The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-10-25
THE CIyIL-SERYICE REFORM.
An Address by the Recently-Formed State
Association to the People of Indiana.

At a meeting of the Executive Committee OF
the Indiana Civil service Reform Association the
following address was unanimously adopted:
The Indiana Civil-service Reform Association to the
people of Indiana:
l. We claim that public Office is a public trust,
to be administered for the benefit of the whole
people. and not diverted to the purposes of any
individual or party.
2. While the political head of the government,
and such advisers and heads Of departments as
are necessary to carry out the principles of the
party in power, are properly chosen for political
reasons, such reasons ought not to influence APP
~pointments and discharges in subordinate ad-
ministrative Offices.
3. The people taxed for the support of the
public service have the right to the most eff
Gent service obtainable; and that person has
the best claim upon a public Office who is best
qualified to discharge its duties.
4 AS fixed laws III civil government afford
better protection than the arbitrary will of a
ruler. so fixed regulations controlling admission
to the public service afford a better guarantee of
efficiency than the uncontrolled discretion of the
appointing power.
5. The rules for determining the competency
of applicants should provide for examination as
to those qualifications which can be tested by
examination, and for a period of probation as to
those qualifications which can be best deter
mined by actual trial.
g. Such examinations should refer to matters
pertaining to the duties of the office applied for,
and In order that the highest efficiency may be
secured they should be competitive, and open
equally to all citizens of proper age and phys
ical ability who can produce evidence of good
character and correct habits.
The foregoing principles are based upon the
simplest ideas of democratic equality, the hum
bleSt citizen being permitted to compete on
equal terms with the most influential. By this
reform the political independence of office
holders and their immunity from party assess
ments is amply secured.
Wherever the system of competitive examina-
ton has been tried it has been successful. 1t
has reduced the cost of the service, promoted its
efficiency, and greatly lessened the public cor.
ruptlon incident to the distribution of official
patronage.
Admissions to the service have not been chiefly
from young men of inexperience, as was first
feared, the greater portion of successful candi-
dates being above the age of thirty, and in the
possession of a common school education only.
The experience of the State of New York ard
the cities therein shows that the principles of
civil-service reform are peculiarly applicable to
State benevolent and reformatory institutions,
and to police and fire departments of cities.
We disclalm all purpose Of interfering with
existing party organizations.
The work of this association will embrace the
following:
/. The dissemination among the people of
Indiana of the principles of civil-service reform.
2. The endeavor to procure the passage of a
State law embracing these principles, applicable
to the benevolent and reformatory institutions
of Indiana, and to the subordinate officers Of the
various cities therein.
3. The advocacy of all other appropriate
measures for securing efficiency in the civil
service of the Nation, the State and the various
municipalities therein.
For the furtherance of these objects we re-
specially invite the cooperation of all lovers of
good government in this State, irrespective of
political affiliations.
VIM D. FoULKE, President.
LUCIUs B. SWIFT.
Chairman Executive Com.
JOSEPH M. HEATING, Secretary.