Litchfield enquirer., 1881-12-15
The Presidents Message.

The message of the new President is straightforward business document. showing it's author the keen, square business man he IS reputed to b. It is rather long. but yet there is hardly anything in it which can be struck out as superfuous. We have not the space even if we had the inclination for extended comment upon it. A few words may not be amisa, however, upon some of the questions of special importance of which it treats.
 The portion of the message which causes the most comment abroad is that which pro tests against the ''interjection of any foreign guarantee" of the neutrality of the Panama canal. and which proposes a modification of the Clsytou-Bulwer treaty. The views ex- pressed by the late President and by Mir. Ar thur on these points are generally attributed to Mir. Blaine, and are 70 doubt, a little in the spread-eagle vein. Still, they will not bring on any war.
 President Arthur congratulates the country upon the modification of the treaty with China, which enables us to put such check upon emil grafton from that country as circumstances justly require. In thls as in the recommen- dation of suitable legislation, he will have the support of the country.
 Tine President very properly urges Congress to put stop to the further coinage of ''buz- of them struck of already, and not third of this immense amount can be kept in circula- tion. Their coinage should have been stop ped long ago.
 gssThe proposal to increase the regular army to it's maximum limit of S0,0O0 men, and to prepare an efficient navy against the time of need, are recommendations that have been re- peatedly made by former Presidents and as repeatedly disregarded by Congress .1
 The President also calls loudly for an ins crease of the federal judiciary. The increase of business in the national courts seems to make this a necessity and various plans have been heretofore contrived to relieve the pressure on those courts. The delay of justice is in effect the denial of justice, and is an evil which Congress cannot remedy too speedily.
 In regard to Mormon polygamy, President Arthur approves the suggestion of the nation. al Supreme Court, that, in view of the secrecy of Mormon marriages, the common law dIs- qualification of the wife be removed, and that in bigamy prosecutions the wife may be made a competent witness to prove the marriage. He also recommends legislation by which any person solemnizing marriage in any of the Territories shall be required, under stringent penalties for neglect or refusal to file cer- tifcate of such marriage in the Supreme Court of the Territory.
 To us the most interesting and least sats
 factory part of the Presidents Message is that regarding Civil Service Reform. He believes, That there are certain features of the En. glish system which have not generally been received with favor in this coun@y, even among the foremost advocates of civil service reform. Among them are:- 1. A tenure of office which is substantially life tenure.
 9. A limitation of the maximum age at which an applicant can enter the service.
 whereby all men in middle life or older are. with some exceptions, rigidly excluded.
 A retiring allowance upon going out of Iuese tnree elements are as important factors of the problem as any of the others. To eliminate them from the English system would effect most radical change In it's the- ory and practice. The avowed purpose of that system is to induce the educated young
 men of the country to devote their lives to public employment by an assurance that hav- ing entered upon 1t they need never leave it, and that after voluntary retirement they shall be the recipients of annual pensions. That
 this system, as an entirety, has proved very successful in Great Britain seems to be gen, erally conceded, even by these who once op-
 ali fs To Statute which should feel bound to give my approval. but whether | 1t would be for the best interest of the nnhl;c
 to fix an expedient for immediate and exteu.
 slve application which embraces certain fea. lures Of the English system, but excludes or | ignores others of equal importance. may be seriously doubted even by those who are i'm. pressed. as am myself. with the grave i'm.
 portance of correcting the evils which inhere
 Tn the present methods of appointment. If, for example, the English rule which shuts out persons above the age of twenty-five years from large number of public employments 8
 is mott be made al essential part of oursys.
 tem 1t Is questionable whether the attainment of the highest number of marks at eompeti-
 tive examination should be the criterion by which all applications for appointment should 0e put to test. And under similar conditions it may also be questioned whether admission
 to the service should be strictly limited to it's lowest ranks. There are very many characteristics which go to make model civil servant Prominent among them afe probltY, industry, good sense,
 good habits. good temper patience order.
 courtesy. tact, self reliance. manly deference
 to superior officers and manly consideration TOT interiors. The absence of these traits is
 not supplied by wide Knowledge of books, or
 by promptitude in answering questions. For bv any other quality likely to be brought to light by competitive examination. To make sue. cess Tn such a contest, therefore, an lndispen
 sable condition 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 eyipcinp l any spirit Of opposition to the competitive plan which has been to some extent success fully employed already, and which may here-
 after vindicate the claim of it's most earnest
 supporters, but it ought to be seriously con- sldered whether the application of the same educational standard to persons of mature years and to young men fresh from school and l college would not be likely to exalt mere in-
 tellectual proficiency above other qualities of greater importance. e.5 - a7-- - Another featpre of the proposed system is
 the selection by promOtion of all officers of the Government above the lowest grade. except
 such as would fairly, be regarded as exponents ot the policy of the Executive and the princi pies of the dominant party. To afford en- 1 conragement to faithful public servants by ex- citing in their minds the hope of promotion, if
 they are found to merit it. is much to be de-
 sired, But would It be wise to adopt rule
 90 rigid as to permit no other nude of sun. plying the intermediate walks of the service There are many persons who fill 8 subordinate
 position with great credit, but lack those qualities which are requisite for higher posts of duty, and, besides. the modes of thought and action of one whose service in a Govern. mental Bureau has been long continued are often 90 cranaped by routine procedure as al- l most to disqualify him from instituting chang es required by the public interests, and the in-