Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-12-17
What the Commissioner Of Internal
Revenue Thinks About Civil Ser
vice Reform.


altogether. In his opinion, when the
wants of the government will allow
reduction of internal taxation it will be
wise to confine the taxes to distilled
spirits, malt liquors, tobacco and It's
products, and to special taxes upon
manufacturers and dealers in these ar
ticles, and he thinks that such taxes
should be fixed at such rates as will
yield the amount of revenue necessary to
be raised from these sources.
This is about the most interesting sug'
gestion made by the Commissioner until
be reaches the subject of civil ser
vice reform-a subject which all
the heads of the various depart
ments of the government seem
to think they are absolutely required to
dwell upon in all their various reports,
but which, after it has been thus touched
on, they seem to regard as entirely IN
worthy of further consideration, in any
respect. until the time rolls round for the
issuance of another report. This very
h3ckneyed subject. however, is, on this
occasion, freshened up with some new
ideas. Regarding reform in his own de
partment, Commissioner Raum suggests
that the pension list, now already swollen
to a point almost beyond endurance, be
further increased by the addition of the
names of the widows and dependent
families of officers and employees OF
his department. killed in the
enforcement Of the revenue laws, and he
thinks also that proper provision for Off
GERS and employees wounded or disabled
ia the service should be made. He fur
ther suggests that United States Mar
shals end District Attorneys should draw
liked salaries, and that the system OF
fees for such officers sEe fraught with
serious objection. In this he is evidently
right, aud his suggestions are worthy OF
consideration, for, as he well says,
where the pecuniaTy interests OF the
officer are promoted by the oppression OF
the citizen there is great danger OF
abuse, and he proves the correctness OF
his views by stating that: Instances
have been brought to my attention
where numerous prosecutions have been
instituted for the most trivial violations
of law, and the arrested parties
have been taken long distances, and sub
iected 10 great Inconvenience and ex
pense, not in the interest of the govern
ment, but apparently for no other rea-
son than to make costs" We have fire
quenuy seen complaints of this nature
published in our State exchanges from
parties who have, causelessly, been sub
iected to the annoyaaces above mention
ed so that starving and hungry United
States officials might, if possible, scrape
up few dollars thereby. Now, how
ever, that the justice of these complaints
are admitted by 70 less q person than
the Commissioner of internal Revenue
himself. the matter certainly should be
looked into and fragrant evil corrected.
As regards reform in the civil service
generally, the Commissioner differs 10
many important respects from his con-
tempOraneous writers on that subject.
While others are in favor Of removing
the civil service entirely out of the
sphere of politics, he is not. He goes on
the principle that appointments to such
service should 'agree with the genius If
the government, and the spirit of the
people from whom all powers emanate. !"
Therefore, he reasons, when 1.-THE spirit
Of the people" is Republican in its ten
dencv. the civil service should also
be Republican, and It is to be
inferred that he believes that when
the people are Democratic in spirit, the
civil service likewise should be Demo
cratic. We say this is to be inferred,
but we do not believe it to be the truth;
for so bitter partisan, as the Commits
sioner has always shown himself 10 be,
is, doubtless, really of the opinion that
the service should be Republican at all
times and under all circumstances. So
long as the administration and Congress
are Republican, he is very willing for APP
pointments to be made to agree with
the spirit, ETC., of the people; but if that
spirit should change, we are strongly IN
clined to the opinion that the Commits
sioner would favor the idea that the ap-
pointments should still be made to agree
with what, in his opinion, ought to be
the spirit of the people,. e., the ap-
pointees should still be Republican in
faith.
Further on this subject he faVors a
system of civil service reform which
will embody the following ideas: o.
The establishment of term of office of
four years for subordinate officers,
clerks and employees; (2) requiring all
applicants for appointment TO be we'll
indorsed as to character, aud to stand a
proper examination as to attainments;
90 a temporary appointment for one
yesr on trial; az if found worthy, the
temporary officer or clerk to be appoint
ed for three years. the balance of a regu,
lar term of four years; (51 the officer or
clerk to be eligible for reappOintment;
(6) as a stimulus to the exercise of marked
capacity, fidelity. and zeal in the service,
the pay of 10 per ceat. of the
clerks of each bureau to
be increased 5 per cent upon proper
certificates at the commencement Of each
fiscal year: 90 promotions to be upon
merit, ascertained by examination, and
certified to by the head of the bureau
~ causes for removal to be dishonesty,
incapacity, neglect of duty, insubordi-
nation, intemperance, immortality, or in
ability; (9) persons retiring, without
fault, to receive an honorable discharge;
dO) subordinate officers, clerks and EN-
pioyes, retired, without fault, after "a
service of four years, TO receive retiring
pay, equal to one months pay for each
oanb