New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-12-01


were provided for and made conditions of admission
10 the public These statutes arc deoison
by Congress that examinations OF some sort as %
attannents and capacity are essential 10 the we'll
being of the public service. The important ques-
tons since the enactmeut of these laws nave oeen
as TO the character e these EXAMINATIONS, anu
whether official favori and partisan influence or
common right and merit were 10 control tie access
to the examinations. In practice these examina-
tions have not always been open to worthy persons
generally who might wish 10 be examined official
favoritisu and partisan influence. as rule, appear
10 have designated those who alone were permitted
10 go before the examining boards, suolecI-
ing even the examiners To pressure from
the friends Of tue candidates very diihc
cult to resist As consequence. the standard OF
admission fell below that which the public inter-
est demanded 1t almost inevitable that a
system which provided for various separate boards
of examiners, with no common supervision OF uni
form method of procedure should result IN cohiu-
sion. Inconsistency and inadequate tests OF ca
pacity, highly detrimental to the public interest.
A further and more radical change was obviously
required. In the annual MESSAGE OF December.
1870 my predecessor declared that there Is 10
duty which much embaIrasses the Executive
and heads OF departments that Of appointments,
il there any such arduous and thankess labor
imposed an Senators and Representatives as that Of
finding places for constituents. The present system
does not the best men, and often rot TT men,
for the public places. The elevation and purlhca-
ton OF the Civil Service a the Goyernment VIII be
hailed with apnroval by the whole people OF the
United Statcs.' Congress accordingly passed tne
act approved March 3, 1871. " to regulate me
Civil Service of the United States and promote the
efficiency thereof giving the necessary authority
10 the Executive % institute Civil Service re-
form.
WORK FOR TIE COMMISSION.
Acting under this statute, winch was interpreted
as intended to secure system OF just and eiiecual
examinations. under uniform supervision. num-
Der of eminently competent persons were selected
for he PURPOSE who entered with zeal upon the
discharge Of their duties. prepared with an inteli-
gent appreciation OF the TeQuiremeDte OF the scr
vice the regulations contemplated and took charge
Of ~ a. /
n board, have been known rs the " civil Service
Commission" Conrress for two years appropri,
afcd the money needed for the COMPENSATION and
for the of carrying thc work of the conf
mission. u appears from the report of the commits
SION, submitted On the President in April 1874 that
examinations had been held in various sections OF
the country and that an appropriation Of about
$4,000 would be required to meet the annual ex-
penscs. including salaries involved IN dischaTgng
the duties Of the commission.
The report was Transmitted 70 Congress by special
message OF April Is, 1874, with the following ia
vorable comment upon the labors of tho commits
sion - II sustained by Congress. have no doubt
the rules can, after the experience gained, be so
I impr0vcd and enforced az to still more materially
benefit the puhc service and relieve the txecu-
tive. members Of Congress aud the heads of depart
ments from Influences rreiudicia to good admins
frafion. The rules, rs they have hitherto be en-
forced have resulted benefcially rs is shown by
the opinions Of the members of the Cabinet ana
their hoTdnates IN the departments, and in that
opinion concur" And in the animal message OF
December of the same wear siinilar views are eX-
pressed, and appropriation for continuing the
work of the commission again advised. The APP
pr0priation was not made and, as q consequence,
The active work of the commission was suspended.
leaving the commission itself still in existence.
without the means. therefore. OF causing
qualifications 10 be tested III any systematic man
ncr of securing for the public service the advan-
tages OF competition upon any extensive plah,
recommended IN my annual message OF December,
1877. the making OF an appropriation Tor the re-
sumption OF the work OF The comm Sslon: IN the
meantime however. competitive examinations,
under many embarraSsments have been conducted.
within limited spheres. in the executive depart
meutS in Washington and in number of the Gus
tom Houses and Post Offices of The principal cities
of the country with n view 10 further test their eff
fects and IN every instance they have been found
70 be salutary aS they are stated to have been
under the adniinistration OF INV predecessor think
the economy purity and efficiency OF the pubic ser
vice would be greatly promoted by their !
systematic introduction, wherever practicahle,
throughout the entire Civil Service OF the Gov |
eminent together with ample provision for their
general supervision, IN order to secure consistency
and uniform Justice. Reports from the Secretary o
the Interior, from the POStmaS'erGenera from the
Postmaster in the City of Newiork where such eN-
aminatiOrS have been some time on trial, aud also
from the Collector OF the Port the Naval Officer and
the Surveyor that city, and from the pOstmasters
and collectors in several of the her large cities
show that the competitive system, where arphcd |
has in various ways contributed TO improve the |
urblic service The reports show that the results |
have been sanitary in marked degree. and that the
fail to be of decided benefit to the service. |
The reports of the Government officers Ia The !
City Of New-York, especially bear decided test- |
20 the utility Of0pen competitive examinations
in their respective Offices, showing that these ex-
amuatIons aud the EXCELLENT Qualifcst atoms of those
admitted to the service through them have had -
marked incidental effect upon the persons pre-
vi0usly i'll the service ana particularly upon tG"se
of these latter increased interest III the work.
and desire to extend acquaintance whit beyond
particular desk and thus the morale of the entire
attended by many cllzens,, VINO nave hau gu
opportunity to thoroughly invest .at The
sSSp' method Of determining the results and
those visitors have. without exception. approved
the modes employed. and several OF them have pup
lictly attesed their favorable opinion upon such
considerations" / deem il my duty TO renew the
recommendation contained in my ANIMAL message
% December ST.. requesting Congress 10 make the
necessary appropriation for the resumption of the
work of the Civil Service Commission: Economy
viii be promoted by authorizing moderate com
pensation to persons in the pubic service who may
perform extra labor upon or under the COMMISSION
as the Executive may direct.
] am convinced that II a just and definite test OF
merit IA enforced for admission to the public service
and in making promotions, snch abuses as removal
without good cause and partisan ana 9fhclal inter-
ference with the proper exercise OF the appointing
power, will, in large measure. disappear. There
are her administrative abuses 10 which the atten
ton nf Congress should be asked IN this connection
Mere part appointment and the constant peril OF
removal without canse very naturally lead 10 an
absorbing aud nischievous political activity on the
part of those thus appointed. winch not only inter
feres with the due discharge of official duty but rs
Incompatible with the freedom of elections. Not
without warrant in the yiew Of several OF my pre-
decessOrs ia the Presidential Office and directly III
accordance with the law of 1871, already cited.
cndeavOred, by regulation made on the 22d of June
1877. to put some reasonable limits TO such abuses
POLITICAL ACTION OF FEDERAL orFICE-HoLDERs.
II may not be easy, and II may never perhaps, be
necessary. to define with precision the proper limit
of political action the part of Federal officers. But
while their right TO hold and freely express their
opinions cannot he questioned, il Is very plain that
they should neither DO allowed 10 devote Ia other
subjects the time needed for the proper discharge OF
their official duties to the authority of their
Office TO force their opinions, TO coerce the
political action OF those who hold different opinions