New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-04

/ recommend that the Weather Service he sepa-
rated from the War Department and established
ss bureau in the Department of Agriculture.
This will involve an entire reorganization both of
the Weather Bureau and of the Signal Corps, MAX
ing of the first purely civil organization and
of the other purely military stan corps ne
report of the Chief Signal Officer shows that the
work of the corps on its military side has been
deteriorating.
THE FEDERAL DISTRICT.
The interests of the people OF the District OF
Columbia should not he lost sight of in the pressure
for consideration of measures affecting the whoe
country Having no Legislature OF JUS OWL
either municipal or general. its people must look
10 Congress for the regulation of all th"se Gun,
Germs that in the States the subject OF iocai
control. Our whole people have an liloe.eso stiao
the National Capital should pi inG lt ro~,ts for
and beautiful and above al thaI ItS ISP'0 M roa
social order should be well malhl''infui. nc nc
laws regulating the sale Of intoXlcatihg UrIiks III
che District should be revised; WI" iimtotionS
bringing the traffic under stringent hni'''iohS
and control. oo torrod rnon mo
In execution of the power conf f s upon me
~ tbe district of Columbia for the year endlng
lime 40 1880. ! did. on the 9TH day OF August
asi appoint Rudolph aft saHd and FTrderc
= Stearns. of Massachusetts,, three eminent san
;,orv engineers 10 examine and report upon the
49, ~ sewerage existing IN the District OF
SSiunbio Their report, which is not yet com
peted will he in due course SUBMITTED 10 Con
gress -. .,,o ri...;o.
is herewith transmitted. and the attention OF Con-
gross is called 10 the suggestions contained therein
THE WORLDS FAIR.
The proposition to observe the four hundredth
anniversary of the discovery of America by the
opening Of a Worlds Fair, or Exposition, in some
one of our great cities will be presented for the
consideration of Congress. The value and interest
of such exposition may well claim the pro-
of fhp Government.
THE CIVIL SERVICE
On the 4th of March last the Civil Service Com
mission had but a single member. The vacancies
were filed on the 9TH day OF May, and since then
the commissioners have been ndustrOuSly, though
with an inadequate force. engaged in executing the
law They were assured by me that a cordial
support would be given them in the faithful ana
impartial enforcement OF the statute ana OF inc
rules and regulations adopted IN ana of 1t.
Heretofore the book of ehgibles has been clo'ed
to every one, except a. ceruhcauOnS were maze
upon the requistiOn of tin appointing officers.
This secrecy was the source Of much sus piclOn'
and Of many charges Of 1aNorltlsm III the du-
ministratOn of the law. What Is secret j Always
suspected; what IS open can be judged Inc
Commission, with the full approval of all It's mem
bers has now opened the list of eilglbrS To the
public. The eligible Isis for the clai sllled post
Offices and custom houses are now puDhc!y poS'el
in the respective oilicts as arr also the cerlhca-
tons for appointments. The purpose Of the
Civil Service law was absolutely to exclude any
other consideration in connection with appoint
ments under it than that OF merit as tested BY the
eXamina tiOns. The business proceeds upon the
theory that both the examining boards ana the
appointing officers are absolutely Ignorant as 10
the political views and associations OF all persons
on the Civil Service lists 1t is not too much o
say, however, that some recent Congressional In
veStigations have somewhat shaken public con
hdcnce in the lmpartlaIty of the selections Tor
appointment.
The reform OF the civil service will make no
safe or satisfactory advance until the present
law and Its equal administration are well eSt1D
llshod in the confidence OF the people. 1T VIII
be my pleasure il 10 my duty, 10 see that the
law is executed with frmness and lmpdrtaty.
If some of its provisions have been fraudulently
evaded by appointing officers, our resentment
should not suggest the repeal OF the law. but
reform in its administration We should have
one view OF the matter, and hold II with
sincerity that is not affected by the consideration
that the party 10 which we belong Is fer the
time in power
Ny predecessor on the 4th day Of January,
1889, 10y an executive order 10 take effect March
10, brought the Railway Mail Service under the
operation of the Civil Service law. Provision was
made that the order should take effect sooner in
any State where an eligible llst was sooner OBJ
tanned. On the ! lth day of March, MIR. Lyman,
then the only member Of The Comm isslon reported
20 me IN writing that 1t would not be possible TO
have the list of elgibles ready before May |, and
requested that the taking effect OF the order be
postponed until that time, which was done, SUB
ject TO the same provision contained in the
original order as 10 States in which an eligible
lisu was sooner obtained
AS a result of the revision of the rules, of the
new classification and OF the inclusion Of the
Railway Mail Service, the work OF The Com
mission has been greatly increased and the present
clerical force is found to he inadequate. recon-
mend that the additional clerks asked by the
Commission he appropriated for.
The duty OF appointment Is deVOINed by the
Constitution or by The law. and the appointing
officers properly held t. a high responsibility
ia its exercise. The growth of the country and
the consequent increase OF The civil lSt have mag
lifted this function of the Executive dispropor
uonally. IL cannot be denied. however, that the
labor connected with this necessary wCrl, j. in
creased, often 70 the point Of actual distress by
the sudden and excessive demands that made
upon incoming Administration for removals
and appointments. Bat. on the other hand, if Is
uOt true that lncumbcncy il a conclusive argu-
ue't Tor "a continuance ia once. lmnrtlhntF,
moderation, fidelity to public duty and a good at
talnmcnt in the discharge Of 10 must he added be-
tore the argument is com pie G. When those hold
me aOmi stratNe office, so conduct themselves as
to convince just political opponents that no party
consideration or bias affects in any way the dis
charge OF their public duties we can more easily
stay the demand for removals
am satisfied that both in and out Of the classi-
he'd service great benefit would accrue from the
adoption OF some >}strm 10y which the officer
would receive the distinction and benefit that in
all private employmens. come from exceptional
laithiulne's and efficiency IN the performance of
duty
/ have suggested TO the heads of the Executive
Departments that they cons der whether a record
might not be kept in each bureau Of all those Gle
ucnts that are covered BY tie terms faithful /
ing the relative merits Of the clerks Of each class
u's '7ting 10 DE regarded as test Of merit in
making promotions
have alSo suggested to the Postmaster General
that he adopt some plan by which he can. upon
tht basis Of The reports 10 the Department and al
frequent Inspections indicate the relative mcrt
q pOsimasters OF each class They will be aD |
pna'eiy indicated in the Official register and in f,c
report OF the Department. That great stimulus !
would thus be given 10 the whole service | do |
not ooun' ana such a record would be the best |
aeieAce against inconSderate removals from Office
EDUCATION
The interest Of the General Government in tbe
education of The people found an early expression.
not only IN the thoughtful and sometime, warnino
uite.ances OF our ablest statesmen h,,, - iii