Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-06-14
CANDIDATES FoR orFIcr.
Mysteries Of the civm.seryice Esen,,
nations.

Mysteries of the Civii.serylce Esan,s. |
nations.
Hon. Theodore t. De Land, secretary 4
Of the department board Of examiners Of
the civil service, was Ia the city Satur-
day, says the Des Molnes Reglster, con
Quoting an examination OF applicants for
positions under the government. lie had
been on an examining tour through the
West having examined large classes In
Chicago, Milwaukee and Minneapolis Just
prior to coming here. The examination
was held In the federal court rooms,
where a Register reporter found Aim
ousily engaged 10 supervising the work OF
torty.lour applicants, all who had APP
/ peared out Of seyenty-iye who had been
/ notified. The applicants presented a.
rather motley appearance, evidently rep
/ rescnting various walks In life, though II
would seem that the school teacher was
best represented. Everything was con-
Quoted in the most orderly manner and
with a precision born OF long official life.
Mr. De Land is a pleasant-spoken, rather
elderly gentleman, with an air of nreeise
business about him, probably taken on
iuuring the long years he has served In
the treasury department, but perfectly
courteous in his treatment OF all.
la reply to the reporters inquiry for
news he said al should be happy
to give you everything about our
examination, but the rules OF the depart
ment forbid, so you viii have to be con-
tent with glitterlng geDeralities. ] had
as well, perhaps, preface what | am go
ing to say with little statement OF the
aims we have in view when making the
examinations. 1t may be safely said that
while the state owes to every citizen
what Is known as a common school edu.
cation, vet there can be no Justice In de-
handing that the state take up each cit
izen aud pay him $1,000 year while he is
acquiring that education. Hence, II an
! applicant does not possess the rudnnents
, OF aD education and fairly active mind
he had better not waste his time and
money taking the examination We
ask nothing of these people that
! would not be asked OF them by any
business man with whom they might be
seeking employment, namely, that they
show some fitness for the positions they
would secure Then our questions arr
all of practical bearing and not intended
10 confuse and mlslead, as many suppose
+ Indeed, so practical are they that most o.
them are taken from tue desks OF clerk.
> Ia the very departments to which the ap
plicants desire admission. For example
+ start out my examination with an eXer
5 else IN dictation and then give them ,
y letter to write, thus testing their aptltud,
y for correspondence. The questions II
y arithmetic are ten in number and are In
7 tended TO cover as near as may be III,
y actual business transactions Of th
l government, None Of them ar
II complicated and beyond Tn
Il capacity OF the ordinary high-schoo
l. scholar, nor are they To compare IN din
D Guilty with some Of the problems Wit
u which we meet IN actual departments
. work. l. he SANS way the questions
Is geography are Intended 10 show a genera
Knowledge OF the United States, and th
re questions are all Of general nature tina
b. need not puzzle any ordinary man. TIL
same Is true of history and grammar, Oh
4 general scope OF each being the same
g. But this only applies to the general e,
=. aminatIons. have here fo-da
e. one who desires admission TO th
D. department Of state, specific al
i. plication for specific place, and he {
G. course must submit TO an examination q
" to his qualifications for that special liu
70 OF work In that particular departmeI
III the work Is all secret, and demands rail-
er er a wider range of information than
lt many of the others. For instance, 1t wi
IN be found necessary TO know something
! international law, OF treaties and whei
Of made, their history and bearing upo
IN American interests, aud especially
RS thorough knowledge Of the history
d, these United States, and OF the foreil
a countries. In addition to all the
IT there must be good general know
ny edge OF diplomatic usages, whi'
as YOU viii readily see makes up a goo
rd round sum total OF accomplishments TIL
le' must be possessed before one may aspi
tie TO such position. Then 1t frequent
x happens that, in addition to the gener
an examination, applicants desire suppl
tn mental examination ID some certa
nd branches, such as stenography or TYP
zee writing. In that case they are given
do thorough test and their work forward
tit for inspection. You would be snrpris
al the amount OF ingenuity displayed
some OF them in getting pointers as
DIV what Is meant by certain questions, el
NY OF course one has to treat them all cor
ng teously, and It is frequently hard to de
sk their simple requests; but am not ne
les TO teach--only 20 examine-and can y
nd nothing that IL not told better In I
nc questions"
The DO not forget TO add 10 your lemona
de- or soda ten drops Of Angostura Bittcl
- 4. .gsA.s. ffasH md