Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-06-26

but over. confidence in leadership seems to |
have embroidered them to silence about what |
they did not relish, until the too late speech
of Mr.. Blaine in Brooklyn. There never was
a clearer case Of defeat through too much
faith in management and too little in the
higher sentiments and in fidelity to principle.
The leaders favored a reform only under com
pulsion, The strength of the reform senti-
ment WAS greatly underestimated. 1t was not
believed that voters would repudiate the can
didates rather than the principles of the par
ty."
From the day when the result of the cleo
ton Of 1884 was finally declared we have
steadily held that it was its candidates and not
the Republican party itself that was defeated
that it was the politicians, and not the politi
cal principles for which the party had con-
tended for thirty years, on whom the people
had put the stamp of their disRpproval To us
it was patent that those Republicans who
stubbornly claimed, after the election was
over, that the canvass had proved the candi-
dates "the strongest that could have been
nominated, made a fatal admission, aud we
are glad to have confirmation of our view
from so high Republican source as the au-
thor of this article.
In proceeding to discuss the practical re.
suits of the reform policy, Mr.. Eaton groups
the provisions Of the civil.service-reform act
under two heads First, those that prohib-
it political assessments and other interference
with the liberty of the official and the free
dom of elections second, those that make
open examinations of character and capacity
paramount tests for appointment, or, in other
words, substitute merit system of Office for
the old spoils system" Under the first
named provision much has been accomplish
ed. The law prohibits officers and employees
of the government from soliciting, collecting
or receiving political assessments, and il might
well go further, as the civil-service laws of
Massachusetts, and New York now do, and
forbid the demand of political assessments
from government employees by any person
whatever. The public conscience has been
wonderfully quickened on this subject and
the people have come TO see that the old sys-
tenn was one of partisan plumber and politi.
cal robbery, requiring that salaries should be
made extravagantly high in order that large
sums might be extorted from them to be used
for securing party victory and the cOntinu-
ance of the spoilsmen in power. The civil
service act has not wholly suppressed this
form of political gambling and extortion, but
it has made it an offence before the country
''Only very callous politicians are likely to
engage in it hereafter the next generation
will wonder rs much that we allowed such a
practice as we do that the last generation toll
Grated slavery"
Passing from this part of his subject to con-
slider what has been accomplished under the
merit system of examinations and appoint
ments, Mr.. Eaton holds that the practical re-
suits have been such az to more than answer
all reasonable expectations. This system has
been longest on trial in the federal offices in
New York, where, six years ago, Col Burt
first applied 1t to the customs service Dur
ing no other six years of this generation has
the public work been performed there with
such economy and honesty as not to require
an investigation by Congress, " and $50 strong
| ly has the competitive system commended it.
self to the people of the city and state, that
law was passed in 1888 which requires its
enforcement in the state and municipal SER
vice" Many candid men at first believed the
system of appointment by examination, as
applied to the federal SERVICE to be merely q
'fanciful continuance for giving college bre d
men or the literary class monopoly of office
holding" but now they are coming to see
and acknowledge that in reality il is an or
derby and impartial method for opening the
public service TO the ambition of every de-
serving citizen, especially the young-substi-
tuting character and attainments for turnkey
ism and partisan activity. This is indeed a
strong point gained.
With regard TO the examinations which are
required, under the United States commits
sion, of those who aspire to enter the civil
service, Mr.. Eaton says;
They are extensive and varied. The
questions for testing the qualifications needt d
range from those suitable for mere copyist
to those suitable where knowledge of law,
science, history, language or the practical arts
Is essential. They avoid what is needless or
merely theoretical. For thorough trial of
the new system, two conditions were essen
tial that it should be broad enough to make
the test complete, but not so broad as 10
make thorough supervision impossible. If
successful, to extend the system would be
easy. The examinations in the outset ex-
tended to the three great branches Of the ser
vice, including $3.50 places in the depart
ments at Washington more than 8, GOO in the
postal service, and nearly 1900 in the Gus.
toms service-in all, TO more than Il 600
places, known as the classified service, every
vacancy in which must be filled from those
certified under the commission on the bases
of superior merit as disclosed in the examina-
tions. No mere workmen or laborers were
included. As abuses we're greatest in the
largest othces' the customs and postal Offices
having 90 or more employees we're included.
AT these post-otices almost half of all the
postal clerks and carriers in the Union are
employed, and at these customs offices five.
Eevenths of all the customs officials of the
Union serve, and 96 per cent of its customs
revenue is collected. AT Washington n places
for which appointments are subject to CON
hrmatlon by the senate, aud l44 places for
various technical reasons, are excepted from
the examinations, but not otherwise from the
rules. The filling of the classified service
under the act and rules began July 10, 1888,
and has continued without exception under
the present as under the last administration.
For that purpose more than IL, 900 persons
have been examined, and more than 225 sep
arate examinations, in all parts of the Union,
have been held. OF the g., 347 persons exam.
ined in the year ending Jan. l6, 1885, o, 52G
were males and 500 were females. OF those
examined, about two thirds have been found
competent for appointment From those
graded highest among them, nearly 2 COG
have been appointed ON oerti6cAtions made
under the commission, each appointment be.
ing made for the probationary period of ak
months, and permanent appointment de-
pending ON good conduct aud efficiency dur.
ing the probation. Those appointess unques.
tlonably are about equally divided between
the great parties. Ia but a single case has
political discrimination in making an appoint