New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-06
SYSTEMS OF CIVIL SERVICE.

NTcnerdi MtTIlLl III Ills unnudi IL lOiN IN N'''
sui General at London makes some timely OBJ
servations in relation to Civil Service Reform.
The English system naturally interested him,
not ONLY because a reform III the American
mode of procedure had become one Of the
great issues of the day, but also because he was
thoroughly coDvcrsant with the course of bust
ness and the merits aud defects OF the Clvll
Service in the great public offices of this city.
He was enabled to make practical comparison
between the two systems, and his conclusions,
as compactly expressed in five pages Of this
report. deserve serious consideration.
The English Civil Service, according TO Cen
eral Merritt, is q compromise between the pa
tronage and the competitive system. All
positions commanding more than $1,000 year
in the Home Service. and all without limitation
in the Foreign Service. are filed by the heads of
departments or by the Crown, and there does
not appear to be any serious complaint as TO the
manner in which this patronage is dispensed.
These higher positions are occupied 10y the
friends OF the representative men OF both
uarties and have never been brought under the
control of the competitive system. AT the
same time patronage has practically cefsed to
be an important element III political contests.
The Civil Seryi ice regulations apply 10 al posi-
tons in domestic administration for which the
annual compensation il less than $1,000. The
lower grades are divided into classes; appl-
cants who succeed in passing competitive ex-
animation begin with a salary of 800 or SI75,
which may he advanced 10y hicnnial in
crements to $1,000 or $3.50; in Che
Higher Division" n new grade Of open
competition, the salaries are raised triennially
from "A minimum of $500 10 a maximum of
50, 600; and promotions cannon, as rule,
carry the official out of the group which he
has entered, but can be sanctioned by the Civil
Service commissioners in exceptional cases after
ten years service. Life tenure Is the funda
mental principle of the system, pension being
allowed whenever the incumbent becomes unfit
for Office.
General Merritt finds that the weakest point
in the English plan is the pensioning system,
against which public criticism is uniformly
levelled. He thinks it would be wiser to COM
pensate public servants fully for services rem
dered than " to incur obligations that can be
cancelled only by pensions or gratuities other
" wise unnecessary" He is also disposed to
question the wisdom of making increase of
salary dependent entirely upon length of ser
vice, and in no measure upon exceptional
talents. He warmly cOmmends, however, the
disciplinary rules relating to pecuniary EN-
barrassments of Government employees, and is
convinced that their application to the Civil
Service of tho United States would have the
most beneficial effect. Although he cannot
advocate for the United States "a system based
upon life tenure and pensions, he strongly
favors the principle Of open competition for
admttance TO and promotion in all grades and
departments of the Civil Service. This, it will
be observed, is the Fundamental idea of the
Civil Service bill which is now awaiting the sig
nature of the President.
The practicability of adopting in the United
Stdtes service the principle of life tenure has
never been generally conceded by the most in
telligent observers Public opinion is still d-
vded on the subject. General Merritt adyo-
Gates limited tenure for representative posi-
tons of the highest class, the salaries being adj
usted to the importance aud responsibility of
the office, and for the lower or merely clerical
positions, o tenure subOrdinated 10 periodical
examinations every four or five years. The
application of these principles, he thinks, would
practically secure tenure for life wherever the
employees were Jealous and faithful, and at the
same time would promote the efficiency of the
service. This matter Of tenure, it is almost
needless TO add, is the core Of the Civil Service
question. Unless indefinite tenure implies life
tenure, 1t has not been permanently disposed of
in the bill which has been passed during the
present week. The adoption, however, of an
open and competitive system of examinations
for appointments and promotions, and the re-
lease from gnoble dependence upon party man
ayers and political patrons afforded by immu-
nifty from campaign service and assessments
will give to Government employees, practical
security IL not absolute fxty Of tenure 1t
remains an open question whether the moral
effect Of life tenure would be beneficial in the