The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-12-16
THE CIVIL SERVICE.
DANGERS 10 THE STABILITY OF THE COVER
MENT

DANGERS 10 THE STABILITY OF THE GOVERN
MENT.
Tn my former annual messages have asked the
attention Of congress to tho urgent necessity of
reformation Of the civil service system Of the gov
eminent. My views concerning the dangers Of pat
ronage, or appointments for personal or partisan
considerations have been strengthened by my OBJ
seryation and experience In the executive Office.
believe these dangers threaten the stability Of the
government. Aliases serious In their nature can
not be permanently tolerated. They tend to be-
come more alarming with the enlargement Of adj
mnstrative service, ~ the growth OF the country
increases the number Of officers and placement en-
ployed. The reasons are imperative for the adop-
ton Of fixed rules for tho regulation OF appoint-
ments, promotions and removals. establishing
every instance the attainment Of the best quail
fcations for the position In question. Such a
method alone is consistent with the equal rights Of
all citizens and the most economical and efficient
administration Of the public business. Competitive
examinations In aid Of impartial 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 pOstoffces of the larger cities
Of the country. In New York city, over 1000 pO-
sitions In the civil service have been subject, In
their appointments and tenure OF place, TO the ope-
ratiOns of published rules for this purpose
during the past two years. The result Of these
practical tests 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 FREQ from prejudice by personal
favor, or partisan influence. 1t secures for the
position applied for
THE BEST QUALIFICATIONS ATTAINABLE
among the competing applicants 1t Ii an efectual
protection from the pressure OF importantly which
under any other course pursued largely exacts the
time and attention Of appointing officers to their
great detriment In the discharge Of other official
duties; prevents the abuse Of the service for the
mere furtherance Of private or party purposes, and
leaving the employees of the government, freed
from the obligations imposed by patronage, to
depend solely on merit for retention and advance
ment, and with this constant incentive 20 advance
ment and Improvement. These invaluable results
have been attained In high degree in the Offices
where the rules for appointment by competitive ex-
animation have been applied, shown by the exper-
iments- This may DO fairly considered conclusive,
and should be extenped TO all subordinate positions
under the government. ! believe that a strong and
growing public sentimen demands immediate meas
ures for securing and enforcing the highest possible
efficiency In the civil services and ts protection
rom recognized abuse, and that the experience re-
erred TO has demonstrated the feasibility of such
measures The examinations In custom houses and
postoftices have been held under many embarass-