The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-12-14
(incfeasiug the adjudicating force
rather than the mechanical double

rather than the mechanicaD doubl
the amount of work could be accom-
plished, so that these cases could b.
acted upon within three years
Aside from the consideration o
Justice. which may be urged for ;
speedy settlement of the claims nov
on the files of the Pension Office, j
is no less important on the score o
economy, inasmuch az fully one
third of the clerical force Of th'
Office is now wholly occupied il
giving attention TO correspondence
with the thousands of claimants
whose cases have been on file fol
the past eighteen years.
The fact that q sum so enornou.
NAV be expended by the Govern
ment TO meet demands Ior arrear.
of pensions is an admonition to Con
gress and the executive to give eau
tious consideration to any similar
project in the future. The great
temptation TO the presentation o
fictitious claims afforded by the fac,
that the average sum obtained upon
each application is 81, 300 leads me
to suggest the propriety of making
some special provision for the pre-
vention of fraud.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
/ advise appropriations for such
internal Improvements as the wis
dom of Congress may deem to be Of
public importance. The necessity
of improving the navigation of the
Mississippi river justifies special
allusion to that subject. ! sugges,
the adoption Of some measure for
the removal of distractions which
now impedes the navigation Of that
great channel of commerce
THE CIVIL SERVICE QUESTION.
IN my letter accepting the nomi-
nation for the Vice Presidency |
stated that in my Judgment mo
man should be the incumbent of an
office the duties of which he is for
any cause unfit to perform, who is
lacking in ability, fidelity or integ-
rity which a proper administration
of such office demands. This SEN
timent would doubtless meet with
general acquieseence. But opinion
has been widely divided upon the
wisdom and practicability of the va
rious reformatory schemes which
have been suggested, and of certain
proposed regulations governing APP
to public Office. The
of such regulations has
been distrusted, mainly because
they have seemed 10 exalt mere ed
ucational and abstract tests above
business capacity and even
special fitness for the particular work
in hand. 1t seems to me that the
rules that should be applied to the
management of the public service
may properly conform in the main
to such as regulate the condition of
private business. Origi-
nal appointments should be based
upon ascertained fitness. The ten
ure of office should be stable Posi-
tions of responsibility should so far
rs practicable be filled by the pro-
motion of worthy and efficient Off
GERS. The investigation of all com
plants and the punishment of all
official misconduct should beprompt
and thorough"
The views expressed in the fore
going letter are those which will gov
ern my administration Of the Exec
utive Office. They are doubtless
shared by all intelligent and patri
otic citizens, however divergent in
their opinions as to the best meth
DDS of putting them into practical
operation. For example, the asser-
ton that original appointments
should be based upon 'ascertained
fitness" is not open to dispute, but
the question, how in practice such
fitness can be most effectually ascer-
is one which for years has
excited interest and discussion. The
measure which, with slight varia-
tions in It's details, has lately been
urged upon the attention of Con-
gress and the Executive, has as its
feature the scheme of com
petitiye examination. Save for GER
tain exceptions which need not here
be specified, this plan would secure
to the service only in its
lowest grade, and would according
" demand that all vacancies in high
sr positions should be filled by pro
notion alone. II these particulars
t is in conformity with the existing
,ivil service system in Great Britain,
and, indeed, the success which has
attended that system in the country
,f its birth is the strongest argu-
nent which has been urged for its
adoption here.
FEATURES OF THE BRITISH SYSTEM.
The fact should not, however, be
overlooked that there are certain
eatures of the English system which
nave not generally been received
With favor in this country, even
lmong the foremost advocates of CIV
| service reform. Among them are:
lst, A tenure of Office which is sub
life tenure I'd, A limi-
alton of the maximum age at which
IN applicant can enter the service,
all men in middle life or
,lder are with some exceptions rig
dly excluded; Sd, A retiring allow
nee upon going out of office. These
hree clements are as important
eatures of the problem as any of
he others. TO oeliminate them from
he English system would effect a
most radical change in its theory
md practice. The avowed purpose
# that system is to induce the edu-
:ated young men of the country to
levote their lives to public employ
nent by an assurance that having
nee entered upon it they need new
r leave it, and that he shall be the
ecipient of an annual pension.
That this system rs an entirety has
,roved very successful in Great
Britain seems te be generally con-
eded, even by those who once OPP