The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-12-07
ESTABLISHED AUGUST "a: 1852.

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ing with the enlargement Of administrs
tive service, as the growth OF the countr
in population increases henumber oi OH
Gers and placemen. employed. .
The reasons are imperative for tlebdop
tiol OF tixed rules for the regulation OF 81
pointments, promotions and removals, ea
tablishing uniform method, having ex
clusively In view, IN every instance, to-
attainment OF the best qualifications 10
the position in question. Such q methoC
alone ia consistent with the equal rights o
all citizens, and the most economical ant
efficient administration Of the public busi
ness.
Competitive examinations, in aid OF i'm
partial SappoiHIments and promotions
have been conducted for some years pas
in several OF the Executive Departments
and By my direction this system hes been
adopted in the custom-houses and post
offices OF the larger cities ol the country,
In the city OF New York over two thou
sand positions in the civii'serViee have
been subject, in their appointments and
tenure OF place, to the operation OF pub
lished rules for this purpose, during the
past two years. The results OF these prac'
tical trials have been very satisfactory,
and have confirmed my opinion in favor
OF this system OF selection. All are sub
iected to the sans tests, and the result Is
Tree from prejudice by personal favor OF
partisan influence. 1t secures for the po.
sition applied for the best qualifications
attainable among the competing appli'
cauts. sit, ia an effectual protection tron
r[he pressrte0 eimportpnity which, pnder
any other course pursued, largely e1ac.s
the time and attention OF appointing otii.
GERS, to their great detriment in the dis
charge Of other official duties, preventing
the abuse Of the service for the mere fur.
therance OF private or party purposes, and
leaving the employee OF the Government,
freed from the obligations imposed By pat
ronsge, to depend solely upon merit for re-
,tention and advancements andSwith this
constant incentive 10 exeruon and i'm
provement.
These invaluable results have been at
tanned in high degree in the offices where
the rules for appointment by competitive
examination hGvesheen applied.
Z 4 method v hieh has soiappFoved itselt
by expefinientallests at poinA wheTesuch
tests NAV be fairly considered conclusive,
should be extended to all subordinate po-
sitions under the Government. believe
that strong and growing public senti.
ment demands immediate measures for
securing and enforcing the highest posi-
BILE efficiency in the civifservice, and its
protection, rom |ecoSnizsd abuses, and
that the experience referred to has de.
monstrated the feasibility OF such meas
ures.
The examinations in the custom houses
and post Offices have been held under
many embarrGssments and without pro.
vision for compensation for the extra Ia
Dor performed by the officers who have
conducted them, and whose commenlGble
interest in the improvement OF tho public
gervice has induced this devotion OF time
and labor without peCuniary rewstd. A
continuance OF these labors gratuitOusly
ought not to be expected, and without IN
appropriation BY Congress for compensa'
ton, it Is not practicable to extend the
system OF examinations generally through.
out the civil service. II is also highly i'm
portGnt that all such examinations should
be conducted upon q uniform system and
under general supervision. Section 1858
Of the Revised Statutes authorizes the
President to-prescrihe the regulations for
admission to the civil service ofthe United
States, and for this purpose 10 employ suit
able peBons to conduct the requisite in
quiries with reference TO "the fitness oi
each candidate, in respect to age, health,
character, knowledge, and ability, for the
branch aof service into,which he seeks to
enter" but the. law is practically ,inopera-
tive for, sant o. the ,Ieauisite appropria'
tlon.
Therefore recommend an appropriation
OF 81, 900 per annum to meet the expenses
OF commission, to be appointed by the
President in accordence with the terms oi
this section, whose duty It shall be to de-
vise Just, Uniform, aud efficient system
OF competitive examinations, andto super.
vise the application of the sanethrough-
out the entire civil service OF the Govern
ment. am persuaded that the facilities
which such o commission will afford for
testing the fitness OF those who apply for
Office will not only be as welcome relief
TO members oil Congress as it will be 10
the President and heRdsot Departments,
but that Il willplso greatly tend TO remove
the causes OF embarrassment which now
inevitably and constantly attend the con.
tliCling claims nl patronage between the
Legislative and, Executive Departments.
The most eGectnal. check uponthe perni-
cious Uompetition'oi influence and official
tavoritism, in the bestowal OF Office, will
be the substitution OF an open competition
OF merit between the applicants, in which
every one can make his own record with
the assurance that his success will depend
upon this alone.
also recommend such legislation as
while leaving every officer as free as any
other citizen TO express his political opin'
ions and to use his means for their ad
yancement, shall also enable him to fee
as any private citizen in refusing all de-
mands upon his salary Tor political pcr
poses. 4 law which should thus guaran
Tee true liberty and justice t0all who are
engaged in the public gervice, ard lie
wise contain stringent provisions sgainsi
the use Of Official authority to george tht
political action ot private citizens or o
official subordinates, Is greatly to be de
sired.
EVILS OF THE sPonS SYSTEM.
The most serious obstacle, however, tc
an Improvement Of the. civil service, ahc
especially toA reform ID the method o.
appointrhert and removal, has been iOunC
10 be the practice, under what is known
as thA Rpoils system, by which the Up
pointing poger hes been SO largely en-
croaChed upon by.ncmhers Of Congress
The frat Rep in The reform Of the civi
service nust> be complete divorce be
tween Congress and the Executive in the
matter Of appointments. The corruptIul
doctrine that "to the viCtors belong the
spoils," is inseparable from ConSressioua
paironagesslhs, sstabliShed rule and .prac
ti1e,of parties IN power. Il cdmes 10 bt
understood pS.RP?licantsfor otficeSand hy
the people generally, that Representative
and Senator'S are entitled 10 disbuse tht
patronage OF thHir respective districts ant
states. It is not necessary to reciie a
IGuEth the eYils resulting from this ipya
sion ol the Executive functions. Tht
true principle OF government on the sub
ject OF appointments TO office, % stated II
The National Conventions OF the .lesdini