The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1880-12-09

where tho rules for appointment by oompeti.
tive examination have been applied. A.
shown by experimental trial it may be fairly
considered conclusive that the system should
% % extended 70 oil subordinate positions under
growing public sentiment demands immediate
measures for securing and enforcing the
highest positive efficiency in the civil service
and ito protection from recognized abuses,
and that tho experience referred to has demon
strated the feasibility of such measures. The
examinations in ooeton houses and postof6o 6oes
have been held under many embarrassment
and without provision for compensation for the
extra labor performed by the officers who have
conducted them, aud whose oommendsble
interest in improvement of the public service
has induced this devotion of time and labor
without pecuniary reward. A continuance of
these iabors Gratoitously ought not to be ex-
pected. and without an appropriation
by Congress for compensation it il
not practicable to extend the system of
examination throughout tho civil service. It
10 highly important that all such e1aminations
should be conducted upon . uniform system
and under general supervision. Section l,755
OF the revised statutes authorizes the President
to pteeczibe the regulations for adniasion to
tho civil service of the United States, and for
this purpose to employ suitable persons 70 con-
older tho requisite inquiries with rofeEeooo 10
the htuess of each candidate in respect to age,
health, character. knowledge and ability for
eoter' but the law il practically imperative for
the want of requisite appropriations.
propfis.ion Of .as'oo0 SS"epe psr .nnuu an 'p, 70
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
n 4 ~.
perv:se tho application of the same through
out the entire civil service of the government.
aW persuaded that the facilities which such
commission will afford for testing the
fitness OF those who apply for Office will not
only be as welcome . relief to members of Con-
and heads of departmsnts. but that
it win also greatly tend to remove tho causes of
embarrassment which now inevitably and CON.
stantly attend the conflicting claims of patron.
age between the legislative and executive de-
partments. The most ef1ectual check upon the
pernicious competition of influence and Off
cisl favOritism in the bestowai of Office will be
the substitution of m open competition of
merit between the applicants. in which every
one can make his own record with the assurance
that bis success will depend upon this alone.
also recommend such legislation, ~, while
leaving every officer free - any other citizen to
express his Political opinions, and to use his
him to feel as safe - any private citizen in re-
fusing demands On his salary for political pur-
poses. A law which should thus guarantee true
liberty and justice to oil who are engaged in
the public service and likewise contain string
ent provisions against the use of official author
ity to coerce the political action of private cit
izens or of official subordnates, is greatly to b.
desired.
The most serious obstacle however; to an
improvement of civil service, and especially to
a reform in the method of appointment and
removal, has been found to be the practice un-
der what is known "a the spoils system, by
which the appointing power has been 30 largely
encroached on by members of Congress. The
first step in the reform of the civil service must
be complete divorce between Congress aud
the executive in the matter of appointments.
The corrupting doctrine that ito the victor
belong the spoila" is inseparable from Congress
sional patronage. Az the established rule and
practice OF parties ~ r"wer it comes to be un-
derstood by ae-...-... LIZ Offices and by the
people generally that Representative and Sen
atOrs are entitled to dlsburse the patronage of
their respective districts and States. 1t is not
necessary to recite ut length the evils resulting
from this perversiOn of the executive func-
tions. The true principles of government on
the subject of appointments to office, as stated
in the national conventions of the leading par
ties Of the country, have again and again been
approved by the American people ard have
not been called in queetion in any quarter.
These authentic expressions of public opinion
upon this all important subject are the state.
ment of principles that belong to tho consti-
tutional structure of the government. Under
the constitution, the President and heads of
departments are to make nominations for Of
flce, the Senate is to confirm the appointments
and the House of Representatives is to
accuse and prosecute faithless officers. The best
interest Of the public service demands that
tH<aca 4 ntS Sa~ASr~n H. AL A.
tors and Representatives who may be judges
and accusers should not dictate appointments
to office. To this end the cooperation of tho
legislative department Of the government is
required, alike by the necessities of tho case
and by public opinion. Members of Congress
upon them with reference to appointments to
office until by legislative enactment the per.
nicioas prsctice is condemned and forbidden.
1t IL, therefore. recommended that
an act be passed defining the re-
lations of members Of Congress
With respect to appointment to Office by the
President, and also recommend that the
provisions of section l767 and of the sections
following of the revised statutes, comprising
the term-of-office act of March 2, 1887, be re-
pealed. Believing that to reform tho system
aud methods of the civil service in our coun-
try is one of the highest and most imperative
duties of statesmanship and that it can be
the legislative and executive depart
ments of tho government, I again commend
the whole subject to your considerate atten-
tion.
PoLYaAMY.
It is the rec oenized duty and purpose of tho
people of the United States to suppr ess poly
gsmy where it now exists in Utah Territory and
to prevent its extension. Faithful and Jealous
- A~> H. L. "
officers in Utah to enforce the laws against it.
Experience has shown that leeislation upon
this subject, to be effective. requires extensive
modification aud amendment. The longer
action is delayed the more difficult it will be to
accomplish what ie desired. Prompt and
decided measures are necessary. The Mormon
sectarian organization which upholds polyRamy,
has the whole power of making and executing
the local legislation of the Territory. BY its
control of the grand and petit jurors it
large influence over tho administration of JUS
tice. Exercising, - the beads OF this sect do,
tho local political power of the Territory. they
are able to make effective their hostility to the
laws Of Congress onlthe subject of polyesmy and
will not be abolished if the enforcement OF
law depends those who practice and up
hold the crime. It can only be suppressed BY
taking away the political power Of tho sect
which encourages and sustains it. The powers
of Congress to enact suitable laws to protect
tho Territories is ample. 1t 10 not = case Tor
halfway measures. The political power of
the Mormon sect 10 increasing. 1t controls now
one of our wealthiest and most populous Ter
ritories. 1t is extending steadily into
other Territories. Wherever it goes it estab-
lishes polygamy and sectarian Political power.
The sauctity of marriage and family relations
arc tho corner stones of American society and
civilization. Religious liberty and the separ-
alton Of church and state are among tho ele-
mentary ideas of free Institutions. To re.es.
tablish the interests and principles which pe-
lygsmy aud Mormonism have imperilled, and
to fully reopen to intelligent and virtuous i'm
migrants of al other creeds the Territory
closed to general immigration by intolerant
and immoral institutions, il is recommended
that tho government of the Territory of Utah
should be Ecorganized. l recommend that
Congress provide for the government of Utah
by . governor and judges or commissioners,
appointed by the President aud confirmed by
the Senste-s government analogous to
tho provisional government established