The Worthington advance., 1882-12-14
THE CIVIL sRRv1cK

~ ~ ~sSS ~S~sASy SA5 OAA - AAAUSO0ASAeA
THE CIVIL sERv1CK
WHAT SHOULD u DONE
A communication which made to congress
in its dEst session. In December last contains
somewhat full statement OF my sentiments ID
relation to the principles and rules which
oosht to govern appointments to public se-v-
lea Referring 70 the various plans which
heretofore had been subjected to dis.
eussion In tho national ieglsla-
tures-plans which, Ii the main. arc
nodded upon the system which obtains In
Great Britain, but which lacked certain Of the
prominent features whereby that system is
distinguishsd-I felt bound TO intimate my
doubts whether any Of thsm would 1t.
ford adequate remedy for the evils which
they aimed to essdioatA declared, neverthe-
les, that II these proposed measures should
prove acceptable to congress they would re-
eeive tho support OF the executive Since the
suggeotions were submitted for your oonsidera-
ton there has been no lsgislation upon
ths subject 70 which they relate. but
In the public talk on that subject
and the people Of The county, apparently
without distinction Of party. have in various
ways and upon frequent occasions given ex-
preseion to their earnest wish for prompt and
definite aetioa. In my Judgment, such action
that my own sense Of it, pressing importance
has been quiokened by observation in q prao-
teal phase Of the matter to which attention
has bssn more than once called by my prede-
eessor: Tho civil list now comprises about
100: 600 Psreona faI tho larger part Of whom
directly or through his own appointssa
In tho early years Of the administration Of the
government the personal direction OF appoint
msnte in the eivil service may not have been
On irtsome task for the executive; but now
that tho burden has increased fully hundred
fold, 1t has became greater than he ought to
bear. and It necessarily divsrts his time aud
attention from the proper discharge Of other
duties no less delicate and responsible, and
delegs!ed to other hsnds In the judgment Of
not few who have given study and reflection
to this matter, the nation has out
grown the provisions which tho constitution
established for 6lling the minor Offices in the
public service But whatever may be thought
fundamental law IN this regard. II ls certain
thss mocn relief may be AFFORDED not only to
the presidknt and to the heads OF the depart.
ments. but to senators and Representatives in
congress. BY discreet legislation They would
b protected In great measure by the bill
now pending bototo the sensto Or by any other
which should embody it, important features
from tho
3R8ssu11 OF PERSONAL OPPORTUNITY
and from tho labor Of examining conflicting
claims aud pretsnsion Of eandidstes trust
that before the close Of the present session
rsetton Of evils which inhere IN tho present
methods Of appointment and assure you Of
ny hearty cooperation in any measures which
afs likely 70 eonduce to that end A. to the
most appropriate term and tenor Of tho official
ute Of tho subordinate employees Of the govern.
ms1t msnt II seems % to BE- generally agreed that
should b denoite and the other stable and that
nsithsr should b. regulated by zeal
= tee fegtu1e. Of IN individual
4 nstter. little TO THO people It large what
mont, or that bureau, if they feel assured that
the removal Of one and the accession Of an
other will not involve the retirement of honest
and faithful subordinates whose duties are
purely administrative, and have no legitimate
connection with the triumph Of any political
Or fsetiou. It is to this latter class Of ofiicer
that the senate bill to which 10 have already
referred exclusively applies, whils neither that
Dill nor Ant other prominent scheme for i'm
proving the civil service concsrns the
higher grade Of officials who are
oPpoAusoO y sA0 P1oaluent, anO conurme0 Dy
the senate. I feel bound to correct a prevalent
mtsapprehension as to the frequency with
which the present executive has d,eplaeed the
incumbent Of An Office and appointed another
in his stead. Il has been re- peatedly alleged
that he has. IN this particular, signally de.
sued under recent administrations Of the gov
erument The facts are as follows: The
whole number OF executive appointments dur
ing the four years Immediately preceding Mr.
4asdeld's accession 70 the presidency was
z,696. OF this number, 244. or 8 per cent,
The rates OF removals TO the whole number OF
appointments wac much the same during each
Of those four yesrs In the first Year. with
79O appointments there were "a removals, or
9,3 per cent; In the second, with 917 appoint
ments, there were IS removals, OF 8;5 per
cent; In the third, with 48O appointments.
there wore IL removals. or 10 per cent; in
tho fourth, with 40 appointments, there were
AZ removals. or SO per cent; In the four
months Of President Gardsld's administration
here were 500 appointments and 80
se ..: 1Ssr per I.s9s. cent psfsS01sy psS S1y
| taken place In the fourteen months which have
since elapsed, but they constitute only "a per
cent Of the whole number Of appointments,
lie within that period and less than 20 OF
the entire list of ohicisle, 3,479, exclusive Of
the army and navy, which 10 filled by presi-
Of such legislation ~ may be found necessary
for snpplantine the existine provisions Of law
In relation 70 80"
POLITICAL Assnss,<Rx1a
In July last authorised . public announce
ment that employees Of the government
should regard themselves % at liberty TO
exercise their pleasure In making or re-
fueine to make political contributions sld that
their action in that regaN would in no manner
effect thei xof8cial statuh In this announce
ment acted upon tho view which had always
maintained and still maintain. that 0 public
officer should be absolutely 90 free % any other
citizen to give or withhold contribution for
the aid Of the politics OF bis choioa It has.
however, been urged. and doubtless not with
out foundatlon. that BY the solicitation Of su-
pertors such contributions have ct times
been Obtained from persons whose only motive
for giving has besp fear Of what might bsfall
them II they refused Il goes without saying
that such contributions are NOT voluntary. IN
ny judgment their collection must b pfohib-
ited BY law. A bill which will eRectually
suppsess them viii receive my cordial ap-
proval .,.t.s-, t.~.
PFRORATION. -.:-
GRATIFYING PROSPERITY, -
The closing year has been replete with bless
1ngs. for which we owe 10 the Qiver OF all eoo;l
our reverent acknowledgement For the unin
terruptsd harmony Of our foreign relations.
Tor the decay Of sectional animosides. for the
exubersnos Of our harvssts, and the
f10mph0 OF onS uninIn0 and u,aru%e A., .,x>