Daily Kennebec journal., 1880-12-07

po1n'ments, promotions and removals es,.h-
ilshing uniform method having exclusively
IN view, IN every instance, the attainmen, nj
lhe oest qualifications for the position in
question. Such methed alone is consist.
eht with the equal rights of all citizens. and
tGe most economical and efficient administra.
ton OF the public business.
Competitive examinations in aid of ;mn.--
| tiai appointments and promotions, have been
conducted for some years past in several Of
| the Executive Departments. and by INV direc.
| ton tins system has been adopted in the Gus
| tom-houses and post offices of the larger
cities OF the country. In the city of New
1ork over two thousand positions in the civil
service have been subject, in their appoint-
ments and tenure of place, to the operation of
published rules for this purpose, during the
past two years. The results of these prac
tlcal trials have been very satisfactory. and
have confirmed my opinion in favor of this
| system of selection. All are subjected to the
same tests, and the result is free from pre-
JudIce by personal favor or partisan influ-
ence. 1t secures for the position applied for,
the best qualifications attainable among the
| competing applicants. 1t is an effectual pro-
| lection from the pressure of importantly
which, under any other course pursued,
| largely exacts the time and attention of ap-
pointing officers, to their great detrimen. in
the discharge of other official duties prevent
ing the abuse of the service for the mere
| furtherance of private or party purposes. and
| leaving the employe of the government, freed
from the obligations imposed by patronage.
| to depend solely upon merit for retention and
! advancement, and with this constant incen-
tive to exertion and improvement.
These invaluable results have been attain
ed in high degree in the Offices where the
rules for appointment by competitive exam
| ination have been applied.
a method which has approved itself bv ex-
perimental tests at points where such tests
| may be fairly considered conclusive, should
| be extended to all subordinate positions un-
der the government. | believe that u strong
and growing public sentiment demands mme-
diate measures for securing and enforcing
| the highest possible efficiency in the civil
service and its protection from recognized
abuses, and that the experience referred to has
demonstrated the feasibility Of such meas
ures.
The examinations in the custom houses and
posi- offices have been held under many en-
barrassments and without provision for COM
pensation for the extra labor performed by
| the officers who have conducted them. and
| whose commendabe interest in the improve
| ment of the public service has induced this
| devotion of time and labor without pecuniary
reward continuance of these labors gra-
tuitously ought not to be expected, and with
out an appropriation by Congress for com
| pens saton, it is not practicable to extend the
system of examinations generally throughout
| the civil service. 1t is also highly impor-
| tant that all such examinations should be
| conducted upon a uniform system and under
| general supervision. Section 1853 of the
| Revised Statutes authorizes the President to
prescribe the regulations for admission to the
civil service of the United States, and for
this purpose to employ suitable persons to
conduct the requisite 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 practical
| " imperative for want of the requisite ap-
| preparation.
| therefore recommend an appropriation OF
S25, 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, uni
form. and efficient system of competitive
examination, and to supervise the appilca,
ton OF tne SAINT 'nrous"'"I '"e e"',.e ~ :,
service OF the government , a"l Persu"oeu
that the iaci'i'ies "hiI" sun -,
VIII ahoru loe .est;ms .',e M. - .oI,"n,o
"ff;. - ....o-, IS Conrro.s a. Il will ha
reheI 10 s,h n,en.oe.s y, LoaSs ofdanar.u,art.
to tne freslusn' anu sne III. ,an5 70 ,amn~s
but that II VIII also grea,s .ehu ~ ~ so ;nov
the cause OF enoafr ,s. .S .ha nns;n,;no
itaoly ana cons'an',y a'aen' ..n .ne Iom;a,o,;ns
claims OF patro"age ar.nan.s ne,srem s"' Tbe most
and hxeGu.ne i.t0' tha 'ue nernic;ors CONNECT.
ehectuai check "pol, eas t,rnr;,sr,, in tho
ton OF ,hnuenee anu ;I, T ha ,ha snbst;tn,;on of
bestowai OF ohice :.: VIII &c -. Wv" ha,raon the
an open eompeti.ip" y, ""e on. r.n maLe his
applicants, IN M",sn M esery Une ,ba, h;s smc.
own rec, reeora ,n1 VIII ,mon r',e ,b;s alone
cess VIII depend upon 'n,S oh J,'Ie Ia,.,,,;on "a
also reconune"" oMo,r s".n as froe 90 any
| whiie leaving 80 ss " h;s nol;,;c.l on;n.
other CITIZEN 10 eHpfe pas ,r Fnr tbe;r advapce.
ions ana 70 use us .hia , hin, 20 feel 40 safe az
men1, sn','l a. a;.;,.n IN ratns;nc all demands
any private cl..~tn CO.. =" nn,;,;cai ,urposes. A
upon ms sa,s III ,bps auarantee true liberty
law wh.:n S,o",J ~ oi, Who are engaged in the
ana !ns',c1 20 and likewise contain stringent
puolic ser ra;ns, tho nse of official authority
provisions provision ,Sa mnl;,ical action of private cit
to coerce tne ofspai pb suborlnates is greatly to
izens OF o' o"''''
De aeS'fe'' o,,,,o,o howovor 70 an
The most serious ops''ois; o;;, .orv;cs and