Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-12-12
/ Am a Civil Service Retormer.

The reform of the civil service will make no
safe satisfactory advance until the present law
and its equal administration well established
in the confidence of the people 1t will be my
pleasure, it is my duty, TO see that ths law Is ex
ecuted with frmness and lmpartIallty. Ii some Oh
Its provisions have been fraudulently eyaded by
appointing officers, our resentment should not
suggest the repeal of the law, but reform In It's
administration. We should have one view OF the
matter, and hold with SIT certify that Is not at
feced by the consideration that the party to which
We belong is for the time in power: 1000
Ny predecessor, on the 4th day of January. 1889,
by an executive order to take effect March Id
brought the railway mail service under the opera
ton of the civil service law. Provision was made
that the order should take effect sooner In any
state where an eligible list was sooner obtained.
On the 11th day of March, Mr. Lyman, then the
only member of the commission reported 10 ME ~
writing, that il would not be possible to have the
list eigibes ready before May LIST. and requesie1
that the taking effect of the order be postponed
until that time, which done, subject 10 the
same provision contained in The original order, a.
10 the states in which an eligible list was sooner
obtained As result of the revision of the rules OF
the new classification and of the inclusion of the
railway mail service the work OF the commission
has been greatly increased and the present clerl
cal force is found to be inadequate. l recommend
that the additional clerks asked for by the commits
sion he appropriated for. The duty Of appoint
ment is devOyed by the constitution or by the law,
and the appointing officers are properly held to
high responsibility in its exercise. The growth
of The country and the consequent increase of the
civil list have magnifed this function of the
however, that the labor connected with this neces
sary work is increased often 10 the point of actual
distress by the sudden and excessive demands thai
are made upon an incoming administration for
removals and appointments; but on the other
hand 1t is not true that ncumbency
Is a conclusive argument for contin uance in
office. Impartiaity, moderation, fidelity to pub
lie duty and good attainment in the discharge of
it must be added before the argument is complete
When those holding administrative offices so con-
duct themselves as TO convince just political op-
ponents that party consideration or bias affects
in any way the discharge of their public duties.
more easily stay the demands for removals.
l satisfied that both in and out of classified
service, great benefits would accrue from The
adoption of some system, by which the officers
would receive the distinction and benefit that in
all private employments comes from exceptional
faithfulness and efficiency in the performance of
duty. / have suggested TO the heads Of the exec
utiYe departments, that they consider whether
record might not be kept in each bureau, of all
those elements that covered by the terms,
'sfaithfulness and deficiency" and rating made
showing the relative merits OF the clerks of each
class, this rating to be regarded as
test of merit in making promotions.
/ have also suggested to the postmaster-genera
that he adopt some plan by which he can, upon
the basis of the reports to the department and of
frequent Inspections indicate the relative merit of
the postmasters of each class. They will be ap-
propriatey indicated in the official register and
port of the department. That great stimulus
would thus be given to the whole service, do not
doubt, and such record would be the best defense
against removals from Office.