Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-02-23
oNs YEARS ExPEa1Eacg.

The State civil service reform has been
in operation on trial less than one year in
New York, for it took two months OF the
year to make preliminary preparations.
The Commission has now fled its report,
the most comprehensive and extensive doc.
ument ever placed in the State archives.
1t is a satisfactory rel ort. 1t shows that
civil service reform works well in New
York, and will work better still.
The Commission, while not disposed to
recommend speculative changes in the
law, still think that Boards Of Examiners
should not be drawn solely from those in
official service, and they advise all States
that take up the system to give their Com
missioners full liberty in selecting exam
liners. They advise also that the penalties
for fraudulent, unfair and corrupt acts be.
fore the Commission be applied to service
in the cities as well as the State service.
Again, they urge that the regulations in
cities should apply to all offices except
those elective and those of the educational
department. As it now is, the police,
health, fire, law and financial departments,
and all elective officers, are exempt from
the operations of the law. II the reform
is good thiAg for one class of municipal
employees, there would seem to be no reason
why it should not apply to all. For in
stance, apply it in San Fran cisco; what a
farce it would be to require of Deputy As
SCISSORS and Assessors accountants suffi-
cient skill and knowledge for the discharge
Of duty, and to exempt from test of ca.
pacity the deputies and employees in the
Clerks office,
We do not understand how we can bet
ter, than by the publication of the closing
words OF the report, aid the spread of this
reform, in which we see so much of safety
to the Republic, and in which the Empire
State has set such brilliant example to all
the country, throughout the length and
breadth of which we confidently believe
the movement will extend, to the almost
complete destruction of bossism. The
Commissioners say OF the good accom-
plished
The significant results already accom-
plished within our State borders in the ma.
tional service, presents the competitive
system as no longer an experiment, but
one eminentIy adapted to republican insti.
tutions, and in perfect harmony with the
spirit and character and education of our
people. The common consent with which
statesmen of differing views on other
points, and experts in the management Of
public institutions have approved and as.
Act sitter careful study of the subject,
confirms the Commission in the belief that
the reform, if judiciously pursued and al.
lowed fair play, will command more and
more, as it is understood, the support Of
thoughtful and patriotic citizens who de-
sire the civil service of the State to be un.
surpassed in dignity and excellence. All
who take pride and interest in our common
schools will recognize in the system new
incentives to more perfect training, and
the rising generation will be apt to appreci'
ate and to cherish reform which will at
ford to every intelligent and generous-spir.
tied youth an equal chance of entering the
civil service of the State by bis own &C.