Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-12-04
THE CIVIL SERVICE LAW.
How its Effectiveness Has Been MARRIED
Public Suspicion.

Public SUSPICION.
On the 4th of March last, the Civil Service Com
mission had but single member. The vacan-
cies were filled OH the 9th day CT May, and since
then commissioners have been 1nduStriOusly
though of inadequate force, engaged in executiug
the law. These were assur, by me that cor
dial support would be given them in the faithful
and impartial enforcement OF the statute and of
the rules and regulations adopted in aid OF il.
Heretofore The book OF elgibles had been
closed to everyone except as certihcations were
made upon the part of the appointing officers.
The secretary was the source OF much suspicious,
and OF many charges OF favoritlsm in the admin
istration OF the law. hat is secret is always
suspected; what Is open can be judged. The
commission, with the full approval OF all its
mem bers, has now opened the list of eligibles
the public. The eligible list for the classified
post-office and custom-house are now publicly
pc sted in the respective Offices are also the
certifcalions for appointments.
The purpose OF the civil service law was abso-
lutely to exclude any other consideration in con-
nection with appointments under it than that
business proceeds upon the theory that both the
examining boards and the appointing officers
are abso utely ignorant as to the political views
of all persons the civil service lists 1t Is not
too much to say, however. that some recent con-
gressional inves LEGATIONS have somewhat shaken
pubic confidence in the i'm Partially of the Sc
iections for the appointment.
The reform of the civil service will make no
safe satisfactory advance until the present law
end its equal administration are well established
nieasure sit is NV duty. TO see that the law Is
executed with frmness and innpartiality. If
some of its provisions have been fraudulent,
abuled by the appointing officers, our resentment
should not suggest the repeal OF the law, but re-
form in its administration We should have one
view Of the matter and hold 1t with sincerity
that is not affected by The consideration that the
party 10 which we belong is for the time in
power.
MY predecessor on the 4th day of January,
1889. by an executive order to take effect March
Is, brought the railway mail service under the
operation of the civil service law. Provision
wa ma de that the order should take effect soon
or in any state where all eligible list was sooner
obtained. On the 18th day of March, Mr. Ly-
man, then the only member of the commission
reported to me in writing that 1t would not be
'ore May !, and requested that the taking effect
of the order be postponed until that time, which
was done, subject TO the same provision con-
tanned in the original order as to states in which
eligible list was sooner obtained.
Asa result of the revision OF the rules of the
new Classification and of the inclusion OF the
railway mail service, the work of the commits
sion has been greatly increased, and the present
clerical force Is -four d to be inadequate: rec
ommend that the additional clerks asked by the
commission be appropriated for.
The duty OF appointment is devOlvcd by the
constitution or by the law, and the appoint
ing officers are properly held to high re-
sponsibility in its exercise. The growth of the
count and the consequent increase of the civil
list have magnifed this function of the execu-
tive disproportionatey It cannot be denied,
however that the labor connected with this
necessary work is increased. often to the point of
actual distress, by the sudden and excessive de.
mands that are made upon an incoming
administration Tor removals and Apo Mt
mems But on the other hand, it is not true
that incumbency is conclusive argument tor a
continuance in Office. Impartial1ty, moderation,
fidelity to public duty, and good attainment
in the discharge Of ii, must be added before the
argument is complete. When those holding ad-
mlnistrative offices so conduct themselves as to
convince just political opponeats that no party
consideration or bias affects in any way the cis-
charge of their public duties, we can more east
" stay the demand tor removals.
L am satisfied that both in and out OF the CLASH
fed service great benefit would accrue from the
adoption of some system by which the officer
would receive the distinction and benefit that
in all private employments comes from excep-
tional faithtulDess and efficiency in the per-
Torrance OF duty.
l nave suggested to the heads of the executive