New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-12-07

pontast therefore. an Indispensable condition %
nnbc ernI loym-nt would very hke!y re suie ayeT
practical exclusion of the older appllcalfas, 80
ih",oi tbev might possess qualifications far sup
rior 10 their younger and more prn In ayIed
petitOrs These suggestions must h4o 10 compct-
as eyjncinp anv spirit of opposition 10 the s
itive nlan which has been to some extern d.
fnllv employed already, and when may irfers :.
vindicatc the claim OF IT'S nost and whether the
onnlication of the sane educational sthua - e.
sons of mature years and to Young Hi III ~ eIat
school and college would n"c o ov other qualities
mere intellectual pIohCiohO1 NV"
of greater Importance - -oros.d system is the Sc
1act;o,, Inv promotion OF all officers OF inc wy u
Iectioh ~ pr The lowest grade, except such as
would fairly he regarded as eXp0hehts pI .he pm.
of the Executive and the principles OF W. S
marty 10 afford encouragement 10 altllH Pr'lO
servSnts by exciting in their minds the nope OF pro-
mat,on if they are found to merit II, is muc1 W
he desired But would it be wise to adopt RUE 80
rigid as to permit no other lnoue q supplying WV
intermediate walks of the servants ,,i,.o+o
There are many persons who MI suooruIIii .i
,nston with great credit but lack those qu&IlIleS
WHICH are reGusite for higher posts of duty ana
besides the modes of thought ana ACTION W L ono
whose service Ill a Government bureau mas 49,
long continued are often craInped oy rouitno
nroeednre ms almost TO dsquafy him 'roE lstitu
INC changes REQUIRED by the public interests anu W
Infusion OF new blood from time 10 tlillJ ilU ,; III
middle ranks of the service might DC very o0'i'
ne snh;rct under discussion is one of grave I'M
portance. The evils whlch az" co,i 'i,t he Grad
not be eradicated at once. HE WORK hihsV po ~ f
nal The present English system IS grown VI
wears and was not created by single stloHe "l en-
ecufiye or legislative action It's o"EliiilhSS az
fonnd in Am O rider in Council promulgated III 1900,
and IT was after patient ana cautious SClu'i'S vi
its workings that fifteen years later II TOOK JUS pres
ent shape. FIVE years after the issuance Oh ic
I'm Conncil and nc n tine when resort had been had
10 connective examinations as an experiment uich
more extensively than has yet been ne case III inns
country, select comtt t OF 'nT dcrlSring
mons made a report to that House VINO uccldiiiiS
Its approval of the competitive method depIGcdieu'
nevertheless, any precipltahcy III ltS scuel" s,p
ton as likely to endanger ITS ultimate success success
Uinr +bis tentative period the results OF the TWO
methods of class examination and competitive exam
nation were closely watched ana compared
CREATION OF AN APPOINTMENT COMMISSION.
II may be ihat before we coniine ourselves nPoh
this important question within the stringent bombs
of statutory enactment, we may prohtabIy await
the result of further inquiry and experiment. Ihe
submission of a portion of the nominations to a
c@ntrol hoard of examiners selected solely for test
ing the qualifications of applicants may perhaps
without resort TO the competitive test put an cnd
10 the mschefs which attend the present system OF
appointment and it may be feasible to vest IN such
a board wide discretion TO ascertain the chaiac-
terstics and attanments of candidates Ia those par
ticulars to which have already referred as beInS
no less important than mere intellectual attain
meuts If Congress should deem II advisable at the
present session to establish competitive tests Tor ad-
mission to the service, doubts such as have been
suggested slIal deter me from giving the measure
my earnest support, and / urgently recommend,
should there be failure to pass any other act upon
This subject, that an appropriation 81 1ZO,OUV per
wear NAV be made for the enforcement OF section
1883 OF the Revised Statutes. With tie aid thus
afforded me, shall strive to execute the provisions
OF that law according to its letter and spirit.
| am unwilling i'll justice TO the present civil
servants of the Government TO dismiss this subject
without declaring my dissent from the severe and
almost indIscrimnate censure with which they
have been recently asSaied. That they are as
class indOleDt, inefficient and corrupt Is state
uent which has been often made and widely cred
Tod I'm when the extent. variety, ueIlCaCV and
importance of their duties considered the great
majority of the employees OF the Government are
Ia my dgment, deserving Of high concentration.
DECLINE OF AMERICAN COMMERCE.
The continuing decline of the merchant marine of
the United States Is to be greatly deplored In view
of The fact that we furnish large proportion of
the freights of the commercial world, and that
shipments are steadily and rapidly increas-
ing it is cause of surprise that
not only is our navigation interest diminishing. but
il is less than when our exports and imports were
not half so large now, either in bulk OF value.
There must be some pecnllar hlndrance TO the de
velopnent of this interest, or the enterprise and
energy of American mechanics and capitalists
would have kent this country at least abreast of
our rivals in the friendly contest for ocean supre.
macy. The substitution of iron for wood and OF
steam for sails has wrought great revolutions III
the carrying trade of the world but these changes
could not have been adverse to America, If we had
given to our navigation interests portion 2l inc
aid and protection which bave been so wisely be-
slowed upon our manufactures. ] commend the
whole subject to the wisdom Of Congress, with the
suggestion that question OF greater magnitude or
further reaching Importance can engage tucu at-
tentlon.
CAPITATIoN TAN On IMMIGRANTS.
In 1875 the Supreme Court of the United States
declared unconstitutional the statute of certain
States which imposed upon ship-owncrs or con-
sicnees a tax of 81 80 for each passenger arriving
froIu foreign country, or in lieu thereof required
bond TO indemnify the State and local authorities
sha tff ftfVA roll of
such passenger Since this decision the expense at
tending the care and supervision of immigrants has
fallen on the States al whose ports they have land
ed As a large majority of such immigrants lmIne-
dately proceed TO the inland states and Territories
to seek permanent homes it is manifesly unfair to
impose upOn the State whose shores they first reach
the burden which il bears. For this reason aud
because Of the National importance of the subject,
recommend legislation regarding Che supervision
and trapsltory care OF Immigrants al the pOrtS OF
debarkatiOn
GOVERNMENT FOR ALASKA.
regret to state that the people of Alaska have
reason to complain that they yet unprovided
with any form of government by which life prop
eTty can be protected. While the extent of its popu
Iaton does not justify the application of the costly
machinery of Territorial administration, there Is
Immediate necessity for constituting such form of
government as will promote the. education of the
people and secure the administration of justice.
THE LIBRARY or CONGRESS.
The Senate, at its last session, passed bill pro-
yidinq for the construction of q building for the
Library of Congress, but it failed to become law
The provision of suitable protection for the great
collection of books and for the copyright depart
1rent connected with it. has become a subject of
National Importance, and should receive prompt at
tentiOn.
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
The report of the Commissioners of the District
of Columbia herewith transmitted, will inform
YOU fully of the condition of the affairs of the Dis
tr,ct They urge tho vital importance of legislation
for the reclamation and improvement of the
marshes and Cor the establishment of the harbor
lines along the Potomac River front 1t is repre-
sented that, in their present condition. these
marshes seriously affect the health of the residents
OF the adjoining parts of the city, and that they
greatly mar the general aspect of the Park in which
stands the Washington Monument. This improve
Ineut would add to that park and 10 the park south
of the Executive Mansion large area of valuable