Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-12-16
A. BROAD DISTINCTION.

The English Reform, of the Civil Service
as Compared with That of the United
States.
The absurd and dishonest manner in
which Mr., Blaine following the CORE
spondent of the New York. Tribune.
has tried to misrepresent the purpose
and nature of the investigation into
the English civil service has had one
good effect 1t has called attention to
the essential features of the reformed
service both in England and in this,
country, and has led to better under
standing of the differences between
the two, and especially of the practical
nature of our own system. The
changes that have been brought about
in the two countries have had some
things in common, but they have also,
varied with the causes that produced
Them. In both cases the principle of
admission by open competition and
subsequent probation was adopted;
but in England the evil to be reme-
died was favoritism, partly based on
the pretensions of aristocratic fam
lilies and partially springing from
the use of offices to purchase votes
in Parliament. while in, this coun--
try the evil was chiefly partisan
favoritism combined with certain
amount of chicanery on the part of
the distributors of patronage. The.
difficulties in which the English system
is involved do not arise at all from the
competitive principle, though there
have been mistakes in its. application.
but largely from the aristocratic bias
that has survived the reform and
which has tended to form a sort of
hierarchy in the service. This in turn
has been rendered more inflexible and
manageable by the system of PEN
sions dependent chiefly on length of
service which is still a fixed part of the
English plan. These elements have.
combined to make the, English service
bureaucratic, with the incidents Of red.
tape. timidity. rigidity and lack Of
Ego" natural to bureaucracy.
On the other hand, the difficulties to.
which the reformed potion of our
service is exposed and it must be re-
mem ered that it is still very small,
portion-are of quite another character.
They spring from the innate tendency
of the American mind in any occupa--
ton to, depend upon its own resources,
to neglect system and strict order. and
to depend on ingenuity, energy and
decision TO meet emergencies as they
arise. The American system requires,
therefore. precisely the opposite treat,
ment to the English. 1t needs clear
and uniform rules, firmly and fairly
enforced. with constant and vlgilant
supervision and the greatest consIsten-.
CIV in the application of the rules.
There is no dangero of bureaucracy here.
The men employed in pubic work do
not tend that way; the source of regu.
lation, namely. the legislation of Con-
gress, is too variable to permit
it.. and finally the American people.
would not suffer 1t in service oven
which they have. ultimate, though in
direct, control. The common terms
used by the two races indicate the
wide difference in their temper i'm
these matters. The Englishman
."growls, - the American .'kicks,"
and the office-holders with us are al
ways so intimately connected with the
general public, arc so much part of it
and in sympathy with it, that there is
no probability, and hardly a POSSIBLE
ity, of their becoming e. ''classo apart.
Moreover, the qualities our officers
nave SnOWns even unu6Tt the OepEayeu
and dem0ralizing influence of the
spoils system can, under proper. rcgu-
lation- be made extremely valuable,
and this without the slightest danger
of their usurping privileges not be-
longing to them, or assuming an
offensive bearing.
This needs, as wa have said more
perfect and harmonious system, with
fair and uniforms rules. carefully APP.
piled by means OF adequate Inspections
and authoritative. central control. It
is noteworthy that the. course OF tise
Civil-Service Gommission has been
steadily in this directiom. and mare
markedly so since the administration
of Mr.. Cleveland came IN than at any
time before. The present commission
has steadily advanced in its grasp or
the duties imposed upon it and the
powers conferred by the law. 1t has
extended. its Investigations, kept closer
watch On the examinations guarded
more jaalousiy its own rights, both OF
initiative and of Judgment on appeal.
and has striven to inspire the whole.
BODY of officers with whom it deals
with common understanding Of and a
common respect for thevital principles
of the reform.-M 4. Times.
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