The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1880-12-09

| PURPOSES,
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
iments. This may be fairly considered conclusive,
and should be extenped to all subordinate positions
under the government. l believe that strong and
growing public sentimen: demands immediate meas
ures for securing and enforcing the highest possible
efficiency in the civil services, and its protection
from recognized abuse, and that the experience
ferred to has demonstrated the feasibility of such
measures. The examinations in custom houses and
postoftces have been held under many embarass-
ments and without provision for compensation for
extra labor performed by the officers who
have conducted them, and whose commendable
interest in the improvement of the public service
has induced this devotion of time and labor without
pecuniary reward. continuance of these labors
gratuously ought not to be expected, without
appropriation by congress for compensation it is
not practicable to extend the system of examination
throughout the civil service 1t is highly important
that all such examinations should be conducted up
on uniform system and under general supervision.
Section 1888 OF the revised statutes authorizes the
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,
branch of service into which he seeks to enter:
but the law Is practically imperative Tor the want
of requisite appropriations. l therefore recon-
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 devisea dust,
uniform and efficient system OF competitive exam
nation, or to supervise the application of the
throughout the entire civil service of the govern
ment. I am persuaded that the facilities which
the fitness Of those who apply for
>ofice will not only be as welcome
relief to members of congress, as it will be to the
president and heads of the departments, but that
it will also tend to remove the causes of embarrass
ment which now inevitably and constantly attend
the conflicting claims of patronage between the
efectual check upon this perncious competition of
influence and official favortisn in the bestowal Of
Office, will be the substitution Of an open competi-
ton of merit between the applicants, in which
the assurance that his success will
depend upon this alone. I also recommend
free as any other citizen to express his political
opinions and to his for their advancement
shall also enable him to feel safe any private
citizen in refusing all demands on his salary for
political purposes. law which should thus
guarantee
TRUE LIBERTY AND JUSTICE TO ALL
contain stringent provisions against the of Off
cia authority to the political action of pri
vate citizens or official subordinates, is greatly to
improvement of the civil service and especially
to a reform in the method of appointment and re-
moval, has been found to be the practice under
appointing power has been so largely encroached
on by members of congress. The first step in the
reform of the civil service must be complete di
vorce between congress and the executive in the
matter of appointments. The corrupting doctrine
that Ito the victor belongs the spoils' is insep-
ar: arabic from congressional patronage. as
in power. 1t comes to he understood by applicants
for office. and by the people generally. that repre-
sentatives and senator's entitled to disburse the
patronage, of their respective districts and
States. It is not necessary to rece, at length the
evils resulting from this invasion of the executive
functions. The true principles Of government, on
the subject OF appointments to office, as stated in
the national conventions of the leading parties of
the country, have again and again been approvedby
the American people, and have not been called in
sions of public opinion upon this al-importantsub-
ject are
THE STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES
that belong to the constitutional structure of the
government. Under the constitution the president
and heads of departments, are to make nominations
for office, the senate is to confirm appointing nts
and the house Of representatives is to accuse and
the public service demands that these distinctions
be respected that senators and representatives who
may be judges and accusers should not dictate APP
pointments to office. To this erd the cooperation
Of the legislative department of the government is
required alike by the necessities of the case and by
public opinion; Members of congress will not be
roleVeu IRON Tue demands made upon them with
reference to appointments to Office until by legisa
tive enactment the pernicious practice is condemned
and forbidden. It is therefore recommended that
an act lie passed defining the relations Of members
Of congress with regard to appointment to Office by
the president, and also recommend that the pro-
vision of section l,767 and of the sections follow
ing Of the revised statutes, comprising the tenure
of Office act Of March 2, 1867. be repealed Be-
lieving that to reform the system and methods of
civil service In our country Is one of the highest
and most imperative duties of craftsmanship, and
that it can be permanently done only by the CO.
operation of the legislative and executive depart
ments of the government, again commend the
whole subject to your considerable attention.