The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-12-09
COMPETITIVE EpucAr1nn.

| tinl appointments and promotions, have been
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
| is free from prejudice by personal favor or par
tisan influence. 1t 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
| largely exacts the time and attention of ap-
pointing officers to their great detriment in the
| discharge of other official duties, preventing
| the abuseof 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, exertion
| 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 SO approved itself by
| experimental tests at points where such tests
extended to all subordinate positions under the
| Government. 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
Po5toffices have been held under many embar-
rassments and without provision for compensa-
| ton for the extra labor performed by the Off
| 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 gratuitously ought not
| to be expected, and without an appropriation
| by Congress for compensation, it is not practic-
BILE to extend the system Of competitive ex-
| aminations generally throughout the Civil Ser
vice. 1t is also highly important that all such
! examinations should be conducted upon
uniform system, and under general
| supervision. Section 1,753 of the Revised
Statutes authorizes the President to prescribe
| the regulations for admission to the Civil Ser
| vice of the United States, and for this purpose
/ to employ suitable persons to conduct the re-
| auisite 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 for want
| of the requisite appropriation.
| I therefore recommend an appropriation OF
| $25, 900 per annum to meet the expenses of q
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 examina-
tions, and To supervise the application of the
same throughout the entire civil service of the
Government. am persuaded that the facili-
ties which such commission will afford for
testing the fitness of those who apply for
Office will not only be as welcome arelief 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 embarrass
ment which now inevitably and constantly at
tend the conflicting claims Of patronage be.
tween the legislative and executive, depart
ments.
THE sfsPoILs SYSTEM"
The most serious obstacle, however, to an i'm
provement of the civil service and especially tx
a reform in the method of appointment and re
moval, has been found to be the practice undel
what is known as the "spoils system" by which
the appointing power has been SO largely en-
croached upon by members of Congress. Th,
first step in the reform of the civil service mus
be complete divorce between Congress anC
the Executive in the matter of appointments
The corrupting doctrine that "to the victors be
long the spoils' is inseparable from Congress
sional patronage as the established rule ant
practice of parties in power. 1t come
to be understood by applicants for Office
and by the people generally, that Representa-
tives aad Senators are entitled to disburse tn,
|
States. 1t is not necessary to recite at fengtl
the evils resulting from this invasion of tn
Executive functions. The true principles O
government on the subject of appointments t.
office, as stated in the National Conventions o
the leading parties of the country, have agail
and again been approved by the American peo
pie, and have not been called in question in an,
quarter. These authentic expressions of pub
lie opinion upon this all-important subject; ar
the statement of principles that belong to tn
| tnfI 0f fha
1t is therefore recommended that an act b
passed defining the relations of members O
Congress with respect to appointment to ofic
by the President, and 1 also recommend tina
the provisions of Section ], ,767 and of the sec
tions following, of the Revised Statutes, com
prising the tenure-of-office act of March q 1867
be repealed.
Believing that to reform the system an
methods of the civil service in our country
one of the highest and most imperative dutie
of craftsmanship, and that it can be perms
nently done only by the cooperation of th
legislative and executive departments of th
Government. again commend the whole sui
ject to your considerate attention.
PoLYGAMY.
The Mormon sectarian organization whic
| upholds polygany has the whole power of mai
ing and executing the local legislation of th
Territory. By its control of the grand an
petit .juries, it possesses large influence owe
the administration of Justice. Exercising, q
the heads of this sect do, the local polite,
power Of the Territory, they are able t
make effective their hostility to the law Of Cor
gress on the subject of polygamy, and, in fac
do prevent it's enforcement. Polygamy will nc
be abolished If the enforcement of the law d.
, pends on those who practice and uphold th
crime. 1t can only be suppressed by takin
away the political power of the sect which er
courages and sustains it. 1t controls now on
of our wealthiest and most populous Terrific
ries. 1t is extending steadily into other Terr
, tories. Wherever it goes it establishes polyl
amy and sectarian political power. Religion
liberty and the separation Of Church and Stat
are among the elementary ideas of free inst
tntions. To re-establish the interests and pri1
ciples which polygamy and Mornonism hay
} imperiled, and to fully reopen to intellger
! and virtuous immigrants of oil creeds that pa
: of our domain which has been, in great d.
gree, closed to general immigration by intole
ant and immoral institutions, it is recon
mended that the Government of the Territol
) of Utah be reorganized.
I recommend that Congress provide for th
Government of Utah by Governor and judge
, or commissioners appointed by the PresideI
and confirmed by the Senate-a governmel
analogous to the Provisional Government estal
: lished for the Territory northwest of the Obi
by the ordinance Of 1887. If, however, it
! | deemed best to continue the existing form {
: | local government I recommend that the rigl
1 to vote, hold Office, and sit on juries In Il
D | Territory of Utah, be confined to those WI
= neither practice nor uphold polygamy. If tho
g ough measures are adopted, it is believed tn
p within few years the evils which now af1i
= Utah will be eradicated.
, FORTUNE BAY INJURIES.
Our relations with all foreign countries hay
r been those of undisturbed peace, and have pr
i sented no occasion for concern as to their col
i tinued maintenance.
. Within a few weeks have received a con
munication from Her Majesty's Governmen
renewing the consideration of the subject, bot
A of the Indemnity for the injuries at FortuI
!, which the previous correspondence had show
q q the two Governments to be at variance. Upc
y both these topics the disposition towards
= !, friendly agreement is manifested by a recogr