Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-12-05
I'll. country, .. rot.rd the general diffusion Of


prosperity.
CIVIL SERVICE.
In n former message invited the attention OF
congress 10 the subject Of the reformation OF tho
civil service OF ths government. ara expressed
tue intention oi transmitting To congress as early
a. practicable report upon this rubIect by the
chairman of the civil service commission.
! In view If the facts that. during considerable
period, the government oi Great Britain has been
dealing with administrative prop ems aud
abuses In varlons paftiCulA rs analogous TO those
presented In THIS country, and that In recent
Years the measnfes adopted were understood 10
have been effective ana In every respect highly
satisfactory, thenght II dcsrabls t. have fuller
Information upon the subject. ami accordingly re :
questcd tho chairman OF the Clyil service CON.
mission 10 make thorough lnvestRatlon for
this ppipo'e. The result has been an elaborate
and compfeheHslV" report.
The report set- forth he history ofthe partisan.
sp0lls System in Great Britain and OF the rise
and fall OF the parliamentary patronage. and Of
official Interference with the freedom OF elect ons.
IL shows that after Long trials OF various Kinds OF
examinations. tho,e when are competitive and
open on equal terms 10 ali, and which are Carried
on under ths supcrlnt hdtnrr nt sHlbgle commits
SION, nave, with great advantage, been establish
"a as rOndltiuBs of admission 10 tlmOst every
Official place IN Tho snhofdhgtc adlnlnlstratlon Of
thHt country and OF British lnda The compile
ton Df Tho report owing 20 the extent ofthe tabor
| involved IN Its preparation, and tbs omission Uf
congress to make any provision either for the
cOmpcusAt on or the expense OF the commission,
has been postponed until tho present time. II 10
| herewith transmitted To congress-
While TIC reform measures OF another Cavern
ment are of NJ authority for W, they are entitled
TO influence 10 tue extent to which their Intrinsic
wIsdom and the adaptation Ia our Institutions
aud social life may commend them 10 cur consid-
| sIAtlOn.
The views have heretofore expressed CONCERN
ing The defects and abuses in our ciyl admInistri-
ton remain unchanged, except Ia 30 Tar as an
enlarged experience has dcep,ned my sense Of
Tho duty LoLn al officers and Of be people them
| selves q O-Up for their removal. The
evils and prriiS ora partisgn.apUils system Of APP
| point To Office aud Of office tenure, ars now
generally recognized In tho resoutlons OF tho
great parties. 10 tue reports OF departments In tho
! debates and proceedings OF congress. In the mes
,hgrs of executives the gravity OF these evils has
been pointed out anu the need oil their reform
has been admitted.
10 command tn. necessary support. every meas
urs OF IoiOrm mult be based on common right and
| Justice, anu mubG be compatible with the healthy
| existence OF great parucs, which are inevitable
and essential 10 great and Tres stats.
when the people have approved policy at 4
| nationh election, confidence on ths part Of tho
Officers they have ccled, and Of the advisers
wbO IN Ncc0rdeneo with our political inst tntionr
should bs consulted In the pnllcy winch i Is theit
eminrntly PROPER that they should exulain 1t be
fore the proplc as well % Illustrate It's spirit In
| the performance Of Their o1lcisl duties.
Very different considcrmtons apply TO the
| greater uum6cf nt those Wbo h,l the Huhotdinatc
|
| II 10 their rUpef1urs IN ociosl position. 1t y
| their duty TO obcy the cg.l InTtrnctioGs of those
| utOn whom that authority " tGtoyrd, aud thetr
4 beet public service consists in the discharge VI
/ th,r ID nctr0ns Irrespective Of partisan polite.
4 Their uulirs are the same, whn' ever parry Is ~
| poAer Whatever pnicy prevails. As con-
| sequence IL follows tuat their tenure or Office
6honId no. depend on the prevalence Of any
| rQi Y or tho supremacy of any party, but shon
! BIZ determined by their capacity to serve the
| people most uSelu ly quite irrespective OF part-
| lttpTphtH The considerations tllNL
should govern the tenure, sh uld alro prevail In
| tbs appointment, discipline. aud removal OF
| these ordiuatrH. Tho authority OF appoint
mcht aud emuyal Is not Il priquiaite, which may
be used ad n friend or reward II parltBan, but
Sn trust to be exercised IN tue public interest,
| uufcr ali the sanctions which attend the Obliga-
tIon TO apply the pnblic funds only for public
purposes
every citizen has an equal right 10 the honor
and piunt OF entering The public service ol hs
country. The only Just ground 0fdlscrmlnntnn,
In tue measure of character and capacity he nus
10 make that service most useful TO the people.
Except In cases where, upon Just and recognize
p ncipieu, as upon the theory OF pensions, Offices
aud promotions are bestowed az rewards for past
services, their besl0wnl upon any u cory which
disr' ga ds personal merit, Is an act or in1ustt
10 thu citizens, as well AS brearh of that trust
euhle't to which thu appointing power IL held
In tbs light Of these principles, 1t becomes OF
gIcnt Importance To provide just and adequate
menna, especially for every department, and large
administrative ollce where personal dlsciftina-
tlon on tho part Of its head Is not practicable for
polntmcnts and removals should have reference.
10 full 10 provide such means II not only TO deny
tho opportunity OF ntcerlaining inc iacls upon
which the most righteous claim to Office depends,
but, Of necessity, To discou age all worthy Hspi-
rants, by handing over appointments ana rcmoN'
nls, to mere influence and avuritism. II II liz the
right of tho worlhicst claimant TO gain the APP
pJintment, aud the interest of the people To be-
stow II upon him, 1t would seem clear that wise
md Just method OF asccrtanlng personal Illness
for office muet be nm important and permanent
function Of every Just and wiso government. u
has long since become impossible, In the great OF
lcca for those having the duty of nomination ana
appointment, 10 personally examine into me IN.
dividual qualifications OF more than small pro-
portion Of those seeking office; and, with the Gu
largcmcnt OF the civil service, that proportion
must continue to become less.
| In the earlier years Of the government, the sub.
ordinate Offices were 80 few In number TINT 1t was
| quite easy for those making appointments ana
| promotions TO personally ascertain the merits oil
| candidates. Party managers and methods had
not then become powerful agencies of coercion,
| hostile to tho free and just exercise oil inc ap
pointing power.
| largo and responsible part OF the duty of res.
| torlng The civil service TO the desired purify and
efficiency rests with tho president, and II Il my
| purpose 70 do what Ia within my power TO nd
| vance such prudent and gradual measures OF 70
| form Ms " Ill most surely and rapidly bring about
TINT radical change Of system essential TO make
| our admlni strnllye methods satisfactory To irec
and Intelligent people. By u proper exercise ei
authority, II In In the power OF the executive lo do
much to promote such reform. Hut II cannot
| be too clearly understood that nothing adequate
can be accomplished without cooperation ON the
| par, of congress aud considcrate aud Intelligent
| support among the people. Reforms which chal-
| lungc the generally accepted theories of parties,
| aud demand changes In the methods OF depart.
| mcnts. nrc not tho work Of day. Their pcrmn
| nen foundations must he laid IN sound principles
| aud In un experience which demonstrates THEFT
| wisdom aud exposes the errors Of their ndvetsar
| "a, Every worthy officer desires TO make his ut
| ncNl action gain and honor 10 his country, hut
the people themselves, far moro than their officers
| III public station are interested In pure ceonom
| icnl aud vigorous administration,
NY Laws eli sclcd In 1888 and lSn and now III sun
stance Incorporated In the Revised statutes, me
practice OF arbitrary appointments TO lha several
subordinate grades In the great dcrat tmenS Was
ConucmIpd, AMI examinations, AZ TO NAnacltt, 10
he conducted hy dcpal tmrntnl boards OF NNalnltl-
| crA were provided Tor aud mddn condl tiNnS of AL
mission Ia the publir service, These statutes arc
n decision 10y Congress thaS examination OF sumo
srt As To Instruments aud cAracity, ato essential
60 the we'll being OF the pubiic service Tue I'M
pOrt1nt queSu ms since the enactment ct these
laws have tue AS to- the character Of these exam,
nations aud whether orAcial favor and part san
influence, or common rtpht and mptlt, we're 70 ton
trOl he access To 4 a ORGANIZATIONS IN practice
th,Sa examinations hRNa ~, always been open h
worthy nO,sOns generally who might wish 10 he
examincd untc III tlvoritlsm and partisan htn.
cnCe, rs rue. appHar 10 have dcslgnalcl those
who al.no weie permitted to 20 before the eN IN.
tning boards. snnIeciing even the examiners 10 \
N...l a.. a q ..lNa N..WAa