The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-01-11
THE prNpLrros OWL SERVICE BILL

How Tar the PESDLEToN bill will effect
the purpose which IL Is intended to effect,
1t is difficult to say, but that, II its provi'
sions are carried out as designed by its pro-
jector, II will be u long stride in desired
direction, cannot be gainsaid. Its main
features, rs well as We understand them' are
substantially as follows: 1t authorizes the
president to appoint commission to start
the machinery, and they are TO assist him
10 prepare rules and regulations to
advance the cause of civil service.
These rules and regulations provide for
admission to the service by competitive
examination. They provide also for the
apportionment of appointments in the de-
partments at Washington among the sew
eral states and territories on the basis OF
population This provision also covers the
cases of custom.houses and post-otiices
whose officers amount to fifty, all told, CT
more. Vt also contains stringent provisions
against the levying of assessments by
United States officers against government
clerks, etc. Under the bill conscientious
and fearless executive may do very much to
keep on the cause of honest governmental
tojsuppress corruption. But there is moth
ing obligatory upon him to even appoint
the commission indicated. And il he should
make such appointment, he may never
"reauest" the appointees to "assist him in
the preparation of the rules and reguia-
lions" In this event there can be nothing
done, and the law would consequently re-
main dead letter, however unanimously
it might be passed. Besides this inherent
weakness, or defect, the competitive ex-j
animation" business may amount to but
tile, because under the provision, as we
read it, vacancies in any grade can be filled
from outsiders, and not vacat-
ces in the lowest sgrade only,
as originally intended. Nor is the
provision concerning the appointments
in the departments at Washington suffi-
GENTLY definite. Under it the selection OF
an. expert, upon the basis Of populgtion'
might be o var iadicrous one. Nevada,
for instance, IN cow scarcely cnoughpopu-
ton to entitle ha& ITO representation in con-
gress, and she might be wholly without the
proper person for some very important spe-
cial position. So, too, the provision about
examinations would seem to
be lacking in some essential d9tails, al
though, on the whole, it is agooh one. 1t
does not impose on the public teryice any
officer or employee simply beca Sc he has
been able to answer certain Aquestions
relating to the duties of office
to be filed. 1t merely gives \pdidate
an opportunity of showing he/is
indeed competent for certai In
other words, the law mera
examination I'll
Getting the person whose CT
shall be tried, instead of y
ions Of congressman. b
If the introduction Of bj
however defective in deta
,y the senate, is notice to
here is strong disposition
,ur national Legislators to
evils under which the ca
,roaning and suffering
t is healthy
ign and symbolic that
o have purer morality
he nation. The polite
ested in the November
,ressive of the fact tn
ired of ring.rule, boss
EN-, etc., and this Pc
he legitimate outgroI
tters beneath. The p
made TO comprehend
erms that the people ar
nd not herd of dumb :
0 be gee-hawed about /
hips. The cause Of pOpu f
Iesses. !