St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-03-19

be found to be unconstitutional and i'm !
practicable. The legal cobweb thus
spun cut of expiring hopes was soon
swept away by the supreme court, and
the intensely practical character of the
law has been attested for eighteen
months by the ill-concealed anger of
many politicians of the baser sort in
both parties who profited at the tax
payers cost under the spoils system.
The commission appointed to aid the
President in this attempt to introduce
business methods in the conduct of the
clerical work of the government adopt
ed rules which now apply to about
$4,000 office holders. Three tests of
merit are required of every applicant
for each one of these 1000 positions.
First, an application paper in which
it must be shown by statements under
oath that the applicant possesses sew
eral of the essential qualities for en-
tering the public service, and respon-
sible persons must affirm that he is
person of good character, habits and
reputation. Second, a competitive ex-
animation in which his information
and the quickness and accuracy of his
mind are fairly proved. Third, pro-
stationary service of six months to as
certain whether the applicant has good
business capacity before he receives
an absolute appointment.
The whole number of persons ex-
amined for appointment last year was
6347, of whom 5525 were males and
822 females. Over 65 per cent. of those
examined passed, attaining the mimi
makes one eligible for appointment.
The whole number of appointments
from those examined, each being for
the probationary period of six months,
has been 1906, and it is inferred that
about one-half the prObatiOners were
republicans and One-half democrats.
SpOilsmen prOphesied this law would
unduly favor those who were just out
of the schools and without business ex-
perience. This report shows that the
average of those examined was nearly
80 years. Penthouse politicians all
knew that the law was one more de-
vice of the ''literary fellars" to get all
the good things which they wished to
mOnopOlize. This report disclOses the
fact that more than 20 per cent of
those examined had only a public
school education.
The commissioners say that the law
is more than meeting the expectations
of its friends in securing competent
and faithful public servants, and re-
lieving the heads of departments of the
work of weighing the political claims
and influence of rival applicants. The
relief from the annoying and democrat
izing grab for these minor offices is al
ready felt wherever the rules have been
adopted. The postmaster at Cincin-
natl, for example, who formerly often
had 20 applicants for Office day, now
does pot have five month.
We hope the new administration will
see its way to extend the operation of
these rules. The higher officers who
are to determine it's policy will be and
should be in political sympathy with
it, but appointment to merely clerical
posts should no more depend on the
applicants politics than upon the color
of his hair.
That this is the opinion of the new
president is we'll known, but he may
have to hasten slowly. His party in
cludes an army of spOilsmen, and the
republicans have long had all the of
fees. When the commissions of the
latter expire it will be claimed, and
not without justice, that the Offices
ought at least to be divided. In some
parts of the South where carpet-bag-
gers still linger, we have no doubt that
clean sweep is desirable, but it will
be for cause. Whatever the immedi
ate future of the reform, we have abid
ing faith in its ultimate triumph for it
is based on reason and is for the last
ing interest of the taxpayers.