The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-01
CIVIL SERVICE.
Report of the Commission-The Law Re
garded a Success.

WAsHINGToN Feb. 29..-The following mes
sage was sent to Congress to-day:
To the Senate and House Of Representatives:
In compliance with the act of Congress, approved
Jan Is 1868, entitled An act to regulate and i'm
prove tie civil service of the United States the Civil
service Commission has made to the President its first
annual report That report is herewith transmitted
together with communications from the heads OF the
several executive departments of the government
specng the practical working of the law under which
the commission has been acting Upon the good re-
suits of which that law has already ACCOMPLISHED I
congratulate Congress and the people and avow my
conviction that it will henceforh prove to be of
signal benefit to the public service heartily commend
the zeal and fidelity of the Commissioners and their
gestions for further legislation. and advise making
such appropriations shall be adequate for their
needs. CHESTER A. ARTHUR.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, Feb. 20, 1884.
The report makes volume of sixty
closely y-prnted pages. 1t states that the several
results which appear to be the more direct OBJ
jects OF the law and civilservice rules, as under
stood by the commission, are
First--Tha official authority and influence must no
longer be used to impair the freedom of elections
coerce political action of citizens.
Seconl-Extortion from those in public service
whether under the form of political assessments
otheswIse for the purpose of paying expenses of
ties or candidates, must come TO end.
administrations for executive service a basis of
official favor and partisan influence be suppressed
by requiring examinations and other adequate tests of
Character and capacity conditions for entering this
service.
Fourth-The true responsibility and independence of
| constitution, must be restored and preserved.
Upon the subject of political assessments the
report SAYS there have been several violations of
law but the trifiing sum secured by the illegal
practice ceased upon pubic attention being
called to ii. The amount collected from federal
officers since the act went into effect is not
more than one half quarter as much as
formerly.
The evils of the spoils system are set forth at
great length and the benefits derived from COM
ficulty attending the classification of civil serv
ice is dwelt upon at length and the statement
made that at large offices the power and oppor
tunity for intrigue and selfish influence are dam
gerously great. In three branches Of the classi-
fed service the number of places to be filed
on basis of competitive examinations is in the
aggregate l3, 924. The increase since made in the
classified service carries the number above IA,
600. The opinion is expressed that a salutory
effect would follow the selection Of chiefs of
bureaus postmasters and collectors at larger
offices rom among the subordinates who would
bring business experience rather than partisan
ship to those positions. The report says sol
diers and sailors honorably discharged by rea-
son OF disability, if capable, allowed prefer
ence, nd nowhere is there any favor or disad-
vs.fnssge 9ilowed by reason of sex. The Com
mission hold that the power Of removal and its
exercise for just reasons are essential both to
discipline and the efficiency of the public serv-
| ice. life tenure would be indefen-
sibe 1T is still possible" says the report,
" PAOluloc uliC opollo VI lOO,OOO
Offices as rewards to party victory in a national
canvass. 1t is still possible to remove every
person i'll the classified service once in four years,
or once in four months, but the vacancies can be
filled only by those who irrespective of party,
demonstrate their superiority in free open com
petition of character and capability"
1t appears from the statistics presented with
the report that 65 per cent of all those who en-
tered the service through competitive examna-
tons were educated in common schools alone,
and the Commission consider it unquestiouable
that nation by bestowing its Offices upon the
most meritorous of those whom the States have
educated at public expense, will greatly
honor and stimulate the public school
system of the country Tile report gives ex-
tracts from large number of letters received
from postmasters and collectors, showing that
great benefit has accrued to the public service
by the enforcement Of the civil-service rules. 1t
is suggested that party test be no longer applied
in the selection of collectors and postmasters,
and that every corrupt exercise of power for the
nomination, promotion, transfer or confirmation,
even though the corrupt consideration may not
be thing of value should be an offense under
the bribery laws. The Commission. in conclusion,
declare the civil-service act a success.