The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-12-10

sitons of responsibility should, so far US practi,
cable, be filled by the promotion OF worthy ana
efficient officers. The Investigation OF all com.
plants and the punishment of all misconduct
should be prompt and thorough"
| The views expressed IN the foregoing letter are
| those which VIII govern my administration OF
the executive Office. They are doubtless shared
by all intelligent and patriotic citizens, however
divergent in their opinion rs to the best methods
OF putting them into practical operation.
! For example, the assertion that original APP
pointments should be based upon ascertained ht-
ness sis not open to dispute" but the question
how, In practice, such fitness can be most enectu-
ally ascertained, IL one which has Tor years eX-
cited interest and discussion. The measure
;, which, with slight variations in its details, has
lately been urged upon the attention OF congress
and the executive, has its principal feature In
the schemes Of competitive examination: save
! for certain exceptions, which need not here be
specified, this plan would grant admission 20
| the service only in its lowest grade, and would
accordingly demand that all vacancies in the
higher positions should be filled by promotion
alone. In these particulars 1t is in conformity
with the existing civil system OF Great
Britain, and indeed the success which has at
tended that system IN the century OF its birth is
! the strongest argument which has been urged
| for its adoption here. The fact should not, how
ever, be overlooked that there are certain fea-
! lures OF the English system which have not gen
orally been received with favor in this country,
even among the foremost advocates OF civilser'
wee reform. Among them are: First, tenure
of office which is substantially life tenure
Second, limitation OF the maximum age az
which an applicant can enter the service,
whereby all men in middle HE or uncer,
are, with some exceptions, rigldly excluded.
Third, retiring allowance upon going out OF OIL
! flee These three elements are as important fac
tors of the problem as any OF the others. 10
eliminate them from the English system would
effect most radical change in its theory ana
practice. The ayowed purpose OF that system Ia
/ to induce the educated Young men OF the coun
| try to devote their lives 10 public employment,
\ by an assurance that, having once entered upon
it, they need never leave 1t, and that after Voiun-
tary retirement they shall be recipients OF an an
nual pension. That this system, rs an entirety,
has proved very successful in Great Britain, 1t
seems to be generally conceded, even by those
i who once opposed its adoption. To statute,
which should incorporate all its essential lea
turcs ! should feel bound To give my approval ;
but whether it would be for the best interests OF
the public to fix upon an eXpedieDt, for lmmcdi.
ate and extensive application which embraces
certain features of the English system, but eX-
I cludes or ignores others of equal importance,
i may be seriously doubted even by those who are
Il impressed, MS | am myself, with the grave I'M
portance of correcting the evils which inhere in
the present methods Of appointment. II, Tor eX-
ample, the English rule, which shuts ont persons
above the age Of 25 years for a large number OF
1 public empoymentS is not TO be mace an essen
iial part of our system, it is questionable Wheth-
er the attainment Of the highest number Of marks
al II competitive examination should be the crl-
lcriOu by which all applications for appointment
should he put TO test; and under similar condi-
tions it may be also questioned whether admission
to the service should be strictly limited TO It's
Lowest ranks. There are very many characters
tics which 90 to make up model civil servant;
prominent among them are probty, industry,
good sense, good habits, good temper, patience,
ardor, courtesy tact, selfreliance, manly DEFER
ence TO superior officers, and manly consdera
ton for interiors. The absence OF these traits Is
not supplied by a wide knowledge OF books, or
I by promptitude in answering questions, or oy
any other quality likely to be brought to light
l ny competitive examination. 10 make success
i'm such a contest therefore al Indispensable con-
I dltion Of public employment, would very likely
d result in the practical exclusion of the older APP
plicants, even though they might possess quail
fcations far superior to their younger and more
. brilliant competitors.
These suggestions must not be regarded as
d evlncing any spirit of opposition to the com
/, petitve plan, which has been to some extent
| successfully employed already, and which
/, may hereafter vindiCatc the claims OF IFS mos
: earnest supporters, but 1t ought to be serious
=, ly considered whether the application OF tht
b same educational standard 10 persons OF ma
p ture years as to young men fresh from schoo
! intellectual proficiency above other qualities
r of equal or greater importance. Another tea
. ture of the proposed systematic selection by
q promotion of all officers OF the government
above the lowest grade, except such as woult
. fairly be regarded as opponents OF the policy
e of the executive and the principles OF the dom
\ inant party to afford encouragement to faith
J., full public servants by exciting in their minds
r the nope of promotion, If they are found t
0 merit it's much to be desired: but would
f not he farcCal to adopt rule SO rigld as L
|. permit of no other mode of supplying the IN
n iermediate wants of the service? There ar
h many persons WHO fill subordinate position
! with great credit, but lack those qualtie
G which are requisite for higher posts of duty
|. and, besides the modes Of thought and actor
f of one whose service in The governmental bu
G reau has been long continued, are often s.
>, cramped by routine procedure as almost to oil
S qualify him from instltutlng changes require
e by the public interests, and infusion OF neV
# blood, from time to time, into the mlddl
:. ranks of the service might be very benehcla
0 IN its results The subject under discussion
:, is one of grave importance. The evils which
e are complained OF cannot be eradicated a
= once. The work must be gradual. The pres
II ent English system is growth OF years, ant
t was not created by single stroke OF eXecu
Z tive or legislative aClOn. us beginnings al
+ found imam order III council promulgated II
!, 1865, and 1t was after patient and caution
r scrutiny of its workings that, fifteen years later
h 1t took It's present shape. FIVE years after TIT
3 issuance of the order in council, and at tint
s when resort had been had to competitive eXa
+ mination as an experiment much more ex'"n
- sively than has yet been the case in this coun
! try a select committee of the house OF com
y mons made a report to the house, which, dc
l. caring It's approval of the competitive method
II deprecated nevertheless, any precIpitincy II
: ITS general adoption as likely to endanger it
!. ultimate success. During this tentative per OF
u the result of the two methods of class eAamin
!, alton and competitive examination were ct"st
!, ly watched and compared. 1t may be that he
e fore we confine ourselves upon this suffice
a within the stringent bounds of statutory enact
- mnnfs urn NAV nrnfifahlY await the rCsnll q