Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-01-26

soxE IMPORTANT TOPICS
Dsscssssa b. csrrespsnasnss- -Civi'-serviee Ne
form Cslieessu and Tressurtrs-A Nsr'hers
Denscras speshs-frec Bssks. &C.
LLoyp's, Essex COUNTY. VA,
January %, 1886. }

There seems to be Just now grow
ing dissatisfaction with the present
civiI-service law, which Is every DAY
bringing civil.servico reform into con-
tempt BY such travesty upon law,
common sense, and business principles.
No one will deny that civil-service re-
form may be a good thing and Is need
ed, but not many will admit that the
present Law, vague in any well-de-
fned way Of constituting its meaning,
and reconstructed, amended, and almost
entirely changed, IS it is, by arbitrary
rules that in many respects do net bear
any relation whatever to the letter or
spirit Of the law, can ever accomplish
true civil.seryice reform. Refer to tho
second annual report Of the Ciyil-Service
Commission, and take, for an instance,
Rule IL, article 2, "No one shall be en-
titled to be examined for admission to
the classified postal service If under
eighteen or over thirty-ive years OF
age, or to the classified customs service
or classified departmental service II
under eighteen or over forty-five," and
then read and study carefully the civil
service act as it passed Congress, and
not one word, line, or sentence can
be found to base such o rule upon.
What . gross injustice to thou
sands of men who have served well
and deserve well Of their fellow-men
and their country ! After struggling
through the greater portion Of life and
attaining knowledge and experience,
becoming steady in habits and mature
in mental and physical strength just
as they have become thoroughly fitted
by practice and experience in actual
business and the affairs OF life for Of
fetal position, they are to be consigned
to governmental exclusion and oblivion.
How many men have proved their
capacity and their reliability and are at
their best intellectually until they have
passed forty.fve years Of age: Under
this rule and that requiring applicants
to wait o long time for their turn to be
examined and still longer to be APP
pointed, none but youngsters Of rich
and influential parents, who can
afford to wait and to watch,
can obtain these places. With
only theoretical education, without
practical experience tn anything, thsy
are to be foisted upon our paternal
Government to obtain the practical part
of their education, while the men of
the country, who have borne the ex-
pense themselves and learned the prac'
tical part Of their fitness for official pc.
sition, are expected to look on and ap-
plaud so-called civil-service reform.
Where did such an idea originate Do
school boards, commercial houses, and
heads of other establishments refuse to
employ men over forty-five? Quite the
reverse; they are generally given pre-
ference. Thousands of men from forty
five to sixty-five are as physically CON-
petent, and mentally much more COM
petent, than a great many now 10 the
departments under forty-fve. There
should be physical examinations by an
expert physician for all. rather than
have any excuse for excluding such a
very large class Of the best and most
deserving citizens Of the country, who
are in every way worthy of and entitled
to recognition.
The infringement upon the prerogative
of the appointing power to choose its
own subordinates, is violative Of every
principle of right and justice and bust
ness method. Chiefs Of bureaus gene.
rally give official bonds for the faithful
performance Of the duties Of their
offices, and are responsible for the work
done in their divisions, but they are
compelled to appoint only such clerks
as the Civil-Service Commission have
rated in competitive examination and re-
ported to them for appointment. They
cannot pass upon the honesty and capa-
city Of nor have any say in regard to
the appointee, and it is not right to hold
them responsible for the satisfactory
conduct Of their departments when they
are thus hampered. Would the head
of any successful mandatory, railroad
company, commercial house, or other
business establishment allow any other
voice in the choice Of his employees
while he alone was responsible for the
success of the business
In the competitive examinations, as
now conducted, the young man just
from school or college, with everything
fresh in his memory, will answer par
rot.like the greatest number of ques-
tons, and many irrelevant to the work
he will have to perform, and he will
have the practical part Of his duties to
learn after his appointment, while the
man with more age, experience, and
actual practice might not answer as
many questions in grammar, geography
history, &C., but yet be much better
equipped for the same position. APP
pllcants in most instances have to
wait a long time for their turn to be
examined, and when examined few are
chosen in the six months they are
allowed to remain upon the roll. 1t is
a pernicious system, with so much red
tape inconvenience, that keeps persons
in suspense and uncertain expectancy
so long, and in many instances pre-
venting them from seeking other en-
ploy ment, to be finally disappointed il
the ciyil-service lottery nine times il
ten.
The feature of the law classifying the
clerks for promotion according to merit
is a very good one. There should be q
provision prohibiting Federal officials
by appointment, being members of par
ty committees and conventions, as every
one has seen the evil of "ofiensiye par
tisans" in Federal offices during thu
late Republican ascendency for, Will,
it Is commepdable in private citizens Il
take an active part in politics, 1t is re
prehensible in Federal officials while
in Office; the servants of the people
they should not forestall the people,
action. The party should discharg
men for being "partissns" while il
Office and appoint them for being "par
tisans I" lother things being equal Will
| o,t NJ nffira All narxone should n