The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-12-05

that sysveln = ut .ber thew or any Of them
- @o ~ II-, sfFerd adequate remedy LOT tne
49, n%;ob thew simed to correct de-
eVlls snlcn bsless. that if The proposed
CLaLeI, sbcDld peove accep'apie TO
MS1s. uaS tbsp would receive the unhesl-
tCGi-..' .Tnn1fl Of the executive. SlEce
t tI.in is1,,.,-assfions we're submitted for your
tne , az tion there has been ne legisla-
~, men the subject TO which they |
-sIofe Int there has, meanwhile, been an |
iScresse in public interest on that subject
and the people of the country, apparently |
witbout distinction of pErty, have IN va |
rious WAYS snd upon frequent OCCASIONS
GIVEN expression 10 their earnest wish
1or prompt and definite action. In ny
Indictment such action should no longer
be postponed. I may add that my Own
sense Of its pressing Importance has been
ouickened BIZ observation in the practical
phase Of the matter to which attention
has mora than once been called by my
predecessors. The civil list DOW COM
prises about 100000 persons, from the
larger part Of whom, must. under the
terms Of the Constitution, be selected Oy
the president or bis apPoinlees.
In the early years Of the administration
Of the governm ent, the personal olrection
of appointments TO civil service Hsy not
have been an iTksone task for tne eXecu-
tive, but now that the burden mas IA
crossed fully hundredf0ld, II mas
become greater than he ought 10 Oear;
and it necessarily diEsrts MS tlne ana
attention from the proper discharge OF
I,fhar dnties no less delicSts and respon-
sibIe. and which in the very nature of
fbinps. canrot be delegated to other
hands. In the judgment of not few
who have given study end reflection
ts this matter, the nation has outgrown
The provisions which the Constitution
has established for filing the MINOR
oEioas in the public service, but whstever
may be thought Of the wisdom or expedl-
ency of changing the fundamental law IN
this regard, It is certain thai much relief
may be afforded not only the President
and the heads Of the departments, but to
senators and representatives. IN Congress,
BY discreet legislation. They would 6s
protected in great measure By the bill
now pendiop before the Senate. or by
any other which should embody its i'm
portant features, from the pressure OF
personal importantly, and some the
labor of examining conflicting
claims and pretensions of candidates.
I trust that before the close of the present
session some decisive action may be
taken fer the correction Of the evils which
effect the present methods of appoint
mant, and assure you Of my hearty CO.
operation in any measures which are
likely 10 conduce to that end as they
must That to define the terms Snd
tenor of the official life of subordinate
employees of the government. Il seems
to be generally sgreed that whatever the
extent or character eff the enc should be
definite, snd the other stsple, and that
neither should be regulated by zeal in
TIE Office, OF party, or fidelity
to the future of an individual.
1t matters little to the people at large
what competent person Is st the hea OF
this department or of that burezu, If they
feel assured the removal of one and the
accession Of another will not involve the
retirement of honest and faithful subor-
dinates, whose duties are purely admins.
tratiFe, and have no legitimate connec-
tioR with the triumph Of any political
principles or the success Of any political
party or faction. It is to this latter class
of officers that the Senate bill, to which
have already referred, exclusively sp-
plies. While neither that bill nor any
other prominent scheme for improving
the civil service concerns the higher grade
of officials who are appointed by tht
president and confirmed by the Senate,
feel bound to correct prevalent misap
prehensioR as to the frequency Will
which the present executive has deposeC
the incumbent eff sn office and appointed
another in his stead. 1t has been re
pestedly alleged that he has, in this par
ticaIar, signsIly departed from
the course which has beer
pursued under recent admins
trRtions of the government The facts ST
es tolloWs:The whole mum Der of e1ecutiy
appointments during the four years I'm
mediately preceding MIR. Gsrfield's &C
~ cessioD, was 1855 Of this mum Der IA
q or 9 per cent. involved the removal o
previous incum bents. The removals Il
the whole number Of appointments mus
be the same during each Of those fou
years. In The first year, With over 70
appointments, there were seYeEty-tOu
removals or 90 per cent; in the second
with 9l7 appointments there were eighty
Eve removals, or IS per cent; In tt
third, with $50 appointments there Wer
ferty-eight removals, or 10 per cent. /
the fourth, with 429 sppointm ents, tier
were thirty-seven removGie, or S.6 pc
cent. In the four months Of Presideu
GRrfeid's administration there were 80
appointments and eighty nine removals
or % per cent. precisely the same NUN
Der OF removals have taken place IN th
fourteen months which have sine
elapsed, but they constitute only sever
eghths per cent.iof the whole number
appointments; ons and one-eighth With
that period and less than two-sixths
tie entire List Of officials, 8, $50 ezclusi1
of the army and navy which
filed by presidential aPpoin
meat, I DECLARE my 81
prevail of such legislation as may
found necessary for tupplaating the g.
isEing provisions OF law ia relation
political assessments. In July last
authorized q public announcement thu
employees Of the government should T,
gard themselves as at liberty to eXerci
their pleasure in helping TO NAL
political contributions, or refusing
make contributions TO their action
that regard, would in no manner ale
their official status, In this announe
ment acted on the view which hs
always maintained, and still msintai
That public officers should be absolute
free to give OF withhold contribute
for the aid OF q political party Of
choice. It has, however, been urged, sr
doubtless without foundations that
solicitation eff superiorE, end by 9th
modes, such contributions lave at tim
been obtained whose only M