The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-04-01
CIVIL-SERVICE REFORM.

mission seut TO Congress by the Prssi-
dent Yesterday, covers the year from
January lG. .ss. 20 January Is, 1S55. 1t shows
comprehensive execution OF the Civil
Service rules. the particulars OF which
are fully set forth Applicants have been
examined within the year from every
State of the Union, and from every Territory
kept Utah.
rhe whole number Of persons examined
under the commission during the wear has
been 7,6t2, of whom 5,S1s were males. and
30 were females. Tie whole number thus
Tar examined since the net was passed has
been 1871
of thu 1859 examined during the M It We ar
a.Gi attained the minimum of sixty-1v- per
cent. which makes them eligible for ap-
pOintment. and ,J6S failed t. show that de-
Free OF proficiency and consequently are in
eligible for appointments.
The average age of those examined was
thirty years, from which II would appear that
There must have been on an average period
of from seven TO ght years OF practical lie
In Servire between the time OF completing
their education and the time of their en-
trance into public service.
Ii is further shown by the report that the
average age of those who faile'l l. less than
six months above the average are of all
those who succeeded. so that rhe longer ex-
perience Of business life r almost tho exact
equivalent of mere fresh recollection of
what had been learned In the schools or col
leges. From this result. il would seem that
the examinations have been such as TO Al
most equally divide the chances of success
between those who are hist posted in their
Studies and those who are most eKperienceI
N business affairs This is probably con
iTary to tie general belief
The education of those examined during
the year exclusive OF the Az who took the
spe iaI eXaminations) was - follow: six
THOUSAND and 1ittY- three only In the 1ublic
schools. 75S I'm part in colleges. and 81 in
part in business colleges. II we class those
who have attended business colleges with
chose who have been in other colleges. those
educated in the public schools alone are
more than eighty two per cent. OF the whole
number examined. and those who have been
In college are less than eighteen per cent. II
business colleges are not so cla=sed, the IA
clio will Se that OF eighty-siX per cent. edu-
cateG iu the schools TO fourteen per cent. in
the colleges.
The whole number OF appointments made
during the past year from those examined
has been SO, each for the probationary pc
riod of six months. II to those we add 200,
the number male during the previous eigL-
teen months under tue rules IL shows that
f.l7G have been appointed N TWO years This
is between one third and one fourth OF the
whole number "f places 10 which the exam
nations extend. and indicates that those in
office when the Civil Service art took effect
will be replaced by applicants exam
ten years. Every one Of these
examinations has been open to all alike,
without REGARD 10 political or religions
opinions. No complaint has been made to
the commission BY any person examined or
desiring to be examined that any discrm-
inatiOn had been made on political or re
li9iOuS grOun IL. or that he ha Sun AIRED any
prejudice by reason Of ms utilization with
any church, party or faction. The adhercntS
of each OF the Hrrut parties being nearly
equal i'm number, It would seem to he a Just
Inference that about two Thousand Rrpubli-
cans aud about two thousand Democrats
have SECURED places in thu public service
under the Civil service act.
As bearing upon tn" probability OF dis
elimination, aud also upon the character
and capacity OF those appointed under the
rules. il may be stated that during IN" past
six months' probationary, term of 2jS ap-
At a. hi II ~
aud most OF them appointed under the last
adm nistration- expired daring the year
ending the fourth day OF january last. Yet
every one of them except eleven has been
given "a permanent appointment, and one Of
the eleven. not ut first so appointed has
been restored II seems TO he thus proved
nv experience that tl;e examinations are 20
adequate test of business capacity that
only a5out on" ont of forty Of those who are
appointed are rejected, after I rial Of six
months. in doing he public work This in
cludes all TtjpcjionS, il there have been any,
for political reasons.
The report shows that in the pregiOuS
wear all but two OF the l0g whose proiIat ion
had expired were permanently appointed
Ia 0thcr wor"s, out of 49, persons who se
probationary terms had expired before the
10th OF january last all but thirteen were
found worthy If permanent appointments.
In ard to the character OF those APP
pointed. these facts appear in the report.
There had been Eciurp the 10Th of January
last ~ appointments TO the departments 1T
Washington from those examined under the
commission From among them up TO tue
Ftr of January last there had hprn in ali
just fourteen removals since the rules were
made-but one was only hV reason OF the
comrlrtion Of work. In Other words. about
l-56 o. those appointed have been removed.
There are more than 1900 places >UDie t to
the examinations. distributed aS 10 lows.
1850 i'm the departmental service AZ Wash
inStOn: ~: in thu customs service and
several additional post offices are likely to
come under the examinations dur ing the
current year.
The report states many particulars of the
evils that were to b. removed, AID how
far they have been r-mnGled under the
new system. based on free open compe-
titjon Of merit Political assessments have
been i'm a considerable measure SUPPRESSED:
solicit alton and pressure for appointments
have been greatly limited. members of
Congress have been relieved from much
Government have had their time
much less taxed bY oftice-seek
vrs than formerly, and have con
sequentlv had much more time for doing
the public work. The ability to di'tate APP
pO'ntneuts and enforce assessments. which
has been the strength and the profit OF the
partisan Inaripulat0rs AMI d"magOgu"S,
has. the report says, been diminished in the
same degree that faithful study in the
schools and good charHcter and reputation
in private life have cen ENCOURAGED and
rewarded. Partisan activity I'm the depart
ments is much less than it was before the /
Civil Service act was passed
Each of the more than fourteen thou
sand places subject to the examinations I
IL. the report say, 40 much taken from the !
spoils TO he dispensed by patronage mnngerS, I
aud so much added to the prizes 10 be won I
by the most worthy applicants The report 1
shows how the examinations siren CITIZEN the /
school system OF the country. aud that the 4
general results have been aS Salutary in New +
York and Massar husetts, where the system +
j. now established. a. they have been in the .
Federal service. Ii sets forth details of the .
trial or the new system in these states, rs ,
well AS in Canada.
The commission further declares that .
iE has no patronage AMI no .
A np
number OF those who attempt tn try the old |
spoils metho Is TO secure favor- at it's hands /
is nothing compared with the numbers who .
made such attempts during the first six .
months. Thev have found their eff prts USE
less. The growth of Il sentiment favorable .
to the new system Is declared to be rapid all ,
over the Union.
Concerning the President AMI his Cabinet
the report has this language Under ali cir
cumSt ances. and IN every part of its work !
through the past year. not less than in pre-
Vious years, the commission has had the
cordial and answering support of the Pres
ident In no instance has the commission
had occasion to complain of any lack of !
frien iiy support on the part of any mead of
a department., hut, on the contrary il has
had decisive evidence from each of Il pur-
pose to enforce the rules IN good faith
Pres dent Cleveland has neither allowed
their application to be diminished by sin
gle Office, nor consented to the APP
pointment of a single officer in violation .
of the rules. The commission expresses
the views of the President and of the
members of his Cabinet in decia, my that
the enforcement of the new system thus far
has so clearly demonstrated its beneficial
effects in Varions WAYS that 10 should no
longer be regarded as governmental. but AS
part of the established policy OF the Govern z
ment. BY the common consent of those IA
miliar vi h their practical working. the lead (
ing provisions OF the rules and the great (
principles on which the CIVIL Service i based
have been shown to be As consistent with
sound hu~inPs- methods in the administrl-
ton as they are in the Intelligence. Justice
and liberty which are the vitality and Z
strength of our Institutions
1t has thus heen made clear. SAYS the re-
port. That those having charge q. the great
departments. who are most rr~nou~; bic tor