The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-02-18
the bill to .ae committee on claims. It was SO
4 STATE 1L-sERy1cE COMMISSION.

STATE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION.
The president pro tenn. lMr. Magee) an
rlounced Mr. Foulke's bill rs. II to regulate and
improve the civil service of the State, as the
special order for the day.
In speaking upon his bill, Senator Foulke
said: with each new presidential contest the
line of principle dividing the two great parties
has been less and less clearly drawn, and the
the platforms of each of them become more and
more vague. Their respective candidates be-
come less and less the opponents of any definite
idea. The matter at issue resolves itself more
and more in the question who shall have the of
fees. No party is worthy to rule where the
paramount question is the possession of pewer.
"A moments thought will show that merely
to change an administration is a clumsy way to
reform its abuses 1t turns out the good as well
as the bad; the faithful servant as we'll as the
spokesman and the sinecurist; the honest officer
as we'll as the jobber. 1t is like the system OF
the mother who whipped all her shildren in turn.
1t does not encourage merit. The man who does
his duty finds that his tenure is no more secure
than that of the man who violates it. The fear
OF removal for corrupt practices may operate IN
some general and impersonal manner upon the
party as whole, and thus act as some slight re-
straint, but it does not appeal personally and di
rectly to any individual in the service
Moreover. reformation accomplished IN
this manner may be wrought at
the sacrifice of some greater principle than
civil service reform, and the time is not distant
in. the recollection of all of when those who
would have sought reform in this manner must
have attained it, if at all, by elevating to power
an administration which regarded the war a
failure, the negro as chattel, and the imitation
of our currency and partial reputation of
debt as national blessings. Reform, even had it
then been needed could not have been had at
such price as that But even where reform
follows a mere change, it is and always must
be OF the most temporary character.
ITO regulate appointments for Office by GER
tain fixed rules is better than to leave such APP
pointments to the arbitrary discretion of an in
dividual or party, to just the same extent that
than arbitrary discretion. There many
defects in every system of fixed laws. Such
systems always have their imperfections in the
impossibility of adapting perfectly any general
rule to the requirements of every individual case.
But the red marks of tyranny which have de
faced every page of the worlds history
show that the impersections of human
nature are such that it is better
TO trust almost any system of uniform law than
the caprice of an individual, or collection Of in
dividuals, that absolute sovereignS rule for their
own ACKNOWLEDGEMENT and consider the sufferings
OF their subjects as trivial when weighed in the
balance against their pride and interest
This IS no less true of party than it is Of man;
wherever the appointing power is lodged. If it be
discretionary, it will in like manner be used for
the selfish purposes of the possessor of that
power The further civilization advances the
less it leaves to be determined by the caprice of
grade of society; and the arbitrary right of ap-
pointment to office in man or a party is a rudi
mentary form of absolutism still left in a civil
ization which has, in the main, outgrown it
I'VE take it that 1t is elf-evident that the
right of appoin tment to Office is trust; that the
duty is to appoint the man best qualified for the
oftce-the one who will best serve the people in
his official capacity. The notion that any man
or Iarty has a right to an office is erroneous.
The right is in the whole people to have the best
n ha tO hav
the best work performed for the money which
he is required to pay for it. Taxpayers belong
to all parties.
''Civilservice reform is the cause of the people
against the politicians. Let the test be public.
like our trials; let the decision of the examiners
be open to the criticism of all: let the examina-
ton papers be made a matter Of public record;
let the character of the respective applicants be
subject to the scrutiny of their competitors, and
we may rest assured that the results of such ex-
animation will be. in the main, just. But the
duty of the examiners must not be discretionary.
1t must be confined to making up results from
the fixed data furnished by the examination
papers, which should always be open to inspec-
ton. It is not enough that the applicant should
be examined; he may know his duties and fail to
perform them. He must also be tried. A period
of probation should be imposed, and no officer
should receive a permanent appointment until
his superior certies to his proper conduct in the
discharge of his duties. There should also be
proof Of moral character, and limitations as to
age and health. When these safeguards are
thrown around the service, and promotions are
made to depend solely upon the faithful per-
formance of duty, as 1own by record equally
public, we have, think. as good system as
can be devised. We apply to govern
ment the great law which nature APP
plies in every graduation OF organic
life-the survival of the fttest Of course there
are positions in the civil service to which such
rules should not apply. All elective Offices must
remain as they are now. The leaders who direct
the policy of the administration should belong to
the party in power Their confidential clerks
and agents should be appointed by them without
interference Agents for whose acts the princi-
pals are legally liable, such as deputy sherifs,
should be appointed by their superiors only So
should those who give bond, and are trusted with
the public funds.
1.-The direct result Of the competitive system
would thus be the appointment of much better
class Of public servants, but its indirect results
would he still more important 1t would give
new impulse to thorough education in all the
elementary branches required for the public
service, and indirectly to education of every de-
scription. But the most important gain would
be the removal of one of the main causes of the
political corruption which now Infects our insti-
buttons The Offices at the disposal of the party
managers constitute a great mass of political
capital wherewith to bride men to perform
the baser and more dishonorable party services.
TO put these offices beyond the power of patron
age to render them no longer artainabe by such
means. is to wipe out much of the trickery
which peryades our political organizations The
purer part OF politics will remain; those who work
from principle, and net for pelf. will work as
hard as ever. Legitimate party government
will not be affected. The higher officers will
continue to carry out the policy of their respect
i've parties"
AT the conclusion of Senator Foulke's speech
the bill was ordered engrossed by yeas "a,
nays Is.
THE STATE MILITIA.
Mr.. Towards bill s. 88] coming up as a
special order, Mr. Hilligass moved to amend
section 5S providing additional guards as to the
authorities of militia in case of disturbances
Mr.. Winter moved to amend further by prop
erly inserting the words, under the order and
direction of the proper civil authorities"
amendment, and the amendment was agreed to-
Dir. Hilligass offered a further amendment to
section 3d. that there may be two-days