The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-10-07

~ Why clerk who is to be en-
ployed in filing and classifying papers
should be selected solely with refer
encc to his knowledge of astronomy OF
the case with which he can give the
length drivers in South America, will
ever remain mystery to those who
are not admitted to the inner circle OF
the aforesaid tomfoolery. Such com.
pctitivc examination may be great
business principle, but no bank, manu-.
factory, or mercantile house can be
found in any nation on the globe in
which il is Known National Repub.
lcan.
The above is the stock argument
with that class who favor the spoils
system, and think the opposition to the
spoils system is utterly annhilated by
sligmatizing it as "snivel service re-
FORM" But little common sense
shows that the same rules cannot apply
to private business and the affairs of
the government in selecting employees.
In private business the manager is
absolute, and can and will select for
his service such persons as suit himself.
OF half dozen applicants for n posi-
ton he may not always select the one
best qualified. In fact he cannot do so
without giving each trial. lie is in
fluenced by circumstances. The rec
ommcndation of friends, personal APP
pearance, perhaps adroitness in fiat
terry, or some chance circumstance of
the moment, may determine his choice.
where he is not influenced by personal
favor. But however he makes his Sc.
lection, and whether it be good or bad,
no one else has any right to object, or
to claim that he ought to have given all
AN equal chance, and made his choice
by some definite rule. That this same
mode of choosing should be the rule in
the government service does not fol-
low The "tomfoolery" is in imagining
that the government service can be fill
ed like That Of bank, mandatory or
business house. The government be-
longs to the people, and all have the
right to an equal chance for employ
ment under it. To say that the perso-
nal favor of congressman or the head |
of a department should be allowed to
govern the selection in the same man.
her as though he owned the business,
is monstrous, and is naturally produc-
tive of all the evils of which we now
complain. The true way is to promote
to vacancies those lower employees who
have show themselves most capable,
and fill the lowest positions from appli-
cants in manner which shall be at
once strictly impartial and for the best
Interests of the service. So far as impair
tiallity is concerned the selection from
the crowd might be made by pulling
straws, but for the benefit of the service
those individuals should be selected
who, other things being equal, shall be
the most intelligent aud capable. 1t
would be difficult to point out a better
way of determining this than by COM
petitive examination so conducted that
A fair comparative idea'of the capacities
OF the individuals may be obtained.
No sensible man would deny that this
would be far moro likely TO give us
good public employees, than if a senator
,r congressman should be allowed to
recommend" young man whose
'ather had done the senator or con-
gresham some political service; or i'll
he head of department should be al
owed TO select his subordinates from {
among his own personal friends alone;
or else exercise what may not be very
good judgment among crowd of per- ,
feet strangers. If there were not snch {
IN immense number of positions in the
government service which must be fill f,
ID, there might be some sense in the /
sneers about "snivel service REFORM"
but as 1t Is, we need and must have {
avs 10 protect us against the possible =
Hood of incompetency with which we
night be deluged if the "outs" should ,
become the Gins" with unlimited pow
IT to remove present incumbents of mi
nor positions.