Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-12-02


pie most uscfuly, quite irrespective of parti-
san interests. The same considerations that
should govern the tenure, should also prevail
in the appointment, discipline, and removal
of these subordinates. The authority of ap-
pointment and removal is not perquisite,
which NAV be used to aid friend or reward a
partisan, but it is a trust to be exercised in the
public interest, under all the sanctions which
attend the obligation to apply the public funds
only for public purposes.
Every citizen has an equal right to the
honor and profit of entering the public service
of his country. The only just ground of dis
elimination, in the measure of character and
capacity he has to make that service most
useful to the people. Except in cases where.
upon just and recognized principles, as upon
the theory of pensions, Offices and promotions
are bestowed as rewards for past services,
their bestowal upon any theory which disre-
CARDS personal merit, in an act of injustice to
the citizen, as we'll as breach of that trust
subject to which the appointing power is held
In the light of these principles. it becomes
of great Importance to provide just and adc-
quate means, especially for every department.
sna large administrative Office, where per-
sonal discrimination on the part of its head is
not practicable, for ascertaining those quail
ficatons to which appointments and removals
should have reference. To fail to provide
such means is not only to deny the opportu-
nifty of ascertainng the facts upon which the
most righteous claim to office depends but
of necessity, to discourage all worthy aspir-
ants, by handing over appointments and re-
movals, to mere influence and favoritism. Ii
it is the right of the worthiest claimant to
gain the appointment, and TIE interest of the
people to bestow it upon him, it would seem
clear that wise and just method of ascertain
ing personal fitness for office must be an i'm
pcrtant and permanent function of every just
and wise government. 1t has long since be-
come impossible, in the great offices, for
those having the duty of nomination and ap-
pointment, to personally examine into the in
dividual qualifications of more than "A small
proportion of those seeking office; and, with
the enlargement of the civil service, that pro-
portion must continue to become less.
In the earlier years of the Government,
the subordinate offices were so few in number
that it was quite easy for those making ap-
pointments and promotions to personally as.
certain the merits of candidates. Party man
ayers and methods had not then become pow
erful agencies of coercion, hostile to the free
and just exercise of the appointing power.
A large and responsible part of the duty of
restoring the civil service to the desired puri-
ty and efficiency rests upon the President,
and it is my purpose to do what is within my
power to advance 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 satisfac-
tory to free and intelligent people. BY
a proper exercise of authority, it is in the
power of the Executive to do much to pro-
mote such reform But it cannot be too
clearly understood that nothing adequate can
be accomplished without cooperation on the
part of Congress and considerate and intelli-
gent support among the people. Reforms
which challenge the generally accepted the
ories of parties, and demand changes in the
methods of departments, are not the work of
day. Their permanent foundations must
be laid in sound principles, and in an exper-
ince which demonstrates their wisdom and
exposes the errors of their adversaries.
Every worthy officer desires to make his Of
fetal action gain and an honor to his coun-
try, but the people themselves, far more than
their officers in public station, are interested
in pure, economical, and vigorous admins
tration.
BY laws enacted in 1853 and 1850, and now
in substance incorporated in the Revised
Statutes, the practice of arbitrary appoint
ments to the several subordinate grades in
the great Departments was condemned, and
examinations, as to capacity, to be conducted
by departmental boards of examiners, were
provided for and made conditions of admis-
sion to the public service. These statutes
are decision by Congress that examina-
tions of some sort. as to attainments and
capacity, are essential to the wcll-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 or partisan inf1u
ence, or common right and merit, were to
control the access to the examinations. In
practice. these examinations have not always
been open to worthy persons generally, who
might wish to be examined. Official favor
itism and partisan influence, as rule, appear
to have designated those who alone were per-
mitted to go before the examining boards,
subjecting even the examiners to a pressure
from the friends of the candidates very diff
cult to resist. As consequence the stand
ard of admission fell below that which the
public interest demanded. 1t was also al
most inevitable that a system which provided
for various separate boards of examiners,
with no common supervision or uniform
method of procedure, should result in contu-
sion, inconsistency, and inadequate tests OF
capacity highly detrimental to the public i'll
terests. further and more radical change
was obviously required.
In the annual message of December, 1870,
my predecessor declared that 'there is no
duty which so much embarrasses the Execu-
tive and heads of Departments as that OF ap-
pontments; nor is there any such arduous
and thankless labor imposed on Senators and
Representatives as that of finding places for
constituents. The present system does not
secure the best men, and often not even fit
men for the public places. The elevation
and purifcation of the civil service of the
Government will be hailed with approval by
the whole people of the United States y
Congress accordingly passed the act, ap-
proved March 3, 1871, ''to regulate the civil
service of the United States and promote the
efficiency thereof" giving the necessary au-
thority to the Executive to inaugurate civil
service reform.
Acting under this statute, which was in
terpreted as intended to secure a system OF
Just and effectual examinations under uni
form supervision, number of eminently
competent persons were selected for the pur-
pose, who entered with zeal upon the dis
charge of their duties, prepared, with an in
telligent appreciation Of the requirements OF
the service, the regulations contemplated, ant
took charge of the examinations, and who
in their capacity as a board, have been knowr
I