The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1890-08-19
The CIVIL SERVICE REFORM BILL.

VIE Dll4 Is sOneLnlng WHICH ought 10
unite all well-wishers of Hawaii. Every
such measure has proved of wide useful
ness, whereverit has been projected and
executed in good faith. The desiderata
d a good bill are very simple. All that
Is wanted is to introduce the merit
system, and 10 entrust that system to
comparisons.
We regret that the measure which is
now being considered by committee of
The House does not possess these simple
qualifications. We have already indi-
Gated in general terms our emphatic dis
approval Of this measure. The grounds
u our judgment will become self-evident
oy precise analysis of the leading teat-
ures OF the Act.
The Dill proposes to create a commas
sion OF five members who shall have con-
lrol Of the appointment and removal of
al Government employees except the
Auditor-t5eneral and twelve other lead
ing officials, and except clerks and others
on . salary of less than 1920 (presum-
ably for the biennial period. The Com
missioners shall be appointed by the
King in Cabinet council, and shall be
removable for cause shown. They may
5e all OF one party, and may be members
u the Legislature or Privy Council, and
shall be paid s. per day Ii. e., sitting
Their duties are to be, in brief, the clas-
sifcation OF all Government employees,
according to salary, the hearing and de-
Gliding OF all complaints by or against
employees, the holding of examinations
20 test the fitness Of candidates proposed
5y beads of departments, and last, but
oy no means least, the appointing and
removal Of all Government employees,
except those specially exempted.
We do not guarantee the above as re-
presenting the true meaning of the bill,
Tor II is 50 loosely and vaguely drawn
that the true meaning is very hard to be
zscertained. The bill, for example, no
Shere says in terms that the power of
appointment and removal lies with the
ei------- A'---AAEio. " z nave liilCiiOu lllcll
merely.
The measure under consideration is
verY long, complex, and full of detail, so
that a complete view of it would entirely
transcend our space. Our criticism will
therefore Of necessity be confined to two
u three leading points.
J. The American Civil Service Act
provides that the Commissioners shall
De drawn from different political parties.
We do not hesitate to say that this is an
absolutely necessary feature of any
bona fide" Civil Service Act, and that
z law without it must in any case be
dangerous, and might be worse than
worthless, might be nothing but tool
IN the hands of INSCRIPTIONS partisans.
The measure before US, significantly
omits this provision, although it was
very likely draughted with the Amer
ican Act lying open on the draughts
mans table
>. The American Act provides that
the Civil Service Commissioners shall
mold no other position OF trust or profit
under the government. This again our
bill not merely omits, but it expressly
Introduces a contrary provision. 1t is
absolutely essential to the successful
working OF a true Civil Service Act, not
only that the office of commissioner
shall not be used as reward for party
service-thatis relatively minor point
but that the act shall not be admins
tered by party politicians, by men who
are active in politics and public affairs
The Commissioners should be men not
N the public service, men who are out
Of politics altogether, and the American
law so provides, as every bona fide law
OF this kind must. The proposed bill
not merely makes it possible to appoint
i've National Reform legislators to con-
stitute the commission, but it goes out
d It's way to make that possible and in
PRODUCES a special clause to etfectuate it.
II the political wheel should turn again
the commission might be. made up of
the five Reform Party politicians. Is
this the proper machinery to secure
pure administration 1t seems very clear
that the public generally would repose
lar more confidence in the Cabinet, than
IN anv commission so constituted.
:. The whole object Of Civil Service
Act is TO substitute the merit system for
the spolls system. Only one way OF
doing this has as yet been discovered.
Ii is to require every candidate for office
TO be examined and to make appointment
depend solely on the standing in this
examination. Now, incredible as it may
seem, the bill before us does not require
anything OF the sort. Let any skeptic
read and be convinced. We cite the