The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-12-08


claims of its most earnest supporters.
But it ought to be seriously considered
whether applications of the same edu-
catiOnal standard, to persons of mature
years as to young men. fresh from
school and college, would not be likely
to exalt mere intellectual proficiency
above other qualities of equal or greater
importance.
PROMOTION WITHIN THE SERVICE.
Another feature of the proposed sys--
tenn is the selection by promotion OF all
officers of the Government above the
lowest grade except such as would be
fairly regarded as eXpOnents of the pol
icy of the Executive and the princi-
plies of the dominant party. To afford
encouragement to faithful public serv-
ants by exciting in their minds the
hope of promotion if they are found to
merit it, is much to be desired; but
would it be wise to adopt a rule so
rigid as to permit no other. mode of
supplying the intermediate ranks of
the serviceP There are many persons
who fill subordinate positions with
great credit but lack those qualities
which are requisite for higher posts of
duty, and besides the modes of thought
and action of one whose service in a
governmental bureau has been long
continued are often so cTamped by
routine procedure as almost to dlsqual-
ify him from instituting changes re-
quired by the public interest, and the
infusion of new blood from time to time
into the middle ranks of the service
might be very beneficial in its results.
The subject under discussion is one of
grave Importance. Evils which are
complained of cannot be eTadicated at
once. The work must be gradual. The
present English system is a growth Of
years and was not created by a single
stroke of executive or Legislative action.
Its beginnings are found in an order
in council promulgated in 1865, and 1t
was after patient and cautious scrutiny
of its workings that fifteen years later
it took its present shape. Five years
after the issuance Of the order in cOun-
Gil and at time when resort had been
had to competitive examination as an
experiment much more extensively
than has yet been the case in this coun-
try, select committee of the House
of Commons made a report to that
House, which, declaring its approval of
the competitive method, deprecated
nevertheless any precipitancy in its
general adoption as likely to endanger
its ultimate success. During this pc
riOd the results of the two methods of
examination and competitive examina-
tiOn were closely watched and COM
pared. 1t may be that before we con-
fine ourselves upon this important
question within the stringent bonds of
statutory enactment we may prOfitably
await the result of further inquiry and
experiment. The submission of por-
tiOn of the nominations to a central
board of examiners selected solely for
testing the qualifications of applicants
may, perhaps, without resort to COM
petitlve test, put an end to the mischief
which attends the present system of
appointment, and it may be feasible to
vest in such board a wide discretion
to ascertain the characteristics and at
tainment of candidates in those partic
ulars, which / have already referred
tOas being no less important than mere
intellectual attainment. If Congress
should deem it advisable at its present
session to establish competitive tests for
admission to the service, no doubts such
as have been suggested shall deter me
from giving the measure my earnest
support; and l urgently recommend,
should there be failure to pass any
other act upon this subject, that an ap-
preparation of $4,000 per year may be
made for the enforcement of section
1,753 Of the Revised Statutes. TiUn the
aid thus afforded me shall strive to ex-
eeute the provisions Of that law ac-
cofdlng to its letter and spirit. lam
unwilling, in justice to the present
civil servants of the Government. to
dismiss this subject without declaring
my dissent from the severe and almost
indiscriminate censure with which
they have been recently assailed, that
they are as class indOlent, inefficient
and corrupt. 1t Is a statement which
has been often made and widely cred
tied, but when the extent, variety, deli
cacy and importance of their duties are
considered, the great majority of the
employees of the Government are in my
Judgment deserving of high commenda-
tiOn.