The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1881-12-15

The efficiency Of such regulations has
been dis rustei mainly because they have
De. med 10 exat mefc educational and abstract
tests al owe general business capa it,, and even
special titn 80 for the work IN hand. ], seems
70 me ,at the rules that should 10 applied 10
the management Of the U lie rsite = may
properly conform, III the MAN, u such as reg
nlate the condition Of successful pliyatc BUSH
ness. Original app, intments should he lased
| upon ascertained t.css. The tenure OF off q
bilty should, no far NJ practicable,
10 oiled by tho Promotion OF worthy
| and efficient officers. The investigation OF al
Complaints ani the punishment Of oil miscon-
duct should DO prompt and ho,o gl."
The views expressed iii the foregoing letter
are those which will gosera my administration
Or the executive Office. They ire doubtless
shared by all intelligent and patriotic ciiz n !,
| however divergent In Their opinion as to &c
best methods Of putting them into practical
0pcrat- III.
For example, tic assertion that original M
| pciutmanis shouId be Llr.a upun asc,r-
tanned iitntss lis not open to dispute. Lut
the question how, in p.actiee. such fitness
can he most cffectualy ase .itaiiied il ons
which las for years excited Interest ana as
CUSTOM The meastfc which. with slight
variations III its details, las lately b, en-
urged upon the attention OF Congress and
tho Executive has its principal feature IN
tie scheme OF competitive examination.
save for certain exception. which neel
not here te - cii, a. this PHI wo lid give al
mission TO tue stfs G only III 3 lowest grade,
aud would accordingly demand that nil yacan.
cies Ill the higher positions should be filled by
promotion alone. In tbs Sc particulars i il in
conformity with the existing eis,l-seryice sys-
tenn of Great Britain, aud indeed tie success
which has attended that system III the century
Of It's birth i the strongest arsumen, which
has been urged for lis adoption here. III fact
should not, however, be overlooked that there
are certain features Of tho English system,
which have not generally been received with
| favor in this country, even among the fore
4 most advocates OF ciyil-ser,ico reform.
Among them are: FIRST, u tenure OF Office
which is substantially a life tenure. Second,
llhlltafion OF tho maximum age at which
/ an applicant can enter the service. Whereby
al men in middle life or under are, with
some exceptions, rigidy excluded. Third, a
retiring allowance uron going cut OF office.
/ These three elements arc rs important
factors OF tho prohleIa ms my of the others.
| To eliminate them from the English system
| would effect a most radical change IN it
| theory and practice. The ayowed purpose /
| that system il to induce the educated Young
men Of the country 10 devote their Ayes ID
/ public employment, by al assurance that.
having once entered upon II, they need never
| leave II, and that after voluntary retirement
they shall he recipients OF an annual pension.
| That this system, as an entirety. has proved
i very successful, in Great Britain seems "a
be generally conceded, even by those who once
| opposed its adoption. 10 statute, which
should incorporate all its essential features,
| should feel bound 10 give my approval.
but whether it would b. for the
best interes's Of the public TO fix
upon an expedient. FOR immeaiste ana
4 extensive Application, which embraces CERTAIN,
features Of the English system. hut excludes OF
i ignores Others OF CORA inheritance. ni8y b.
| seriously DOUBTED even by those who arc i'm
| pressed, as am myself, viii, the grave import
| ancc OF correcting the evils which inhere i'll the
| present methods Of appointment. III, for tx
ample, the English rule, which shuts out per-
| Sons above tie age ot Is years from large
number OF publ, empioyments, Is not TO he
made an essential part Of our system, il i.
| questionable whether tine attainment
vi tho highest number Of mari,
at competitive examination should
be the criterion by which all apphea'
tons for appointment should be put to test
| and under similar conditions 1t may also h
| Questioned whether admission to the service
| Should be strictly limited to lts lowest ranks
There are very many characteristics which IS
to make up model civil servant; proml
ncnt among them are probity, industry
good sense, good habits, good temper. patience
ardor, courtesy tact, sclf-rclians., manly def
erenco to superior officers. and manls
considerations for interiors. The absence d
these traits IS not supplied by a wide knowl
| edge OF books, or by promptitude III answering
questions. or by any othe. quality likely 10 b,
| brought to light by competitive examination
To make success in such q contest, therefore
| IN Indispensable condition OF public employ
ment, would very likely result III the rrActica
| exclusion Of tho older applicants, even though
| they might possess qualifications far superior
to their younger and more brilliant competitors.
These suggestions must not be regarded as
evincing any spirit OF opposition to tue com.
/ petiiiye plan, which has been, to scme extent
| sue .essfuily employed already, and which may
hereafter v.ndicats the claias OF its mcs
earnest supporters, but it ought to be seriously
considered whether the application OF tue same
educational standard 10 persons OF mature
years, as to young men fresh from school and
college, would not be likely to exalt more
| intellectual proficiency above other qualities
OF equal or greater Importance
Another feature OF the proposed system,
the selection by promotion Of all officers of the
Government above the lowest grade, except
such as would fairly DO regarded As cxpoacn,r
Of the policy Of the Executive and the princi.
pies of tue dominant party, to sflord encour-
a9ement to faithful public servants iy exciting
in their minds the hope Of promotion, 4 the,
are found to merit II, is lauch to be desired
| but would it be farc!ol to adoat q lule sc
rigid as TO permit no other mode Of supply
Ing the intermediate wants OF the service
| IL,re are many persons who I'LL subor.
dinate positions with great credit, but lack
those qualities which are requisite for tn.
higher posts OF duty, and, beside the modes oil
| thought and action Of one whose service in D
Government bureau has been long and contin
ncd, are often SO cramped by routine proceed.
| uie "a almost 10 disquaity him from lnstitutins
changes required by the pnhc interests, anf
lniusi N Of new blood FROM time 10 time int,
tine mi idle ranks OF the service might be yer,
| beneficial in It's results. The subject under d,s.
| r.,a IL ~ inn. trL.. .y,l,
which arc complained OF cannot he eradicate,
at once. Tie work must he gradual.
The rrese..t Eag.ieh system il & gIosth o.
years, and was not created by single stsoa.
OF executive or legislative acilen. Its ne
ginnings are found III oI,i,1 in council pro
mulgatei III 1855, aud 1t VA, after patient ans
CAUTIOUS scrutiny OF its workings that, tfteel
years after the issuance OF the order in council
and at 4 tune when resort had leen had 10 com
Eeutiye examination as an experiment much
more extensively tlan has yet been tue case i,
this country, select committee III the
House of Commons made d report 10 ina
House, which, declaring its approval Of Tia.
competitive method, deprecated, nevertheless
any preciIitancy III Its general adoption
rs likely To endanger Its ultimate success
During this tentative period the results q
the two methods Of class examination al.
competitive examination were cIasel,
fore We con,ine our elves upon tlis inaort
| nj. question within the stringent bounds u
statutory enactment, We may piu.itabl,
await tile result If further iagairy and OK
| pertinent The submission OF 4 neition q
| the nominations TO central buald O
examiners selected solely for testing the quail
ii atloas o. applicants. may, p>iLaps, wiihou
resort ~ the competitive test, put an cad I,
the mischief Which attends the present system
" appointment, aud il may ie featlhle to yes
IN such Ioafa Il wide discretion IL ascertain
tie characteristics and at.ai.4na.nts of candi
dates Ia these particulars which have slread,
retired II - being no LISA Important thar
| mare .nts llee,Gal attsinnieass. Ii Congress
should deem 1t advisable ut the present session
to establish competitive tests for admission t,
the service, no doubts such as have been sug
gested shall deter me from giving
the measure my earnest support
and urgently recommend. should there 10
failure to laes any other act upon this subject
that an appropriation of $4,000 PER year ma,
be made for the enforcement of section /, 10.
OF the Revised Statutes. With the all thus at
fordcd me. shall strive to exc ute the FRO
visions Of that law according to its letter ana
| spirit