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

and recognized principles, rs upon the
theory of pensions. offices and promotions
are bestowed as rewards for past services.
Their bestowal upon any theory which
diSregardS personal merit is AN act or IN
Justice to the citizen us well as breach
of that trust subject to which the appoint
ing power is held, In the light of these
principles il becomes OF great Importance
10 provide lust and adequate means. eS-
pecially for every department and large
administrative office where personal dis
elimination on the part of its head Is not
practicable for aScertalnlng those quail
liCations to which appointments ana re-
mOyalS should have reference. TO fdll
to provide such means IS not only To u"hy
the opportunity of asCertainlng facts up
on which the most righteous claims to0t-
flee depend, but of necessity to dlScour-
age all worthy aSplrantS by handing over
appointments and removals To mere lililn-
ence and faVOrltiSm. II IL Is The rlght OF
the wOrthest claimant To gam the ap-
pOintment, aud the interest OF the people
to bestow it upon limit would seem clear
that wise and Just method OF ascertain
ing personal fitness for Ollice must needs
be an important and permanent Junction
OF every just and wise government. 1t
has long since become impossible, IN the
great Offices, for those having the duty OF
nomination and appointment To person
ally examine into the Individual qudllll-
cations of more than Il small proportion
of those seeking office, and with The en-
largement of the civil service that pro-
portion must continue to become Tess. III
the earlier years of the government me
subordinate Offices were 50 few IN mum
Der that it was quite easy for those max
ing appointments and promotions TO per
SOnally ascertain the merits OF TIE callul-
dates. Party managers ana IhelhouS iiau
not then become powerful agents OF CO.
erCiOn hostile To the Tree ANA just tAtf-
else of the appointing power.
A large and responsible part OF the
duty of restoring the civil service to the
desired purity and efficiency rests upon
the president; and it has been my pur-
pose to do what Is III my power 10 al
vance such prudent and gradual meas
ureS of reform as will most surely ana
RAPIDLY bring about that radical change
of system essential to make our admins
tratlve methods satisfactory To Tree ana
intelligent people by a proper exercise OF
authority. 1t Is in the power OF the eX-
ecutive to do much To promote such
reform, but it cannot be too clearly un
derstood that nothing adequate can be
accomplished without cooperation on
the part of congress ana considerable ana
intelligent support among the people.
Reforms winch challenge the generally
accepted theories OF parties ana demand
changes in the methods OF departments
are not the work of day. Their perma-
uent foundation must be laid in sound
principles and in an experience which
demonstrates their wisdom and exposes
the errors of their adversaries. Every
worthy officer desires to make his Oliicnl
action an honor to his country. But tie
people themselves, far more than Their
officers in public station, are interested
in pure, economical, ana vigorous al
miniStration. BY laws enacted III 1858
and 1875, ana now i'll substance lncorpO-
rated in the revised statutes, the practice
of arbitrary appointments To the several
subordinate grades in the great depart
mentS WAS condemned, and examinations
as to capacity, to be conducted by the
departmental boards of examiners, were
provided for and made conditions of az
mission to the public service. These
statutes are a decision 10y congress that
examinations of some sort as To attain.
ments and capacity are essential to the
weIl-beng of the pubic service. The
important questions since the enactment
OF these laws have been rs to the charac-
nniciaI favor and partisan influence or
cninmon right and merit were Ia control
the access to the examinations. In prac-
tea these eyaminations have NOT always
been omen to worthy persons generally
Who p,i%ht wish tn he examined OniriaI
f,vnritism and PARTISAN influence M a
mia anne,r tn have designated those
who alone were permitted to go before
t ,I,e evaminars to q nressIIre from The
fr;.nds of thn candidates very dinirnIt to
raS;nt ., cnnseomance tIn Standard
~ ,In,iss;nn faii haInw that which tha
UuiI;n intaraot dam,nded If U,u 1Innet
mai - system which nrnvidpd
fnr v,rin,,s eanorata hn.rds nt nv,minars
,,,i,,' mn nn,n,ro,, Snnervision or mnifnrn,
, m,,I ~, of ,rnnaInre shnmid resnIt in
nn,' enS,,, ,irnnnsistencv and inadan,ota
taais Of n,nncitS hinhIy datrinentdI ~
Lo nn,l;c HAM, ,i,tore,t furthar and mora
~, r',J J;.,i at,nmrra ,,1s nhvin,,slv rnCni,.aJ
i ,'' t%a C ammS9al mnessaTa nf Dncamhar