The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-12-01

IN tnelr capacity az pOdTu, nave DteI
known as the sCiyil Service Commission
Congress tor two years appropriated the
money needed for the compensation and fol
the expense of carrying on the work OF the
Commission.
1t appears from the report of the Com
mission, submitted to the President IN
April, 1874, that examinations had been
held in various sections of the country, and
that an annual appropriation of about $685.
600 would be required 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 IS, 1874, with the
following favorable comment upon the Ia
bors of the Commission: 'If sustained by
Congress, [ have no doubt the rules can,
after the experienced gained, be so I'M
proved and enforced as TO still more materi-
ally 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 enforced,
have resulted benefcially, as is shown by
the opinions of the members of the Cabinet
and their subordinates in the departments,
and in that opinion l concur And in
the annual message of December of the
an appropriation for continuing the work
of the Commission again advised.
The appropriation was not made, and, as
a consequence, the active work of the Com
mission was suspended, leaving the Com
mission itself still in existence. Without
the means, therefore, of causing qualifica.
tiOns to be tested in any systematic manner,
or of securing for the public service the
advantages of competition upon any extern
sive plan, 1 recommended in my annual
message of December, 1877, the making of
an appropriation for the resumption of
the work OF the Commission.
In the meantime, however, competitive
examinations under many endorsements
have been conducted within limited spheres
in the Executive Departments in Washing
ton, and in a number of the custom houses
and postoffices of the principal cities of the
country, with view to further test their
effects, and, in every instance, they have
been found TO be as salutary as they are
stated to have been Under the admInIstra-
ton OF my predecessor. l think the econ
omy, purity and efficiency of the public
service would be greatly promoted by their
systematic introduction, wherever practica.
BILE, throughout the entire civil service of
the government, together with ample pro-
vision for their general supervision, in
order to secure consistency and uniform
justice.
Reports from the Secretary of the Interior,
from the Postmaster General, from the
postmaster IN the city of New York, where
such examinations have been sometime on
trial, and also from the collector of the
port, the naval officer, and the surveyor in
that city, and from the postmasters and
collectors in several of the other largo
cities, show that the competitive system,
where applied, has, in various ways, con-
tributed to improve the public service.
The reports show that the results have
been salutary in a marked degree. and that
The general application of similar rules
cannot fail to be Of decided benefit to the
service.
The reports of the Government officers,
n the city of New York especially, bear de-
;lded testimony to the utility of open COM
oetitive examinations in their respective
offices, showing that 'these examinations,
Ind the excellent qualifications of those ad- |
nitted to the service through them, have |
lad marked incidental effect upon the |
persons previously in the service, and par
icularly upon those aspiring to promotion. |
There has been, on the part of these latter, |
n increased interest in the work, and de- |
Ire to extend acquaintance with it beyond
be particular desk occupied, and thus the
70rdie of the entire force has been raised.
The examinations have been
TENDED by many citizens who have had
n opportunity to thoroughly investigate
he scope and character of the tests and the
lethod of determining the results, and
hose visitors have, without exception ap-
roved the methods employed, and several
f them have publicly attested their favor
BILE opinion"
Upon such considerations, deem 1t nv
uty to renew the recommendation con
lined in my annual message of December,
SIT, requesting Congress to make the nee
ssary appropriation for the resumption of
lie work of the Civil-Service Commission.
I har tod x-o 4Hr |
moderate compensation to persons in the
ublic service who may perform extra labor :
pom or under the Commission, as the |
xecutive may direct
/ am convinced that if a Just and ade-
late test of merit is enforced for admIs-
on to the public service and in making d
,omotions, such abuses as removals with
1t good cause and partisan and official Z
reference with the proper exercise of the q
,pointing power, will IN large measure !.
sappear.
GALS. O
There are other administrative abuses TO n
hich the attention of Congress should be Il
ked in this connection. Mere partisan
,pointments, and the constant peril of re. ii
oval without cause, very naturally lead o.
an absorbing and mischievous political Ii
tivity, on the part of those thus appointed, fe
llCH not only WIN the Uue us | c.
arge ofofficial duty, but is incompatible o.
tn the freedom of elections. Not with
t warrant, in the views of several of my q
edecessOrs in the Presidential Office, and SC
rectly within the law of 1871, already b,
ed, endeavored, by regulation, made cl
the 22d day of June, 1877, to put some Nv
lsonable limits to such abuses. It NAV Ell
be easy, and 1t may never perhaps be 81
ces<ary, 10 define with precision the
1per limit of political action on the part p
Federal officers. But while their right ar
hold and freely express their opinions es
mot be questioned, 1t is very plain that
y should neither be allowed TO devote G.,
other subjects the time needed for ch
proper discharge of their official tC
les nor to use the authority of their of II
!, to enforce their own opinions, or to co. Or
e the political action OF those who hold th
ereRt opinions. hi
ASSESSMENTS ON OFFICIALS ge
reasons of justice and public policy, its
tie analogous to those which forbid the er
of official power for the oppression of oh
private citizen, impose upon tue Gov 60
ment the duty of protecting its officers so
agents from arbitrary exactions. In IA