The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1881-12-10

ally ascertainFd is one which has for wears excited
Interest ard GLcuSsien. ne measure v hi. n
with Slight variations in lis Details has lately
been urged upOn the attention of congress and
ihc ENe' alive has, as its prihciral feature. the
scheme nf comparative examine ion, save for
cer,aliI exceptions. which need hot here he speci-
fled. This plan would give ADMISSION to the
sc9vic ohly IT. lover Grade and w,.ulu accord
i.sly demand that all vacancies in higher posi-
u0as shoulG be filled by promotion alone T.,
these pdrti, ulars st. is IN confO nifty with the
| eSisu"g Civil Service System of Great bri,ni,
AID. t.de( 4, The success which haS attended that
system In the country OF its birth is the strongest
argument which hiss been urged for its adoption
| here. The facs should mol however be over
| looked that there certain features of the
Enc - system which have not generally been
| re"'vef with favor Ia this country, even among
| the foremost adv, of Civil Service Reform.
Among hem are. first, a tenure of ofiicS which is
s'p>'ah'lslly lille tenure; second, limitation of
the maximum age al which applicant
ter the service, whereby all men in middle lIie.
OF Older, are WITH some excel tons rigidly ex-
Guided. thlId. 4 refining allowance upon eoia;,
| out of Off These three elements as i'm
poriaht factors of The problem any II the 9TH
| ers, Ia eliminate therefrem the E6gli,h Sy! tenn
| would effect m Ist raicil change IN us theory
and practice The svowcd purpose Of that svf-
tenn is to indnce me educated young
men OF The country IN devote
their lives u public employment by All assurance
that having once entered upon IL they need
leave IT, AMI that after voluntary retirement they
Snail be the recipients OF Aii annual pension
! nat this system a an entirety has proved very
successful la Great Britain seems to be generally
c'hceueu, even Dy those who once OppOse.l IFS
adaptaiion. A staiute which should Incorporate
its essential ie-t,lr-, / should feel bound 10
give approval but whether IL would 10 for
the best Interests at lhn ,nbh. Ia Il. ma, an ~
pedleht for immed.t; ~',i extensive application.
which embraces 'er'Htn fsssfD' Of tfs EISlioIi
system, bar excludes o. tgnGa,S ulbs,, OF
equal importance may be ser,nuslV tnhted
even by those ~ hn pressed 1 . my elf
with the gravs impOT'ai.Cs II correcting the evils
when nave IA present mcthOdS Of appYi ptment |
III. Tor example the r. gish ri, which shuis cut
persons abpNe thP "f iWenty 1--WE years from u !
large lumber al ubitr einploy InentS Is not to be
I = nfI.a
uOnaOie whether tiie attainment OF the highest |
number ~ meTks a. n competitive examination |
seouid De the criterion by waIch ali applications |
Tor appointment shouli be put To a test and /
under similar conditions it may also be a ques-
uon whether admission Id the service should be
mlcIy iin'teo To It's lowest ranks.
There are very many characte riStlcs
winch go Ia make model civil service.
ffOmlieht among them are probably industry
good reuse good habits, good temper. patience,
order courtesy, ,"er srlireliance. manly defer
ence to superior Officers and manly considerations
tr Interiors. The absence of these traits Is not
supplies by wide knowledge of books, or by
Pro'npntuae ~ answering questions, or by any
o1her quality likely 10 ne brought 10 light by Gem
pc Ilive ex' IMITATION 70 make sdcees in such
Contest. therefore. an indispensable condition of
pIblic employment would very likely result in
tne practical exclusion Ut the older applicants ]
even though they might possess qualifications far I
sci erior to their younger and more brilliant com
petiCors Ine~e Suggestions must not DC regarded
~ evncing any spirit of oppo- !
slu"n to the competitive plan. which hes been;
u some extent successfully employed
claims of lts most earnest supports, II ought
to be seriously considered whethe- the opposition
OF the same educational standard 20 persons of
mature Years H. u young men fresh 'ron scnool
aud TO lege, would not likely 10 exdit mere
Intellectual proficiency above other qualities of
equal or greater lmportance AnOtn. feature OF
the proposed svste Is the selection bt promotion
OF ali officers OF the Government sbovc the lowe-t
grade EXCEPT such as would fairly tie regarded
a opponents Of the pnlicy OF the Executive and
the principles of the dominant party Ia afford e,-
confinement ~ faithful public servants Dy eA-
m 20 nj ID no hAr of,
III. are found 10 he mertorious much to be |
desired. but woulI il toe wise To adopt "a rule So
rlsld a. 10 permit no Utner mode OF supplying the
intermediate walks OF the servants? There are
many persons who fll subordinate positions
with great credit. but lack those
qualities which is REQUISITE for the highest POSTS
Of rnty, a't'i besides The modes OF thought aud
act ion of one whose serv &c I'm n governmental |
bureau has been long continued, are often 80 |
luSniy him from lustltutiDg the changes required
by the pubic Interests. Inc Infusion OF new
the service might be- very beneficial in its esuits
The subject uuder discussion is one ui grave Im .
pHrtahce. The evils which c,,ln Implanted If
,in not be eradicated ut once. The WORK must be
gradual. The present English system is n growth
d ears and was not created by single stroke of
% ecutye or lie sisiati1 action Its begianngs
ound In All order in council prom ulgated in 1850,
md II was after patient ana continuous scrutiny uI
is workings that fifteen years later IL took ITS pres
INT shape live years after the issuance OF the ordc
a council and at - time when resort had been
% competitive examinations Us all experiment
ase in this country. Select Committee of the
House of Commons made a report 10 The House.
which, declaring its approval OF the competitive
nethGd deprecated nevertheless any pTecipi ancy ,
n Its general adoption H. likely To eudaIger las
Ultimate success. Before we cDufne ourselves
lpon this important question within the stringent I
pounds of statutory enactment we may proftably }
wait the result of further inquiry AID expc,I- .
nent the submission of portion of the homina- J
Olely for testing the qualifications If app.
{ may. perhaps, without resort To the competitive
{ nay be feasible to vest in such ;
Boa vide discretion 10 ascertai the charac.
Ell iics AID Httll.! Ients OF ca.cidates IL these
which h we already referred to. us
'eing no less important than mere Intellectual
III Congress should deem il adyisa-
be at present session 10 establish conpetJiOn
ests for admission to the service. no doubt such
S have been suggested shall deter me from CIV ,
ng the measure my earnest support and ur
'enily recommend should there be failure t"
'ass any other act upon this subject, that all 81
,ropriation of sl5.C0O per year may be made for
he enforcement OF Section l. 753 of the Revised
statutes. With the aid thus afforced me, shall
triye To execute the provisions Of thai law ae- 5
riding 10 It's etter and spirit. | am unwilling !
n justice to the present civil servants af
he Government to dismiss this subject
Without declaring my dissent from the severe aad
lmOst indiscriminate censure with which they !
lave been recently assailed. That they are
lass indolent, inefficient and corrupt Is state
nent which has been often made and widely cred {
ted, but when the extent, variety de icacy and
Importance of their duties considered, the
reat majority of the Government employees are, I
"A my Judgment, deserving II high c0mmenda- ,
lou.
The continuing decline of the merchant marine
4 the United States is To be greatly deplored in '
lew of the tact that We furnish so large propo-
ion of the freights of tie commercial world
nd that our shipments are steadily and
apidly Increasing. IL is a cause OF surprise that
lot only Is cur navigation interest diminishing,
nut it is less than when exports and imports
we're not half SO large now, either In bulk or in
alue. There must be some peculiar hindrance to
aN-p.a m inn he PM
md energy Of American mechanics and capitalists ,
would have kept this country at least abreast of
The substitution of iron for wood
md OF steam tor sail have wrought ,
Iest revolutions, in the carrying trade
4 the world, but these changes could not have T
,een adverse TO America. IL we had gwen to our /
navigation interests portion of the aid and pro-
ectiOn which have been so wisely bestowed upon
Dur manufacturers | commend the whole sub {
ect to the wisdom of Congress. with the sugges-
ion that no question OF greater magnitude or
arther reaching Importance can engage their at
ention. s
In 1873 the Supreme Court of the United States
declared unconstitutional the statutes of certain
states which imposed upon ship-owners or con-
gnees a tax of sl.50 for each passenger arriving
rom foreign country, or in lieu thereof re- {
lnired a bond To indemnify the State and local
against expenses for the future relief
support of such passenger. Since this decision
he expenses attending the care aud supervision of
immigrants has fallen on the States at whose ports
hey have landed. As a large majority Of such
immigrants Immediately upon their arrival pro-
,
seek permanent homes. Ii Is manfestly unjust |
10 imp pose upon the State whose shores they first
reach. the burden which IL now bears. For This
son aud because Of ne National importance Of the
subject, recommend legislation regarding the
supervision to transitory laws of immigrants at
the ports of debarkation.
Alaska.
I regret to state that the people of Alaska have
reason to complain that they are yet unpro |
vide with any form of Government by which |
life or property can be protected. While the ex-
tent OF its population does hot justify the appi-
caf linn All ID rnrrit.,rial