The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1881-12-10
Continued from as st page.
To eliminate them from tha I'll;

0AAiiAlatc lueH from the English
system would effect most radical
change in its theory and practice. The
ayowed purpose of that system is to in
duce the educated young men of the
country to devote their lives to nuhlic
employment by an assurance thar hav-
ing entered upon it, they need never
leave it, and that after voluntary ret;re.
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 a bill which
should incorporate all its essential fea-
lures / should feel bound to give myan-
proyal. But whether it would be for
the best interest of the public to fix on
an expedient for immediate and exten.
sive application, which embraces Ger.
tain features Of the English system. but
excludes or ignores Others of equal i'm.
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, i4not to be made
an essential part of our system it ia
questionable whether the attainment of
the highest number of marks at a com
petitiye 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
service should be strictly limited to its
lowest ranks. There are very MANY
characteristics which go to make q
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
absence of these traits is not supplied
by wide knowledge of books, or by
promptitude in answering questions,
OF By amy Other quality likely to be
Drought to light by competitive exami-
nation. To make success in such con.
test, therefore, an indispensable condt
ton Of public. employment would very
likely result in the practical exclusion Of
the older applicants. even though they
might possess qualifications far superior
to their younger. and more brilliant
competitors. These suggestions must
not be regarded as evincing any
spirit of opposition to the
competition plan which has been to
some extent successfully EMPLOYED
already, and which NAV hereafter yindi-
cate the claim of its most earnest sun
porters. But it ought to be seriously
considered whether the application Of
the same educational standard to per-
sons of mature years and to young men
fresh from school and college would
not be likely to exalt mere intellectual
proficiency above other qualities of
greater importance. Another feature
OF the proposed system is the selection
by promotion of all officers of the gov
eminent above the lowest grades. ex-
cept such as would fairly be regarded as
opponents of the policy of the Exeeu-
tive and the principles of the dominent
party.
10 afford encouragement to faithful
public servants, by exciting in their
minds the hope of promotion if they are
found to merit it. is much to be desired.
but would it be wise to adopt rule SO
rigid as TO permit no other mode of sup
plying the intermediate walks of the
service? There are many persons who
I'LL subordinate positions with great
credit, but lack those qualities which
are requisite for higher posts of duty.
Besides the modes OF thought and action
OF one whose service in governmental
bureau has been long continued are
often SO cramped by routine procedure
as almost to disqualify him from
Instltuting changes required by
the public. interest, and in
fusion of new blood from time to time
into the middle ranks of the service
might be very beneficial in its results.
The subject under discussion is one of
grave importance. The evils which are
complained of cannot be eradicated at
once. The work must be gradual. The
present English system is a growth of
years, and was not created by single
stroke OF executive. or legislative action.
Its beginnings areSfound in an order in
council promulgated in 1855, and it was
after patient and cautious scrutiny of its
workings that fifteen years later it took
its present shape Five years after
the issuance fGthe order in council
and at time when resort had been had
to competitive examination as an ex-
pertinent much more extensively than
has yet been the case in this country,
select committee of the house of com
mons made aareport to that house,
which declaring its approval of the COM
petitive method deprecated, neverthe-
less. any preeipitancy in its general
adoption, as likely TO endanger its ulti-
mate success. During this tentative
period the results of the two methods of
pass examination and competitive ex-
animation were closely watched and
compared. 1t may be that before we
coniine ourselves upon this important
question within the stringent bounds of
statutory enactment we may profitably
await the result of further inquiry and
experiment. The submission of a por-
h tion OF the nominations to a central
. noafo OF examiners selected solely for
.es.lhg the qualifications of applicants,
nas, perhaps, without resort to the
ooui pettlve test, put an end to the mis-