The examiner., 1881-12-10

expended by the government, to meet demands for aFfears of pensions IS an &dmonition to Congress and the Execu- | tive to give cautious consideration to any similar project in the future. The great temptation to the presentation of | fictitious claims, afforded by the fact that the average sum obtained upon each application is $1 300, leads me to suggest the propriety of making some special appropriation for the prevention of fraud.
 CIVIL SERVICE REFORM. | In my letter of acceptance of the | nomination for Vice-President I stated that, in my judgment, '' no man should l be an incuifibent of an office the duties of which he is, for any cause, unfit to l perform; who is lacking In the ability, | fidelity or integrity which a proper ad- ministration Of such, office demands" | This sentiment wou1d doubtless meet with general acceptance, but opinion has been widely dividedupon the wisdom and practicability of the various re- formatory schemes which have been sug- gested, and of certain proposed reguls- lions governing appointments to public office. The efficiency of such regulations have been distrusted mainly because
 
 | tional and abstract tests above general business capacity, and even special ft- ness for the particular work in hand. It seems to me that the rules which should | be applied to the management Of the public service mayeproperly conform 1n the main to such as regulate the con- duct of successful private business. Original appointments should be based upon ascertained fitness.
 The tenure of office should be stable. Positions of responsibility should, so far as practicable, be filledby the promotion of worthy and efficient officers. The | investigation of all complaints, and the punishment of all official 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 intelli- | gent and patriotic citizens, however | divergent in their opinions as to the best methods of putting them into prac- tical operation:
 For example, the assertion that original appointments should be based upon ascertained fitness" is not open to dispute. But the question how, in l practice, such fitness can be most effect kuallys ascertained, is one which has for years excited interest and discussion. | The measure, which slight variations in it's details, has lately been urged upon I the attention of Congress and the Exc cutive has as its principal feature the 1 scheme of competitive examination, save for certain exceptions which need not here be specified. This plan would ap- ply to the service only in it's lowest grade, 1 and would accordingly demand that all 1 in foh filled by promotion alone. In these particulars it is in conformity with the existing civil service system of Great Britain. And, indeed, the success which has attended that system in the country of it's birth is the strongest argume ent which has been urged for its adoption here.
 The fact should not, however, be overlooked that there are certain feat ures of the English system. which have not generally been received with favor in this country, even among the fore most advocates of civil service reform.
 Among them are:
 l. A tenure of office which is sub stantially life tenure.
 2. A limitation of the maximum age at which an applicant can enter the service, whereby all men in middle life, UT OlueT, Hltl SOlIc rigidly excluded.
 3. A retiring allowance upon going out of office.
 These three elements are as inl- portant factors of the problem as any of the others.
 To eliminate them from the English system would effect most radical change in its theory and practice. The avowed purpose of that system is to in duce the educated young men of the 1 country to devote their lives to public employment by an assurance that, hav- ing entered upon it, they need never leave it, and that after voluntary retire ment they shall be the recipients of an annual pension. That this system as an entirety has proved very successful in | Great Britain seems to be generally conceded, even by those who once opposed its adoption. To bill which should incorporate all its essential fea- lures should feel bound to give my ap- proval. But whether it would be for an eXpedient for immediate and exten- tain features of the English system, but excludes or ignores others of equal im- portance, may be seriously doubted, even by those who are impressed, as I am myself, with the grave importance of correcting the evils which inhere in the present methods of appointment. If, for example, the English rule, which shuts out persons above the age of twenty five years from a 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 at con- petitive examination should be the criterion by which all applications for appointment should be put to the test. And under similar condition it may also be questioned whether admission to the I service should be strictly limited to its f lowest ranks. There are very many characteristics which go to make a model civil servant. Prominent among them are probity, industry, good sense, good habits, good temper, patience, order, courtesy, tact, self-reliance. manly difference to superior officers, and considerations for interiors, The l absence of these traits is not supplied by wide knowledge of books, or by premptitude in answering questions, or by any other, quality likely to be brought to light by competitive exami- nation. To make success in such con- test, therefore, an indispensable condi- ton of public employment would very likely result in the practical exclusion of Al II 1 |