The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1882-06-04
THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION.
Dorman Is. Eaton on the Dawes and
PendIctOn Bills.

must think that the need of q commission
would never have been doubted, II there had been
clear conception Of the work to be done. Common
speech has referred to that work If conducting ex-
| aminatons was the more important and absorbing
part such Is Ear from the fact. Tho work of the
men examined Is the easiest and most mechanical of
| the duties required by reform methods. Before we
reach an examination, we have to decide such ques-
lions as these, all of which have but u tentative
answer at first and must be made the sub of con-
tinuons observation, experiment and study:
lions be had, whether for original entrance pro-
| motion?
,. Who shall be allowed to DO examined This
raises questions of sex, of age whether too old
young, of evidence OF citizenship, of adequate proof
of good character of health, and Of apparent capacity
Tor the service sought. For, SURELY II Is N 10
examine person plainly inadmlssibe to the service.
B. The many Questions as to the proper subjects of
examination for the different branches of the service
because the Information needed for the duties of one
place Is very different from that required In another
y. Next the extent OF Information, and bence the
grade ana puTnOrt OF the questions To DO put upon
each subject, 10 the capacity needed and
yet not for mere literary exclude those who
are In fact competent for the service. The mere mat
ter OF the proper KIND aud grade Of questions Is ten
fold more dnlcult than the conduct Of the examlna
lions after the questions are decided upon.
3. When, for any grade OF examinations, such mat
tiers are decided, st have the need of wise and
Just regulations for notices OF the examinations for
conducting them, for marking and for grading aud
certifying the results OF them, for determining the
right OF discrimination etc
II VIII be SEEM therefore, that the conducting
OF the examinations, and making up the results are
but subordinate part of the responsible functions to
n
examining boards, and To hold them up as everything
needed, Is to mistake aud fatally underestimate the
practical methods of REFORM II Is to forget their
ationS To tho public Interests and 10 the great prnCl
pies OF Justice on which the reform must rest.
The examining boards, scattered over the country,
are made up OF clerks 10 Whose primary duties as
such and FOR which their salaries paid, the exam
nations are but Incidents, These clerks may at any
tlmo he dismissed promoted, or transferred, which
contingencies th6y are The sole responsible bodies
are fatal TO consistency and uniformity of action and
also that thorough mastery OF tho subject which
Such facts point TO the need Of central commits
sion, with some stability Of tenure, by which the gem
eral and more difficult duties shall be performed aud
uniformity and Intelligence Of action be enforced.
But, stl more important. a local board OF eNamin-
ers, made up OF mere OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES TO the pub
lceyc, would decide who shall be examined upon what
subjects. and In what order, and which would also
report tho grade OF merit II has determined, aud
keeps tho only record Of Its own dolngswOud lie pc
cuiary liable 10 suspicious of unfairncss. 10 would
appear to be aulocratic and absolute. |
There must 10 something In the nature OF an APP
peal on rcloaring allowed In Of apparent nius.
tlco or general dstrust. There must be nyestiga-
tiOns of alleged wrong In the examinations and grad
ings. No Judge ever decides absolutely aud finally,
ny everywhere there are appeals and rehearngs pro-
No iUr IN p n Gnse nGw h9 does
fair and all markings are Just, whenever called In |
question Whenever "a complaint OF any kind is
made II VIII investigate the facts, 10 the commits
slon every one feeling wrOnged can appeal. Abuses
aronot likely to no corrected by the same officials
guilty Of them, The people arc sure To suspect boards
which are the Iudgesin their own cases The presI-
dent, ON his own motion or that Of the head of de.
can ullttl inc commission To look tho
doings Of any board OF examiners. The fear of This
VIII cause those bodies TO perform their duty moro
faithfully
We may he sure, and all experience has taught
that as the spells are suppressed by competitive ex-
amlnaiOnB they VIII bo opposed aud falsely repre-
sented, even In Congress, by their enemies. Win.
out some central body keeping Itself wen Informed and
ready aud able TO present the truth whenever la high
quartcrs II may ho msrepresOnted, tho new system
cannot succeed. Nero isolated boards of clerks will
haHO pelther the time the prestige tho ability nor
the courage essential FOR meeting the combined as.
saults Of the Cnomics uf reform. Members of Con !
gTcsS VIII ho forced 10 give expression TO- oven II
some of thcm do not maguify tho local discomfort
which the destruction of local patronage viii at hrst
cause.
The annual reports OF an able commission would be
an educational Influence In behalf of the now sysem
which us friends cannot afford TO overlook IL is for
example, common belief that the new system viii |
give the public places 10 colcgo-b bred men and TO
bright boys aud girls without practical ability IL
Is not enough that tho few familiar with the facts
know that such are not tho results, tho facts proving
II must 10 spread broadly before the people, OF Inc
new sySlcm VIII not DO long tolerated.
II Is only by comparing tho results IN many differ
ent Offices aud In different parts OF tho linton that we
can tell Whether the new system tends economy an
brings higher character and capacity into the service
But hat Information requires central commission to
gather aud compare the results IN general reports Ion
which the Dawes blli makes not iho least provision
That bill would Leave the action OF rs ono hundred
and thirty boards the dark aud suspoctpd 81
creis OF Their own separate records,