Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1879-12-06

|
accordingly requested the Chairman of tn,
Civil Service Commission to make q
thorough investigation for for, this Pgr
| orate and comprehensive report, The report
sets forth the history of he-partisan spoil'
system in Great Britain, and of the rise ant
| fall of the Parliamentary patronage, and OF
official interference with the freedom of elec
tions. 1t shows that after long trials of VA
rious kinds of examinations, those which arc
competitive and open on equal terms to all
and which are carried on under the supcrin
tendence of single commission, have
with great advantage been established as
conditions of admission to almost every
Official place IN the subordinate. admins
tration of TINT country and OF British India
The completion or the report, owing TO tho
extent OF the labor involved in its prepare
tion, and the omission of Congress TO make
any provision either for the compensation
or the expenses of the Commission, has been
postponed untilth present time. Ii is here
with transmitted to Congress-. While the re
form measures of another Government are oi
no authority for us, they are entitled TO in.
| wisdom'and their adaptation TO ourinstitution:
and social life may commend them tC
fore expressed concerning, the defects and
abuses in our civil administration remain un-
changed, except in so. far as an enlarged ex-
pericncc has deepened my sciise of the duty
both OF officers aud OF the pcopfo themselves tS
Cooperate for their removal The grave evil:
and perils of a partisan spoils system of mp
pointment to Office and Office tenure arc
now generally recognized. In the rcsou
tions of the great parties, I'm the reports
OF Departnfents,in in the debates aifd proceedings
the gravity of these evils has been pointed
out, and the need of their reform has been adj
mitted. To command the necessary support,
every measure of reform must be based on
common right and justice. and must be
compatible with the healthy existence
Of great parties, which are inevitable and
people have approved q policy at a
National election, confidence in the OIL
Gers they have selected, and the nd
stitutions, should be consulted in the policy
which II Is their duty to carry into effect, Is in
dispensable. 1t is emineptly proper that they
should explain it before the people, us well MS
illustrate its spirit In tho performance OF their
official duties, II hardly pced be pointed out
greater number of those who fill the
subordinate places in tho civil service.
drs dneE Is opin Is 70 ser heir spe
obey the legal instructions OF those upon
whom that authority is dcyolvcd, and their best
public service consists In the discharge of
their functions irrespective OF partisan pol
itics. Their duties are the same whafcvor
party Is in power. and whatever policy pre-
vails. As n consequence, IL follows that their
tenure OF oiiice should not depend upNn the
prevalence OF any policy' or fiic supremacy of
amy party. but should be dctermined hy their
irrespective of partisan interests. The SAME
considerations that should govern tine tenure
should also prevail in the appointment, dis
The authority OF appointment and removal is
not pcrquisite which may be used 10 aida
friend or reward. n partisan, but is a trust to
the sanctions which attend the obligation to
apply the public funds only for public pur.
poses. Every citizen has an equal right to the
OF his country. The only just ground of dis
crimination Is the measure of character and
capacity he has to make that service most use
Except IN cases where. upon just and recoe-
nized principles. as upon the theory of PEN
sions, offices and promotions are bestowed as
rewards for past scrviccs, their bestowal upon
any theory which dtsregnrds personal merit Is
an act q injustice TO the citizen, as well ns
pointing power ie held. In the light of these
principles it becomes of great Importance TO
provide just and adequate means, especially
for every department and large administrative
office, where personal discrimination ON the
part Of its head is not practicable for ascer>
tanning thcsc quufificurtons to which ippoint-
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 ap-
pointmenfs 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
and Just method of ascertaining per-
sonal fitness for Office must needs be
an Important and, permanent functisn
long since become impossible in the great Of
fees for those having the duty of noIpfnation
and am a. MapPo9tment e personally oxag,i1s i , into
small proportion of those seeking Office, and
with the enlargement of Civil Service that pro-
years of the Government the siibordi-
nate Offices were so few nnumbcr that IL WAS
quite easy for those making appointments and
promotions to personally ascertain the merits
of candidates. Party managers and methods
had not then becom9 powerful agents of CD
erufon hostile to the free and just exercise of
the appointing pehyer. A large and respon-
sible part of the duty of restoring the Civil
Service to the desired purity and efficiency
purpose to do what is within my power topd-
vance such prudent and gradual measures of
reform fs will most surely and rapidly bring
to make our administrative methods sat
TO free and Intelligent
people by by q proper exercise nf q, authority; n
to promote such reform, but IL cannot be
too clearly understood that nothing adequate
can be accomplished without cooperation on
the part of Congress, and considerate and in
tciligcnt support among the people. Reforms
which challenge the generally accepted theo-
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 advcrsaffes. t .
Every worthy officer desires to make his Of
ficial action an honor TO his country. but the
people themselves, far more than their officers
nornical and vigorous Administration. by
laws enacted in 1853 and 1855. and now in sub
stance ineorporated in the Revised Statutes, ts
several subordinate grades in the great De,
partments was condemned, and examina-
as TO 70 oe @ p sqe
provided for and made conditions of admission
10 the public service. These statutes are de-
sort as 20 attainments and capacity are esseu-
tial TO the well-being OF the public service.
The important questions since the ,enaelmenI
VI these laws have been as to the character OF
these examinations, and whether Official favor
md partisan influence, or common right and
merit were 10 control the access to the exami-
ions have not always been open
70 worthy persons generally who might wish
% be examined. Official fayoritism and
those who alone were permitted to
go before the Examining Boards, subjeoting
friends OF the candidates very difficult to re-
sist- As n consequence, the standard OF ad-
mission fell below that which the public in
which provided for various
separate Boards OF Examiners, with no com
n1n na..,1, supsrvislon or uniform method OF pro
,cuure, should result In confusion, fnconsist-
ency, and inadequatetests of capacity highly
,,,n ,otrimental to the public interest. A further
iitu more radical change was obviously re-
luired. In the annual message of Dccem-
Dcr, lS.O, my predecessor declared that
{ tnere Is no duty which so much ombar-
rasses the Executive and heads of Depart
mcnfs as that of appointments. nor is there any
'uch arduous duties and 1hnnkless labor i'm
posed on Senators and dRepresentativcs as that
Di nndlng places for Constituents. The pres
ent system does not secure the best men, and
1alen NOT even M men, for the public places
INC elevation and purification OF the Civil
Service OF the Government will be hailed with
approval by the whole people of the United
5tnfes- Congress accordingly passed the nct
approved March J. 1871, ITO regulate the
Civil Service of the United States and promote
the efficiency thcreof.' giving the necessary
to tho Executive to inauguratc a Civ
il-Servioe reforms Acting under this statute.
which was interpreted as intended to secure a
system OF just and effectual examinations un-
der uniform supervision, a number of emi-
nently competent persons were selected for
the purpose, who .entered with zeal upon the
of their duties, prepared with an in
appreciation of the requirements of
the service and the regulations contem plated,
and took charge OF the examinations, and who,
In their capacity as a Board have been known
as the Civil-Seryicc Commission. Congrez