The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1889-12-07
THE CIVIL SERVICE LAW,
How it's Effectiveness Has Been MARRIED
-fublic Suspicion.

u uDilC Suspicion
On the 4th Of March last, the Civil Service Com
mission had but single member. The vacan-
Cies were hl!ed on the 9Th day OF May, and since
then c0mmiss 'OneTs have been indEstriOus!y,
though OF inadequate force. engaged in executi1g
the law. These were assEr. by Inc that cor
dial support would be given hem In the faithful
and impartial! enforcement of the statute ard of
the rules and regul ulstions adopted in ald OF il.
Heretofore the book OF eIigibles had been
closed TO everyone eXcep. as certiications were
made upon the part Of the appointing officers.
The secretary As The source OF r.uch suspicion,
and OF many charges oi fayoritIsm in the tmin-
islrGtOn Ct the Jaw. What is secret is ways
suspected; what IS open can be judged. Ine
commission, with The full approval OF all It's
members has now oJened the list Uf eligibles o
the puhilc. Ihe eligible Hst Tor The CLASSIFIED
post-oi6ce and cCstOm-honse are low publicly
posted III he respective Offices, are also the
CeTufcationS for appointments
The purpose OF the civil service law was abso-
, lutcly TO exclude any other consideration i'll con-
neclion with appointments under il than that
of merit as tested by the examinations. The
business proceeds upon the theory that both the
examining boards and the appointing officers
are also utey ignorant cs 10 the political views
OF al persons the civil service lists. Ii is not
too much to say, however, that some recent col-
eressiOnal iuve LEGATIONS have somewhat shakea
pubic confidence in the i'm partiaily of the Sc
| lectiOns Tor the appointment.
The reform of lhe civil service will make no
safe or salts &C ory advance until the present law
end its equal administration are well established
i'll the confidence OF the people. 1t will be my
y eaSure, as il Is my duty, TO hat the law is
executed with hrmuess and imparuaity. II
some o. its proYis.oGs have been fraudulent
atu ed by the appointing officers, our resentment
should not suggest the repeal OF the law, but re-
fern in its administration. We should have enc
view of the matter and hold it with a sine etity
that is not affected by The consideration that the
parry 10 which we belong Is tor the time in
power.
My predecessor. on the 4th day of January,
1889, by an executive order to take effect March
-, brought the railway mail service under the
operation OF the civil service law. Provision
ms de that the order should take effect soon
er IN any state where eligible list WAS sooner
obtained. On the llth day Of March, Mr.. Ly-
man, then the only member OF the commission.
reported TO me in writing that II would not be
possible to have the list OF eligibles ready be
ore Nay l, and requested that the taking effect
OF the order be postponed until hat time, which
was done, subject 10 the same provision con
elned in the original order as 10 states in which
an eligible list was sooner obtained.
As q result o: the revision OF the rules, Of the
new Classification, ana OF the inclusion Of the
railway mail service, the work OF the commits
sion has been greatly increased, and the present
clerical force Is tou TO be made quatc. l rec
ommend that the additional clerks asked by the
commission be appropriated for
The duty OF appointment Is devolved by the
| constitut on or by the law, and the appoint-
| iBg officers are properly held to high re-
| spOnsibiity in its exer Use. The growth of the
| count and the consequent increase of the civil
| list have magpitied this function of the execu.
| tive disproportlonate Y. II cannot be denied,
| however, that the labor connected with this
necessary work is increased often 10 the point Of
actual distress, Dy the sudden and excessive de.
| mands that made upon incoming
| administration for removals and app0 Mt
mems. But on the other hand il is not true
| that incumbency Is q conclusive argument Tor
continuance in office. ImpartiGlity, moderation,
| fidelity 10 public duty, and a good attainment
! in the discharge of IT, must be added before the
! argument is complete. When those hOldiug ad-
miuisirative Offices so conduct themselves as 20
| convince Just political opponents that no party
| consideration or bias affects in any way the Gis.
| charge OF their public duties we can more easi-
| ly stay the demand Tor removals.
am satisfied that both in and ont o. the classi-
! fed service great benedt would accrue IRON the
| adoption OF some system by which the officer
would receive the distinction and benefit that
| in all private employments- comes from excep-
| tional faithiuDess and efficiency in the per-
| foTmance of DUTY.
| have suggested TO the heads of the executive
| depaltmen that tncy consider whether record
| might not be kept in each bureau of all
! those clements that covered by the terms
| ''faithfulness" and efficiency" and q rating
made showing the relative merits of the clerks
OF each class, this rating 10 be regarded as test
| OF merit in making promotions.
hsVe also suggested to the postmaster general
| 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 poStmasters of each class They will be ap-
propri lately indicated in the official register AID
in the report OF the department That a great
stimulus would thus be given 10 the whole ser
wee ! do not doubt, and such a record would be
the best defense against inconsiderRte removals
of