The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-12-09


conducted for some years past in several OF the
Executive Departments and by my direction
this system has been adopted in the custom
houses and postoffices Of the larger cities Of
the country. In the City of New York over
two thousand positions In the civil service have
been subject in their appointments and tenure
of place. TO the operation Of published rules
for this purpose, during the past two years.
The results of these practical trials have been
very satisfactory, and have confirmed my opin-
ion in favor of this system OF selection. All
are subjected to the same tests, and the result
10 free from prejudice by personal favor or par
tisan influence II secures for the position ap-
piled for, the best qualifications attainable
among tine competing applicants. 1t is an eff
fectual protection from the pressure OF impor-
tunity which, under any other course pursued,
largely exacts the time and attention OF ap-
pointing officers, to their great detTiment in the
discharge of other official duties preventing
the abuse of the service for the mere further
ance of private or party purposes, and leaving
the employ of the Government, freed from the
obligations imposed by patronage to depend
solely upon merit for retention and advance
ment, and with this constant incentive, exertlon
and Improvement
These invaluable results have been attained
in high degree in the Offices where the rules
for appointment by competitive examination
have been applied.
A method which has 80 approved itself by
experimental tests at points where such tests
NAV be fairly considered conclusive, should be
extended to all subordinate positions under the
Government. l believe that strong and
growing public sentiment demands immediate
measures for securing and enforcing the high
est possible efficiency in the Civil Service, and
its protection from recognized abuses, and that
the experience referred to has demonstrated
the feasibility Of such measures.
The examinations in the Custom-Houses and
Postoffices have been held under many embar-
rassments and without provision for compensa-
ton for the extra labor performed by the OIL
GERS who have conducted them, and whose COM
menable interest in the Improvement OF the
public service has induced this devotion OF time
and labor without pecuniary reward. A con-
tinuance of these labors gratuitOHsly ought not
TO be expected, and without an appropriation
by Congress for compensation, it is not practic-
ble TO extend the system of competitive ex-
aminations generally throughout the Civil Ser
vice. It also highly important that all such
examinations should sbe conducted upon
.uniform system, and under general
superyision. Section 1853 of the Revised
Statutes authorizes the President to prescribe
the regulations for admission to the Civil Ser
wee of the United States and for this purpose
TO employ suitable persons to conduct the re-
uuisite inquiries with reference to 'the fitness
Of each candidate, in respect to age, health,
character, knowledge, and ability, FOR the
branch of service into which he seeks to enter"
but the law is practically imperative Tor want
of the requisite appropriation.
I therefore recommend an Appropriation OF
1926. 900 per annum to meet the expenses of
commission, to be appointed by the President
in accordance with the terms Of this section,
whose duty it shall be to devise just uniform
and efficient system Of competitive examlna-
tions, and TO supervise the application OF the
same throughout the entire civil service OF the
Government. am persuaded that the tacll-
ties which such commission Will a1ord Tor
testing the fitness of those who apply for
office will not only be as welcome areief to mem
bers Of Congress as it will be to the President
and heads of Departments, but that it will also
greatly tend to remove the causes of embaTrass-
ment which now inevitably and constantly at
tend the conflicting claims of patronage be-
tween the legislative and executive depart
ments.
THE "sPoILs SYSTEM"
The most serious obstacle however, to an i'm
provement of the civil service, and especially to
a reform in the method of appointment and re-
moyal, has been found to be the practice, under
what is known as the ''spoils system" bywhich
the appointing power has been 80 largely en-
croached upon by members of Congress. The
first step in the reform of the civil service must
be a complete divorce between Congress and
the Executive in the matter of appointments.
The corruptng doctrine that ''to the victors be-
long the spoils" is inseparable from Congress
sional patronage as the established rule and
practice of parties in power. 1t comes
to be understood by applicants for office,
and by the people generally, that Representa-
tiyes aid Senators are entitled to disburse the
patronage of their respective districts and
States. 1t is not necessary to recite at length
the evils resulting from this invasion Of the
Executive functions The true principles of
government on the subject of appointments to
Office, as stated in the National Conventions of
the leading parties of the country have again
and again been approved by the American peo-
pie, and have not been called inquestiOn in any
quarter. These authentic expressions of pub
lie opinion upon this all-impOrtant subject, are
the statement of principles that belong to the
constitutional structure of the Government.
1t is therefore recommended that an act be
passed defining the relations of members of
Congress with respect to appointment to Office
by the President, and l also recommend that
the provisions Of Section 1,767, and of the Sec
tions following, of the Revised Statutes, COM
prising the tenure-ofoffiCe act of March 2, 1867,
be repealed.
Believing that to reform the system and
methods Of the civil service in our country is
one of the highest and most imperative duties
of craftsmanship, and that it can be perma-
nently done only by the cooperation Of the
Legislative and executive departments of the
Government. again commend the whole sub
jeCt to your considerate attention.
PoLYGANY.
The Mormon sectarian organization which
upholds polygamy has the whole power Of MAX
ing and executing the local legislation of the
Territory BY its control of the grand and
petit juries, it possesses large influence over
the administration of justice. Exercising as
the heads of this sect do, the local political
power of tue Territory, they are able to
make effective their hostility to the law of Con-
gress on the subject Of polygamy and, in fact,
do prevent its enforcement. Polygamy will not
he abolished if the enforcement Of the law de-
pends on those who practice and uphold the
crime. 1t can only be suppressed by taking
away the political power Of the sect which en-
courages and sustains it. 1t controls now one
of our wealthiest and most populous Terrific
ries. 1t is extending steadily into other Terri
tories. Wherever it goes 1t establishes polyg-
amy and sectarian political power. Religious
liberty and the separation Of Church and State
are among the elementary ideas Of free insti-
tutions. To re-establish the interests and prin-
ciples which polygamy and Mormonism have
imperiled, and to fully reopen to intelligent
and virtuous immigrants Of all creeds that part
of our domain which has been, in q great de-
gree, closed to general immigration by intoler-
ant and immoral institutions, it is recon-
mended that the Government of the Territory
of Utah be reorganized.
recommend that Congress provide for the
Government of Utah by Governor and judges,
or commissioners, appointed by the President
and confirmed by the Senate-a government
analogous to the Provisional Government estab-
lished for the Territory northwest of the Ohio,
by the ordinance of 1887. If, however, it is
deemed best to continue the existing form Of
local government, l recommend that the right
to vote, hold office, and sit on juries in the
Territory of Utah, be confined to those who
neither practice nor uphold polygamy. If thor
ough measures are adopted it is believed that
within few years the evils which now affiict
Utah will be eradicated.
EopTrrNR nav TNJuRIFg