The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-12-11

ten0ence OF single commission, have
with great advantage been established as
conditions Of admission to almost every
official place in the subordinate admins.
0ation Of TINT country and Of British India.
extent of the labor involved in its prepare
ton, and the omission of Congress to make
any provteion either for. the compensation
postponed until the present time. It is here
with transmitted to Congress. While the re-
form measures of another Government are of
Sease to- he tS IN
wisdom and their adaptation to our institutions
and social life may commend them to
S f"re co aHnes Toe views have nereto
abuses in our civil administration remain UNI
changed, except in SO far as an enlarged ex-
perience has deepened my sense of the duty
Cooperate for their removal. The grave evils
and perils Of a partisan spoils system of APP
pointment to office and office tenure are
now generally recognized. In the resolu-
tiOns of the great parties, In the reports
Of Departments, in the debates and proceedings
of Congress. in the messages of Executives,
out, and the need of their reform has been ad-
mitted. To command the necessary support,
every measure of reform must be based on
compatible with the healthy existence
of great parties, which are inevitable and
essential in free State. When the
National n esctoapp e Confidence n tie at o
GERS they have selected. and the ad-
vsers who, in accordance with our political in
situations, should be consulted in the policy
which 1t is their duty to carry into effect, is in
dispensable. 1t is emnently proper that they
should explain it before the people, as well rs
Illustrate its spirit in the performance of their
that very different considerations apply to the
greater number of those who fill the
subordinate places in the civi! service.
ors in official position. 1t is their duty to
obey the legal instructions of those upon
whom that authority isdevolvcd, and their best
pubic service consists IN the discharge 81
itics. Their duties are the same whatever
party is in power, and whatever policy pre-
tenure If oce shoad not depend npon the
prevalence OF any policy or the supremacy of
any party, but should be determined by their
capacity to serve the people most uscfully. quite
irrespective of partisan interests. The same
considerations that should govern the tenure
should also prevail in the appointment, dis
cipline and removal of these subordinates.
not perQuisite which may be used to aid q
friend or reward partisan. but is trust to
be exercised in the public interest. under all
apply the public funds only for public pur-
poses. 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,
criUinatiOn 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 of injustice to the citizen, as well as
breach of that trust subject to which the APP
pointing power is held. In the light of these
it becomes of great importance to
provide Just and aae9aa'e means especially
office, where personal discrimination on the
part of its head is not practicable tor ascer-
tanning those qualifications to which appoint-
ments and removals should have reference.
To fail to provide such means is not only
to deny the opportunity of ascertaining the
facts upon which the most righteous claim to
Office depends, but of necessity to discourage
all worthy aspirants by handing over APP
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 it
upon him, it would seem clear that wise
and just method of ascertaining per-
sonal fitness for office must needs be
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 into
the individual qualifications of more than a
small proportion of those seeking office, and
with the enlargement of Civil Service that pro-
portion must continue to become less. In the
earlier years of the G overnment the s,lbOrdi-
nate offices were so few in number that it was
quite easy for those making appointments and
promotions to personally ascertain the merits
had not then become powerful agents of co.
erciOn hostile to the free and just exercise of
the appointing power. A large and respon-
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 nd.
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
isfactory to free and intelligent
It is in the power of the Executive to do much
to promote such a reform, but it cannot be
too clearly understood that nothing adequate
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-
ries of parties and demand changes in the
methods of departments are not the work OF
n day. Their permanent 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 off
fetal action an honor to his country. But the
people themselves, far more than their officers
in public station. are interested in apure, eco
nomical and vigorous Administration. By
laws enacted in 1858 and 1857 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
tions as to capacity, to be conducted by the
Departmental Boards of Examiners, were
to the public service. These statutes are de
cisiOn by Congress that examinations OF some
sort as to attainments and capacity are essen
tial to the wel-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 to control the access to the exami-
nations. In practice these examine
tons have not always been open
to worthy persons generally who might wish
to be examined. Official favoritism and
partisan influence, as a rule, appear to have
designated those who alone were permitted to
go before the Examining Boards. subjecting
even the Examiners to 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. 1t was almost inevitable
that that system which provided Tor various
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 radical change was obviously re-
quircd. In the annual message of Deccm-
Der, 1870, my predecessor declared that
rasscs the Executive and heads of Depart
mcnts as that of appointments, nor is there any
such ardUouS duties and thankless labor inn
posed on and so as that
ent system does not secure the best mon, and
often not even fit men, for the public places.
The elevation and publication of the Civil
Service of the Government will be hailed with
approval by the whole people Of the United
States" Congress accordingly passed the act
approved March 3. 1871. "TO regulate the
Civil Service of the United States and promote
the efficiency thereof" giving the necessary
authority to the Executive to inaugurate q Civ.
ilService reform. Acting under this statute,
which was interpreted as intended to secure q
system of just and ctfectual examinations un.
der uniform supervision, number of emf
nently competent persons were selected for
the purpose, who entered with zeal upon the
of their duties prepared with an in
telligent appreciation of the requirements Of
the service and the regulations contemplated,
and took charge of the examinations, and who,
in their capacity as Board, have been known
rs the CiVil-Servicc Commission. Congress
for two years appropriated the money needed
for the compensation and for the expense
of carrying on the work of the Commits
sion. 1t appears from the report of the Com
mission, submitted to the President in April,
1871, that examinations had been held in
various sections of the country, and that an
appropriation of about 900 would be re-
quircd to meet the annual expenses, including
salaries, involved in discharging the duties of
the Commission. The report was transmitted
to Congress by special message of April IL,
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