New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-10

extension oil IL IN tnc Departhcuto h"i''"'
After six months from the passage OF ,he Dill no
appointment or promotion is to be made In 'he
Offices alluded to except upon a competitive exam
nation II is provided that ex-sofdiers and sailors
shall not lose the preference in appointments con-
ferrcd upon them by statute and that thet shah
not apply to officers not in the executive branch OF
the Government, or TO laborers ana WORK
men, or to nominees subject to confirmation
by the Senate. The principal features OF the
requirements respecting examinations are that all
appointments and promotions shall be MADE by Sc
lection from among the persons graded hlgnest III
competitive examination, that original entrance 10
the service shall be in the lowest grade tlai tnetc
shall be period of probation before any absolute
appointment is made that there shall be no pol,tl-
cal coercion of an employe, no enforced polit-
ical assessment and no removal on preJudce
of n clerk for refusal 10 submit 70 attempts at
either. 1t is apparent that the bill would AFFECT
only the purely clerical force of the Government
and that at first only In the offices having as many
as fifty employees. In several OF these the system
exists already. but under circumstances OF
some difficulty, owing to the lack OF support from
central body such the Civil Service Commission
would be. 49,
The testimony taken by the Hawley Committee
has not received that share of public attention
which it deserved. Besides Mr. Curtis, Dorman B;
Eaton aud Everett i. Wheeler. who may be called
without dsresgect the theoretical reiormcrS; there
examined by Mr. Burt, the Naval Oficer OF
New-York, Postmaster Pearson, Edward u; Graves
the Superintendent of the National Bank RedeInp-
tion Agency of the Treasury Department and Chlef
Examiner of the Eaton Civil Service Commission
on IFS reorganization i'll 1873 Collectors Beard ana
Thomas of Boston aud Baltimore respectively,
both recently superseded: ii. III. Bates,
Examiner Chief of the Patent Office, and Others
All these gentlemen named have had practical ex-
perence i'll dealing with the problem OF appoint
ments. and ali OF them, with the exception "l Ooi-
lec;Or Beard have had personal experience WIN
competitive examinations. 1t Is Significant lact
that all of the latter class speak positively OF tne
improvement III the character OF the empi9yeS oo
tanned by examinations over those obtained Dy 'he
flnl, ,t inf
makes 200 pages of print. and contains gOod ueal
of valuable matter. The most interesting statement
was made Oy Mr. Burt, who was spoken OF doo Dy "a
1.-THE one Offce-hoder in the United states VINO sin-
cerely believes i'll Civil Service Reform. Mr. Burts
testimony shed some light ON the fallacles Win
which the attempt is usually made TO discredt com
pctitive examinations lie has decisive way OF
hitting them of. For example: 1t Is usually salu
that young boys fresh from school have the advan-
tage i'll such contests over eXperienced lnei, VINO
have not their book knowledge at their fingers ends
Mr. Burt testrtes that the average ageo successful
persons appointed under the New-Iork Custom,
House examinations is lover thirty years"
aud that it Is the above thirty who
make the best time on exam alton VINO show
facility 20 get through work quickly" standing
variation OH this Objection Is tnat OnIy coIlcBc
graduates will get appointments. Mr.. Burt SHOWS
that of the app0lntccS from 73l persons examined
in the New-YOrk Custon-iIouse, only 6i2 per cent
had received a collegiate educatlon SO Id per
cent mad received what they call academic or llgh
Olleducation, aud 60 per cent SIMPLY common
school education. Mr. Burt says: " In all the sta
tistics in regard to commOn-schoOl education there
is Que little weakness, resulting from the tact We
have to throw III that class who have hardly
had any educatIOn-men who Will say, went 10
school until was eleven years Old, or went 10
school III the winter or something OF that klnd.
We have to throw them In that class, ana IL rather
reduces the averages standing in thdt catrgi W. AS
to the matter OF age, we have very thoroughly
exploded that objection" MIR. Burt notes the
significant fact that every time there has peeb
popular idea that this system was 10 be uroppeu,
tie class OF men who presented themselves anu
who have been examined at the next examination,
has been of "A much lower average grade" Showing
tnat the competitive examinations. holding out the
prospect of permanent places attracted "A SUPERIOR
class Oh men. Mr.. Burt was OF the opinion lhal III IL
was understood that IL was to be permanent sys-
tenn tIie standard at tho Custom-house would Us
much raised now. great many people IeIain
flom coming there under the IDEA that IL is some
thing that may break down at any time" lhc oD,
lection is often made that under permanent Clvil
Service the people would be subject 10 an llsOlent
bure tuCracy Air. Burt thinks that under the merit
system the officials much more polite and CIVIL
Under the old system "a man VINO ndd got IN
appolntment through the influence o. powerful
politicians iclt that nothing could remove MN
ne could be impairment; he could lie neglectiul; !;
be felt that nothing could get him out, and It used
often to be SAID by persons vino believed IN the Ola
svste that the most inefficient man had the inOsJ
lmporGlnf backing Another objection Is thdt q
permanent Civil service will create " a favored
class" Mr. Burts answer 10 this was CHARACTER
isric and neat: Yes, a ia 5Ored class. forgetting
that we have had favored class-a favored class
OF pohticanS-who had their gIit al! the oillces
and chat not than per cent OF the citizens OF
This country have had the slightest chance OF ever
getting INTO the Government service, because thcy
could uot yet the favor of this favored class"
ID. L.