The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1881-12-17


mission INTO the service only in its lowest Grad
ailu would accordingly demand that all yacan
GIGS IN the higher positions should be filed by
ploi1ouon alone. In these particulars it Is il
ooll or1nlty With the existing civil service sys-
TEN OF Crest Britain and indeed the success
which has attended that system in the
| country of its birth is the strongest
argument which has been urged for its adop-
ton here. The fact should not, however, be
overlooked that there are certain features of
| the English system which have not generally
been received with favor in this country even
among the foremost advocates Of civil service
reform. Among them are first, tenure of
Office which is substantially a life ten
ure. Second limitation of the maximum
age at which an applicant can enter the service
whereby all men in middle life or under are,
with some EXCEPTIONS rigldly excluded; third. 4
retlring allowance upon going oUt of service.
Ihese three elements are as important factors
OF the problem as any of the others. To elm
mate therefrom the English system would effect
most radical change In its theory and
practice. The avowed purpose of that
system is to induce the educated vonno
men Of the country to devote their lives 10 tbe
public employment by an assurance that having
once entered upon it they never need leave il and
that after voluntary retirement they shall be
/ the recipients of an annual pension That this
system as an entirety has proved very success
ful III Great Britain seems to be generally con-
coded, even by those who once opposed its
! adoption. To statute which should ncorpo-
rate all its essential features 1 should feel
pound to give my approval but whether Il
| would be for the best interest of the publc
to Tx upon an expedient for an immediate
! extensive application which embraces certain
features OF the English system, but excludes
or ignores others of equal Importance, NAV be
suenuously doubted even by those who are i'm
| pressed as am with the grave Importance of
correcting the evilswhch inherit from the present
! methods OF appointment. For example: The
English rule which shuts out persons above the
age OF 20 years from large number of public
! employments should not to be made an essen
| tlal part OF our system. 1t is questionable
| whether the attainment of the highest num-
Der OF marks at competitive examination
| should be the criterion by which applications
| for appointment should be put to test and
under similar conditions 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. and prominent among
/ tnem are problty, industry, goodness,
| good habits, good temper, patience,
| order, courtesy, tact, self-reiance. manly
! Difference to superior officers and manly con-
| slderahons for interiors. The absence of these
! traits Is not supplied by wide knowledge of
| books, or by promptItude in answering ques-
| lions, or by any other quality likely to be
! brought to light by competitive examination.
| 10 make success IN such contests, therefore,
ment would very likely result in the exclusion of
the older applicants, even though they might
! possess qualifications far superior to their
! younger and more brilliant COMPETE
tors. These suggestions must not be re-
garded as evincing any spirit Of
opposition to the competitive plan which has
been to some extent successfully employed al
ready, and which may hereafter vindicate the
claims OF its most earnest supporters; but it
ought to be seriously considered whether the
application of the same educational standard
to persons of mature years, to young men fresh
from school and college, would not be likely to
exait mere intellectual proficiency above other
qualities OF equal or greater Importance.
Another feature 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 opponents of the policy of the
! executive and the principles of the dominant
| party. To afford encouragement to faith
ful public servants by exciting in their minds
I the hope of promotion If they are found to
merit 1t Is much to be desired; but would it be
wise to adopt q rule so rigid as to permit no
other mode of supplying the intermediate walks
OF the serVlce2 There are many persons who
I'll subordinate positions 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 governmental bureau has been long con-
tinued are often so cramped by routine proceed
IRE as almost to disqualify him from instituting
the changes required by the public interests.
and an infusion of new blood from time TO time
into the middle ranks of the service might be
| very beneficial in its results. The subject I'M
! der discussion is one of grave importance. The
errors which are complained of cannot be Grad
lcated at enCe. The work must be gradual.
Tie present English system is a growth Of
| years and was not created by a single stroke Of
1 executive or legislative action. It's beginning
It
ted in 1856, and it was after patient and eau
tiOu5 scrutiny of its workings that, fifteen years
later. 1t took its present shape. Five years after
I the issuance of the order In council and at
time when resort had been to competitive eX-
animation as an experiment much more extern
sively than has yet been the case in this coun-
try, a select committee Of the house of
commons made report TO that
/ house which declaring its approval CT the com
petitye method deprecated nevertheless any
i preciptancy In its general adoption as likely to
4 endanger its ultimate success. During this
I tentative period the results of the two methods
/ Of pass examination and competitive examjna-
/ ton was closely watched and compared. 1t
! NAV be that before we confine ourselves upon
! this important question within the stringent
bounds.of statutory enactment we may profit
! ably await the result of further inquiry and
/ experiment. The submission Of @ portion Of
/ the nominations to a central board of
/ examiners selected solely for testing the quail
/ fcations of applicants may perhaps, without re-
sort to the competitive test pat an end to the
mischief which attends the present system Of
appointment, and it may be feasible to vest IN
! such a board wide discretion to ascertain the
/ characteristics and attainments of the candi-
dates in these particulars which have already
referred to as being no less important than
/ the mere intellectual attainment. If congress
/ should deem 1t advisable at the present session
/ to establish competitive tests for admission to
I the service 6OubIS Such have
been suggested shall deter me from
/ giving the measure my earnest support,
] and urgently recommend that should there
/ be a failure to pass any other act on this sub
| ject, an appropriation of $4,000 per year be
made for the enforcement of section l,753 of
/ the revised statutes. With the aid thus afford
! ed me shall strive 70 execute the provisions
/ of that law according to its letter and spirit.
[ am unwilling in justice to the present civil ser
/ wants of the government to dismiss this subject
/ without declaring my dissent from the severe
and almost indiscriminate censure with which
( they have been recently assaulted. That they
are as a class indolent, inefficient and corrupt
/ is a statement which has been often made and
/ widely credited; but when the extent, variety,
delicacy and Importance of their duties are con-
sidered, the great majority of the employees OF
the government are, in my judgment, deserving
OF high commendation.
MERCHANT MARINE.
The continued decline of the merchant ma
/ rine of the United States is to be greatly de
plored. In view of the fact that we furnish sc
large a proportion of the freights of the com
mercial world. and that our shipments are
steadily and radidly increasing. il Is a cause OF
surprise that not only Is our navigation Interest
diminishing, but it is less than when our ex
ports and imports were not half so large a:
now. either in bulk or in value. There mus
be some peculiar hinderance to the develop
ment of this interest, or the enterprise anC
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