New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1881-12-21
ss,s tll,,' Repien',
NEW uLaE, RGINN
Wednesday, December 81, 1881.

S0n the wisdom ana 1mpract1caDll1ty OF the va
sriOnS refOrIlatory schemes which have been |
suggested, and OF certain proposed regua- |
ti0ns governing appointments to public office.
The efficiency of such regulations has been
sdistrlsted mainly because they have seemed
to exalt mere educational and abstract tests
above general business capacity, and even
special Illness t for the work in hand. It seems
the management Of the public service may
properly conform, in the MAN, to such rs reg,l-
iate the condition Of secoessful private bus,
upon ascertained fitness. The tenure of office
should so far as practicable, be filled by the
promotion OF worthy and efficient officers. The
investigation of all complaints and the punish
ment OF all misconduct should be prompt and
thorough
The views expressed in the foregoing letter
are those which will govern my administration
of the Executive office. They are doubtless
shared by all Intelligent and patriotic citizens,
however divergent i'll their opinion as to the
best methods OF putting them into practical
operation.
For example, the assertion that original APP
pointments shouldb be based upon ascertained
fitness lis not open to dispute,' but the ques-
ton how, III practice, such fitness can be most
effectualy ascertained, is and which, with
eslight variations in its details, has lately been
urged on the attention of Congress and the Ex
cclltivc has its principal feature in the scheme
of competitive cXamination Save for certain
exceptions, which need not here be specified,
this would give admission to the service only
to its lowest grade, and would accordingly de-
mand that all vacancies in the higher positions
particulars it is in conformity with the exist
ing civitservice system of Great Britain, and
indeed the success which has attended that
system III the century of its birth Is the strong
est argument which has been urged for its
adoption here The fact should not, however,
be overlooked that there are certain features
OF the English system which have not general
ly been received with favor in this country,
even among the foremost advocates Of civil
service reform. Among them are: First
tenure Of Office which is substantially q life
tenure. Second, q limitation OF the maximum
uge at which an applicant can enter the SER
vice, whereby all men in middle life or under
are, with some exceptions, rlgldly excluded.
Third, retiring allowance upon going out OF
office. These three elements are as important
factors of the problem as any OF the others.
TO eliminate thercfrom the English system
would effect most radical change in its theO-
~ and practice The avOwcd purpose OF that
system is to induce the educated young men
of the country to devote their lives to public
employment, by an assurance that, having
once entered upon it, they need never leave
it, and that after voluntary retirement, they
shall be recipients of an annual pension. That
this system, an entirety. has proved very
successful in Great Britain seems to kbe
generally conceded, even by those who once
opposcd it's adoption. 10 a statute, which
should Incorporate all its essential features,
should feel bound to give my approval, but
whether it would be for the best interests of the
public to fix upon an eXpedient, for immedl-
ate and extensive application, which embraces
certain features of the English system, but exs
cluGes Or ignores others OF equal Importance
may be seriously doubted even by those who
are impressed, as l am myself, with the grave
Importance of correcting the evils which in
here in the present methods of appointment.
If, for example, the English rule, which shuts
out persons above the age of 25 years from
large number of public employments, is not to
be made an essential part OF our system, it is
questionable whether the attainment of the
highest number OF marks ut q competitive en-
animation should be the criterion by which all
applications for appointment should be put to
test; and under similar conditions it may also
be questioned whether admission to the service
should be strictly limited to its lowest ranks
There arevery many characteristics which go
tomale up q model civil servant; prominent
among them are probity, industry, good sense,
courtesy, tact. self-rcliance, manly Difference
to superior officers, and manly considerations
for Interiors. The absence of these traits is
not supplied by wide knowledge Of books Or
10y pronptitude in answering questions, or by
any other quality likely to be brought to light
by competitive exam nation. 10 make sue
able condition of public employment, would
very likely result in the practical exclusion of
the older applicants, even though they might
possess qualifications far superior to their
younger and more brilliant competitors.
These suggestions must not be regarded as
evincng any spirit of opposition to the COM
petltlve plan, which has been, to some extent,
successfully employed already, and which
may hereafter vindicate the claims of its
most earnest supporters, but it ought to be
seriously considered whether the application
OF the same educational standard to persons
of mature years, as to young men fresh from
school and college, would not be likely to ex.
alt mere intellectual proficiency above other
qualities OF equalo greater Importance. An
other feature of the proposed system is the Sc
lection by promotion Of all officers of the gov
eminent above the lowest grade, except such
as would fairly be regarded as exponents of
the policy of the executive and the principles
or the dominant party to afford encourage
in their minds the hope of promotion if they
are found to merit it, is much to be desired,
but would 1t not be farcical to adopt rule so
the m wants 1 Of the e PTHers
are many persons who I'LL subordinate posi-
tons with great credit, but lack those quail.
ties which are requisite for the higher posts of
duty, and, besides the modes of thought and
action OF one whose service in governmental
bureau has been long continued, are often so
disqualify him from instituting changes ' re- e.
CURED by the public interests, and infusion
OF new blood from time to time into the mid.
fcial in its results. The subject under discus
sion is one of grave Importance. The evils
which are complained OF cannot be eradcated
ut once. The work must be gradual. The
present English system is growth of years,
and was not created by single stroke of ex.
ecutive or Legislative action. Its beginnings
G It osa ete en- patent
scrutiny OF its workings that, fifteen years
later, it took its present shape. Five years
the OF the order in G council and
tive examination as an experiment much
more extensively than has yet been the case in
OF Commons made a report to that House,
which, declaring its approval of the COMPETE
tive method deprecated, nevertheless, any
Preclpitancy in its general adoption, as likely
to endanger its ultimate success. During this
tentative period the results of the two meth
DDS OF Glass examination and competitive ex-
am1nati6-Syas closely watched and compared.
1t may be that before we confine ourselves
upon this important question, within the
stringent bounds of statutory enactment, we
may protitably await the result of further in.
q,liry and experiment. The submission of q
portion of the nominations to a central board
of examiners, selected solely for testing the
without resort to the competitive test, put an
end to the mischief which attends the present
system of appointment and it may be feasible
natei n ms safh board wide discretion to
OF candidates in those particulars which have
already referred to as being no less important
gress should deem it advisable at the present
session to establish competitive tests for adj
mission to the service, no doubt, such as have
been suggested, shall deter me from giving
the measure my earnest support.
And urgently recommend, should there be
failure to pass any other act upon this sub
may be made for the enforcement of section
1853 of revised statutes With the aid thus af-
forded me, shall strive to execute the pro-
visions OF that law according to it's letter and
spirit.
am unwilling, in justice to the present
civil service of the government, to dismiss
this subjectwithout declaring my dissent from
the severe and almost indiscrminate censure
with which they have been recently assaulted.
That they are, as a class, indolent, inefficient
and corrupt, is statement which has been
often made and widely circulated; but when
the extent, variety, delicacy and Importance
Il Of their duties are considered, the great ma
s jority of the employees of the government are,
in my Judgment, deserving of high commend
9 alton.
THE MERCHANT SERVICE.
The continuing decline of the merchant ma
rine Of the United States is to be greatly de-
plored. 3 In view of the fact that we furnish
SO large proportion of the freights of the
commercial world, and that our shipments are
q steadily and rapidly increasing, it is a cause
Of surprise that not only is our navigation in.
terest Diminishing, but it is less than when
our exports and imports were not half SO
large as now, either in bulk or value. There
must be some peculiar hindrance to the de-
velopment of this interest, or the enter
prise and energy of American mechanics and
eapitalists would have kept this country at
~ test for ocean SUPREMACY. The substitution