New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-30

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no;nt him the day after the aUourhineht vi NoA-
rTess Thus 1t appears that after all the Dem
ocrats have gained nothing; o..;,otior of Paw
Besides thus nomination the nomination VI ~
Director Wnttmougb as Paymaster-Oeheral VI tne
NAVY was laid aside without final action ana elEhi
OF ten Others, principally OF pos'lhds'eIs ~ '''ii
races.
MR.. WINDOW ON THE CIVIL SERVICE
PRESSING NECESSITY FOR REFoRM-Hls EXPEu-
ENCE AS sECRETARY-PLAN FOR MAKING AP-
PoINTMENTS.
WASHINGTON. Oct. 29.-Mr Window said to-day
that he had gwen the subject of civil service very
careful consideration during his brief stay IN the
Treasury Department. The question had been IRE
onentlv discussed with President Garfield, who was
honestly in favor of some practicable system winch
yvould correct the evils of the present mode OF
making appointments. The plan to accomplish TINS
had not been completed when the President was as
sasslnated Subsequently Secretary WINDOW pre-
pared system applicable to the Treasury Depart
ment which was ready to be promulgated. lie
only awaited the recovery of President Garheld 10
put it in operation.
A thorough and complete system of civil service
for all the Departments requires some additional
legislation, but many of the most glaring evlls OF
the present system it is believed could be remeded
nv the action of the President and of the heads OF
Departments One of the most obvious objections
TO the present mode of appointments IS that IL tends
to convert the Departments into merely charitaole
institutions for the purpose of supporting people
who are unable TO support themselves. Inc tact
that applications are made IN Washington direct 10
the President and TO the heads OF Departments III
duces great many persons to come here WIN the
expectation of receiving appointments VINO nave
only money enough to bring them here, and who
find themselves stranded in this city without
means of support The consequence is that they at
once appea TO their Senators and members to secure
places for them Finding them in this condition,
Senators and members feel obliged to secure places
for them lest they may suffer from absolute want
The result of this is that very many ofthe apphca-
lions are based wholly upon the necessities OF the
applicant.
OF the numerous applications made at the Treas
ury Department during the last eight months, the
Secretary said he would be safe In asserting that
6ye-sixths of them were based upon the inability
of the person applying TO support himself Another
objection to the present system is that the best ser
vice is not secured and appointments are not prop
erlv distributed. The people who remain at home
and who, in many cases, are the most competent to
discharge the duties of official positions have no
opportunity for entering the public service. They
are crowded out by those who come to Washington
to solicit places.
The plan prepared by the Secretary was intended
to Obvlate both Of these objections, to relieve the
President and heads of Departments from pressure
and importantly, and also to afford a fair oppor-
tunity for persons the respective States to pre-
sent themselves for appointment. 1t was proposed
to allot TO the States respectively. as the law re-
ouires, the number of appointments to which they
would be severally entitled in the Treasury Depart
ment: then to appoint carefully selected commit
tee of three in each State, whose duty IL should be
TO meet once year at some convenient place in the
State, and before whom any one desiring to enter
the Government service should present himself or
herself for examination such examination to be
practical aud relate to the character, experience and
capacity of the applicant and to the duties of the
position to which appointment is desired, said COM
mittee TO prepare list graduated according to
merit of those who pass the examination, and for
2 ward The papers TO the head of the Depart
ment at Washington. From this examination
Mr.. Window believes persons should be selected
from those highest on the list, and only to be sent
for when the State of which they are residents
should be entitled to appointments. 1t was further
proposed that in making these selections from eligi
BILE persons on the list soldiers or their widows
children should have the preference. 1t was be-
leyea that this system would give satisfaction be-
cause it would afford fair distribution to all the
States would the best available service and
would relieve the Department at Washington from
the annoyance and pressure which now consume so
large part of the time of the President and lis
Cabinet. Under this system persons desiring Office
would have no inducement to visit Washington be-
cause the only open door for admission to the De-
partmen.s would be in their own States A better
class of service would be secured 1T Is maintained,
because it would not be left mainly those who come
70 the city for the sake of securing appointments,
bat would be open to all in the respective states.
The system proposed also provides for promotions
in the Department upon examination, 10 be decided
by the merit of the applicant.
The Secretary proposed this system to President
Garfield when at Long b anch, the week before he
Was assassnated, and he regarded it with much IA
ror ii il believed that, had he recovered, sOEIe
such system would have been applied TO all the De-
nartmsnts. and that Congress would have been
urged TO provide by law for q tn rough and COM
niste reorganization Of the civil service.
ADJOURNMENT OF THE SENATE.