TO
Office depends, but of necessity to discourage
all worthy aspirants by handing over ap-
pointments and removals TO mere influence
and favoritism. If it is the right of the
worthiest claimant to gain the appointment,
and the interest of the people to bestow 1t
upon him, it would seem clear that a wise
and just method of ascertaining per
sonal fitness for office must needs be
an important and permanent function
of every just and wise Government. 1t has
long since become impossible in the great Of
fees for those having the duty of nomination
and appointment to personally examine il'to
the individual qualifications of more than
small proportion of those seeking office, and
with the enlargement of Civil Service that pro-
become
earlier years of the G oyernment the subordl-
nate Offices were so few in number that il WAS
quite easy for those making appointments and
promotions TO personally ascertain the merits
of candidates. Party managers and methOd1
had not then become powerful agents OF CO.
ercion hostile to the free and just exercise or
the appointing power. A large and respOn.
sible part of the duty of restoring the Civil
Service TO the desired purity and efficiency
rests upon the President; and it has been my
PURPOSE TO do what is within my power TO adj
vance 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 sat
tsfactory TO free and intelligent
people by q proper exercise of authority.
1t is in the power of the Executive to do much
to PrSgmo,te such Isf2rms bur t. cannot dnt DC
can be accomplished without cooperation on
the part OF Congress, and considerate and in
telligcnt support among the people. Reforms
which challenge the generally accepted theO- 4
rfes of parties and demand changes in the 4
methods of departments are not the work Of 4
day. Their permanent foundation must be
laid in sound principles and in an experience
which demonstrates their wisdom and exposes
Che eTTDrs OF their adveTsaries.
= Every worthy officer desires TO make his or
fcial action an honor to his country. But the
people themselves, far more than their officers
In public station, are int erested IN pure, eco
nomical and vigorous Administration. BY
laws enacted in 1855 and 1850 and now in sub
stance incorporated in the Revised Statutes,
the practice of arbitrary appointments TO the
several subordinate grades in the great De
partments was condemned, and examine
tons as TO capacity, 10 be conducted by the !
departmental Boards of Examiners, were /
provflf,d for and made conditions of admission
10 the public service, These statutes are a de-
cision hYCongreSs that examinations of some
sort as to attainments and capacity are essen
tial to the well-being of the 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 common right and
merit were 10 control the access to the exaIni-
nations. In Jpractfce Rthese examine
to worthy persons generally who might wish !
to be examined. Official favoritism and
partisan induence, 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 candidates very difficult to re-
Sist. As a consequence, the standard of adj
mission fell below that which the public in
tereSt demanded. It was almost inevitable
TINT a system which provided for various
separate Boards OF Examiners. with no com
mon supervision or uniform method of pro-
cedure, should result in confusion, inconsist-
ency, and inadequate tests of capacity highly
detrimental TO the public interest. A further
and more rs.dieal change was obviously re-
Quired In the annual message OF Decem-
Der, 1870, my predecessor declared that
there is no duty which so much embar- I
raises the Executive and heads of Depart
ments as that of appointments. nor is there any
such arduous duties and thankless labor Inn
posed on Senator'S and Representatives as that
of finding places fer constituents. The pres Il
ent system does not secure the best men, and
often not even it men, for the public places.
The elevation and publication of the Civil
Service of the Government will be hailed with
nnnrnval by The whole neOnle of the United