The Indiana State sentinel., 1879-12-03

permanent foundatlons must be laid in sound
principles. and in an experience which demon
| strates their wisdom and ex poses the errors of
their adversarfes. Every worthy officer de-
honor to his country, but the people them
| selves, far more than their officers I'm public
| and vigorous administration,
BY laws enacted in 1853 ana 1855, and now in
substance Incorporated In the revised statutes,
| the practice of arbitrary appointments to the
several subordinate grades In the great depart
| to capacity, to be conducted by departmental
boards of examiners, were provided for and
made CONDITIONS Of a admission to the pubic
gress that examinations OF some sort, az to at
we being anp of the puc are seryiee be % hne
portant questions since the enactment OF these
laws have bsen as TO the character of these
examinations, and whether official favor and
partisan influence, or common right and
merit, were 10 control the access to the exam
nations. In practice, these examinations
have not always been open to worthy persons
generally, who might wish to be examined
rule, appear to have designated those who
alone were permitted to go before the exsmin-
4 pressure from the friends of the candidates
very difficult to resist. As consequence. the
standard 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 uniform method
of procedure, should result in confusion, in
consistency, and inadequate tests OF capacity
highly detrimental to tue public interests. A
further and more radical cnange was opvI-
ously required.
In the annual message of December 1870, my
predecessor declared that 'there is no duty
which SO much embarrasses the executive
ments; nor is there any such arduous and
thankless labor imposed on senators and re-
presentatives as that OF finding places for con-
stituents. The present system does not secure
the best men, and often not even fit men for
the public p aces. The elevation and purifi-
will be hailed with approval by the whole
people of the United States" Congress accord
ito regulate the civil service of the United
States and promote the efficiency thereof"
giving the necessary authority to the execu-
| tive to inaugurate a civil service reform.
Acting under this statute which was inter
preted as intended to secure a system of just
and effectual examinations under uniform
supervision, number of enlinently compe-
| tent persons were selected for the purpose,
who entered with yea, upon tile discharge of
their duties, prepared, with an intelligent ap
probation OF the requirements of the service,
| the regulations contem plated and took charge
of the examinations, and who, in their capac-
ity as 8 board, have been known as the "Civil
Service Commission" Congress for two years
appropriated the money needed for the COM
pensation and for the expense of carry ing on
the work of the commission.
sion submitted to the president in April, 1874,
| that examinations had been held in various
1 proppiatlon of about $4,000 would
be required to meet the annual
discharging the duties of the commission.
The report was transmitted TO Congress by
special message OF April Is, 1874, with the fol-
| lowing favorable comment upon the labors of
The commission: 'sIf sustained by Congress,
have no doubt the rules can, after the ex-
| as To still more materially benefit the public
service and relieve the executive, members OF
| Congress and the heads of departments, from
| influences prejudicial To good administration.
| The rules, as they have hitherto been en-
| reed, II ave resulted beneicially. as Is shown
bers OF the cabinet and their sub.
| on nd in he ms
| sage of December of the same year, similar
| views are expressed, and an appropriation for
| advised,
| The Appropriation was not made, and, a
sion was suspended. leaving the commission
itself still In existence without the means,
tested causing sny qaslisafens
manner, or Of securing for the
public service the advantages OF competition
| my annual message of December, 1877, the
making OF an appropriation Tor the resump-
ton of the work of the commission
In the meantime, however, competitive ex
aminlnations under many embarrassinents
/ have been conducted within limited spheres
| in the executive departments in Washington,
1 and in u number OF the Custom Houses and
/ postoffices of the principal cities of The
country, with q view TO further test their ef-
| fects and, in every instance, they have been
| found to be as s.lutary as tney are stat.d 10
have been under the administration of my
/ predecessor. 1 think the economy, purify
| and efficiency of the public service would be
L
4 duction, wherever Practicable, throu : Ia out
| the entire civil service OF the Government. to-
gether with ample provision for their general
supervision, in oruer TO secure consistency
| and uniform justice.
| Reports from the secretary OF the interior,
from the postmaster-generaI,f from the post
master In the city of New York. where such
examinations have been sometime on tri-l.
1 naval officer, and the surveyor in that city,
and from the postmasters and collectors IN
show that the competitive system.
| where applied. has, in various ways,
contributed TO improve the pn6l,o n,,s service. Boon
salutary marked degree, and that the geu-
eral application oi similar rules can not iail to
| be of decided benefit to the service.
| The reports of the Government officers, In
| the city of New York especially, bear decided
| testimony TO the utility of open competitive
examinations in their respec i've offices, show
ing that "these examinations, and the excel
| service through them. have had a marked in
cldental effect upon the persons previously in
| the service, and particularly upon those aspir
ing to promotion There has been, on the part
of these latter. an 1ncre& ed interest in the
| WORK, and desire 10 extend acquaintance
| with 1T beyond the particular desk occupied
| and thus the morale of the entire force has
| been Taisei. The examinations have
| been attended by many citizens who have had
| an opportunity to thoroughly Investigate the
| scope and character of the tests and the meth
od of Determining the results, and those Wis
methods employed, and several OF them have
publicly attested their favorable opinion"
|
duty 10 renew the recommendation contained
in my annual message of December, 1877. re-
questfng Congress to make the necessary ap
preparation for the resumption of the work of
| the civil service commission, Economy will
be promoted by authorizing moderate com
pensation to persons In the public service who
nay pc form extra labor upon or und the
commission, as the Executive may direct.
am convinced that If a Just and adequate
test OF merit is enforced for admission to the
public service and In making promotions.
such abuses as removals without good cause
| and partisan and officiai interference with The
proper exercise of the appointing power, will
i IN large m -asure disappear.
| There are other administrative abuses to
which the attention OF Congress should be
| asked in this connection. Mere partisan ap-
pofntments. and the constant peril of removal
| without cause, very naturally lead i ab-
sorbing and mscbievous political activity, on
the part of those thus appointed, which not
only tnterferes with the due Discharge OF OFF,
cfal duty, nut is incom pal ible with the fret
dom o elections Not Without warrant, in the