Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-12-07
ESTABLISHED 1850.

divided upon the wisdom and practicabilIty of
the various reformatory schemes which have
been suggested, and of certain proposed regu-
la ions governing appointments TO public
Offices" The efficiency of such regulations
has been distFus ted mainly because they have
seemed to exalt mere educational and abstract
tests above general BUSINESS capacity. and even
special fitness for the particular work in hand
1t seems to me that the rules which should be
applied TO the management of the public ser
vice may properly conform in the main
10 such as regulate the conduct of
successful private business. Original appoint
ments should be based upon sscertained fit
ness. The tenure OF office should be stable
The positions of responsibility should as far
as practicable. be filed by the promotion OF
worthy and efficient officers. The invesiiga-
tlon or all complaints and the punishment of
al offlclal misconduct should be prompt and
thorough.
The views expressed in the foregoing letter
are those which will govern my adminstra-
tion of the Executive Office. They are. doubt
less shared by all intelligent and patriotic clti-
zens, however different in their opinions as to
the best method of putting them into prs cticsl
operation. For example, the assertion that
original appointments should be based upon
aScertained fitness is not open TO dispute,
But the question. how in practice such fitness
can mos5 effectually be ascertained, is one
which has for years excited interest and dis
cussion. The measure, which with slight va
riatlonS in It's details has lately been urged
upon the attention Of Congress and the Execu-
tive. has for its principal feature the scheme
of competitive examination, save for certain
exceptions, which need not here be specified.
THIS plan would allow admission to the service
only in its lowest grade, and would accordingly
demand that all vacancies in higher positions
should be filled by promotion alone. In these
particulars it is in conformity with the ex-
isting civil service system of Great Britain, and
indeed the success which has attended that
system in the country of its birth is the
strongest argument which has been urged for
its adoption here.
OBJECTIONS TO THE ENGLISH SYSTEM.
The fact should not. however, be overlooked
that there are certain features of the English
system which have not generally been received
with favor in this country, even among
the foremost advocates of civil service re-
FORM Among them are: First a tenure Of
office, which is substantially a life tenure
Second, limitation of maximum age at
which an applicant can enter tue service,
whereby all men in middle life or older are
with some exceptions, rlgtdly excluded. Third,
retiring allowance upon going out of Office
These three elements are as important factors
of the problem any of the others To elimi-
nate them from the English system would ef-
feet most radical change in its theory and
practice. The avowed purpose of that system
is to induce the educated young men of the
country to devote their lives to public employ
ment by an assurance that, having once enter
ed upon it. they need never leave it, and that
after voluntary retirement they shall
sion. That this system, as an entirety, has
proved very successful in Great Britain seems
to be generally conceded even by those who
once opposed its adoption. To statute which
SHOULD incorporate all its essential features |
should feel bound TO give my approval. But
whetat it would be for the best interests of
the public to fix upon an expedient for imme-
dlat7 and extensive application, which
certain features Of the
English system, but excludes or
ignores others OF equal Importance,
may DO seriously doubted even by those who
are impressed, as / am myself, with The grave
Importance of correcting the evils which in
here in the present methods OF appointments
If, for example, the Englist rule, which shuts
cut persons above the age OF twenty-five years
from large number of public empoyments is
not TO be an essential part of our own system
it IS questionable whether the at,
OF the highest number of |
be the criterion by which ali applications for |
appointment should be put to test and under !
similar conditions it may be also questioned |
whether admission 10 the seryicS should be
strIc'Iy limited 10 the lowest ranks. There are |
very many characteristics which 20 to make a |
model civil servant Prominent among them |
are probity, industry, good sense, good |
temper, patience. Order courtesy, tact, self |
re4ance' rffa manly difference to superior !
ohcers and manly consideration |
Of interiors. The absence Of these traits is |
not supplied by wide knowledge of books or |
by promptltude in answering Questions. or bv |
any other q ality likely to be brought to light |
oy competitive examination. To make sue
cess Ia such contest, therefore, an indispep- |
SABLE condition Of public employment Would |
very likely result 10 the practical exclusion Of |
The older applicants, even though they might |
possess qualifications lar superior to their
younger and more brilliant competitors
IneSe suggestions must not be regarded as
evincing any spirit of oppositlon to the |
plan which has been to some ex-
tent successfully employed already and which
may hereafter VIndicate the claim OF its most
earnest supporters. Put it ought to be seriously
considered whether the application of the |
same educational standard to persons of mo-
ture years and 70 young men fresh from school |
ana college would not be ikely to oxalt more |
in their proficiency above other oualt es
Of equal or greater importance. Another fe 4
by promotion of all officers of the government |
above the lowest grade except such as would |
falry be regarded as exponents of the policy |
Or the Executive and the principles of the |
to faithful public servants by exeit
ng IN their minds the hone |
Of promotion il they are found to |
merit it, is much TO be desired But |!
would IL be WlSe to adopt rule so rigid as to |
permit no other mode of supplying for the in
-ermediate walks of the service There are |
many persons who fill subordinate positions |
with great credit but lack those nnaIitias
which are requisite for higher posts Of duty, |
and besides, the modes OF thought and action |
)f one, whose service in q governmental bureau
1as been long continued, are often
10 disqualify him from instituting changes re-
luired by the public interests An infusion
IF new blood from time to time into the mid
1le routes OF the service might be very bone
icial in its results. The subject under discus
'ion is one of grave importance. The evils
which are complained of cannot be eradicated /
1t once. ! he work must be gradual
The present English system is a growth OF t
7earS, and was not created by a single roke /
# executive or legislative action Its begin
lings are found in an order in Council promuI.
rated in 1855, ana it was after patient and con-
inuoNs scrutiny OF its workings that fifteen
fears later IL took its present shape. Five /
ears after the issuance of the order IN Council
md at time when resort mad been had to /
competitive examinations as an experiment !
much more extensively than has yet been the
,ase "a this country, select committee of the |
House or Commons made u report 20 that |
rouse, which declared its approval of the
plan, deprecating nevertheless
likely to endanger its ultimate success During |
his tentative period the results Of the two
Methods of pass examination and competitive
xamInstion were closely watche9 and con- /
Jared. 1t may be that before we confipa our
elves upon this important question within the
trongese bonSs OF statutory enactment
Ve my proftably await the result of further
inquiry and experiment The submission
# a pof ti0n of the nominations to a central |
loard of examiners, selected solely for testing
he qualifications Of applicants, may, perhaps.
Without resort to the competitive test put an !
md to the mischiefS which attend the present |
ystem of appointments and it may be FEAST
lie to vest in such board wide discretion to
Iscertain the characteristics and attainments
# candidates ii those particulars, which l
lave already referred to as being no less |
important than mere intellectual |
attainment. If Congress should deem it ad-
'iSable at the present session to establish |
tests for admission to the service |
10 doubts such as have been suggested shall
Letter me from giving the measure my earnest
upport and l urgently recommend, should
here be failure to pass any other act upon
his subject that appropriation of $4,000
,sr year may be made for the enforcement of
ection 1883 of the Revised Statutes With the
id thus afforded me shall strive to execute
he provisions Of that law according to its
etter and spirit
PLEA FOR THE PUBLIC SERVANTS.
am unwilsg. in justice to the present civil
ervanis of the government, to dismiss the
ubJect without declaring nay dissent from the
evere and almost iBdiscriminate censure with
7hich they have been recently assailed That
hey are - a class indolent, inefficient and cor
ppt. is a statement which has been often
lade and widely credited. But when the
xtent. variety, d. licacy and Importance of
hese duties are considered, the great ma jority
the employees OF the government are in my
ldgment, deserving of high commentator.