Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-08-12
Talks Reform
The Civil Service Commissions
Gives His Views.
NOT AFRAID OF A BUREAUCRACY.

The Service Under the "Spoils" System
Pretty Good in spite of the syst~m-Two
Ways to Maine Improvement-Pienty
of Vacancies Under the New Method-A
Remarkable Case of vitaiity-Notes from
the National Capital.
WASHINGTON CITY, Aug. 10 Civil Serv-
ice Commission Lyman spoke Saturday
night to the members OF the Six O'CLOCK club
about civil service reform There We're quite
a number of prominent people, invited guests
and members, present, among them Mr.. Ly-
man, Gen. Muzzey and Commissioner of
Pensions Tanner. Mr.. Lyman admitted
that the civil service had many faults; threw
out suggestions for Improvement, and ridi-
culed the idea of a bureauocracyas the out.
come of civil service reform
First Find the What Is Wanted.
He said; when you are going to improve
thing first find its characteristics and
necessities presume the discussion OF the gov
civil service with which we are engaged re-
lates to tile administrative functions of the
eminent, and not to its legislative and judi
cial side. We are to improve the service in
the great custom houses and places where
the revenues are collected, and in the hand
ling Of the mail.
How to Improve the Service.
"The way to improve this service is to inn
prove the people who administer IL. Up to
the present time the people of the country
have been fortunate to a very great degree
In having in the public service men of char
acter, honesty and ability. | believe that is
true in spite of, and not because Of, the
method by which they have been selected,
and true because it is fact which l think
everybody will concede, that the great mass
of people in this country are worthy to hold
office, and il is only now and then that a
man gets into otfics who is a disgrace 20 it
Method Necessary.
But 20 get into the service better people
some method must be adopted We must
consider the difficulties in the way of a change
Ct methods. They cannot be changed in a
day by an order; IL must be a process OF evo-
luton AMI that is not accomplished in mo
ment l believe we are now i'm the midst of
an evolution, and this change must come
through the people who constitute the serv-
ice.
Two Ways to DO 1t.
"There are two ways to improve the serv-
ice, and both depend on the people who are
employed to do the public work. Que is to
get In at the bottom men Of better education,
broader views, and more thorough purpose
to do the public work honestly and as life
business They should not be appointed be-
cause they belong to clique or 10 a certain
family, but because they are American citi-
zens and are ready to seek a career in the
public service. l do not think there is the
slightest danger of bureaucracy or an Office
holding aristocracy When that is talked
about the intelligence and dignity OF the
American people is discredited- IL is nom
sense. The people OF this country will take
care OF that These young men will have
the public service at heart, and will be loyal
IA the government, not to their particular
chief
Not Partisans, but Business Men.
Another way to improve the service Is to
fake men in n che top, and there is where
should Tx the doors of the service, with the
intervening doors closed to outsiders The
men to be taken I'm at the top should be those
known generally as receiving presidential
appointments. All other places should be
filled by promotion based upon merit l
recognize that party must control the gov
eminent in carrying out a policy, but these
men who are appointed heads OF departments
should be business men, for a great deal
more depends upon this quality than out
sid ers think. The difference between a good
pun uOtN nOt utDsnl
mainly on the men who do the work, but
largely is controlled by men who direct the
work.
Changes Always Taking Place.
Il have come to the conclusion that the
best method Of selecting the men for lower
grades Is by examinations which shall be
open TO all American citizens The charges
of the slow changes in the government serv-
ice are not we'll sustained Changes are
more numerous than most of the people sup
pose The employees in the classified serv-
ice OF the postofiice department undergo a
complete change in five years, which fact Is
largely due 10 the small compensation paid
to these people. OF the 5000 employees of
the classified service in Washington there is
annual change of abont 500
just "A Trick of the Press
"In regard 10 the criticisms which are
heard of questions asked by the commission
/ wish to say that for the past six years
have read the newspapers to find out what
sort Of questions the people objected to, and
there hos newer been single instance that
has ever fallen under my observation where
the question criticised had been asked by the
commission. They were always straw men,
put up to b. knocked down"