Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1890-02-05
THE GRumRLER.
Senator stewart on civn-Ssrvies
hSferm

vi The stem not only depends nOou
securing persons to administer it VIII.
are absolutely incorruptihle and i'm
partial, hut also upon their being able
to satisfy the community that they
possess those qualities. The opportu
mites for favoritism in the selection,
retention and promotion of Govern.
ment employees under the presen, sys-
TEN are practically adopted. II by
chance any of the persons selected TO
administer the law are deficient in the
requisite OF honesty:
Applicants for examination may be
advised in advance Of the questions
they will be called upon to answer.
Questions may be distributed in such
manner that the favored ones can
easily answer them.
The result of the examination may
not be fairly given.
Special examinations may be given
to those preferred,
After examination, favoritism may
be exercised in the selection of those
10 be appointed. The four names from
which the appointing officer must
select. may be those of persons having
friends at court The appointing OH.
Ger and the Commission may have an
understanding that d particular pcr-
son should he included Ia the four.
After appointment, retention and
advancement depend upon the pleasure
of the appointing power.
have mentioned only few Of many
methods that may be pursued under
existing laws by a small cotcrie of
pretended reformers In charge 0f the
new system of reformation. The fact
that tho system Is liable TO such abuses,
subjects every officer connected with 1t
TO suspicion Of unfairncss.
The impossibility of determining
whether or not law is fairly admins.
tered, is u serious objection to 1t.
Secrecy is the mother Of fraud.
Secret tribunals OF every description
are universally condemned. 1t 10 fatal
to the satisfactory working Of the sys.
ten that every important step In the
aelec ton, retention and promotion Of
Government employees is secret; for.
however grossly the officers IN charge
may betray their trust, detection and
exposure are practically I'm apostolic.
Whatever complaints may be made
against the public press. it must be
admitted that in tho dark corners
where its calcium light does not reach,
corruption fourishes. The inside
workings of the so.called Civil Service
merit system are hidden from the
press. It is the only part of the Gov
eminent machinery which cannot DO
penetrated by tho ubiquitous reporter.
The public will not be satisfied until
that inquisitiye individual is adj
lnit'ed into all the mysteries by which
men and women get offices.
Why should such complicated and
expensive secret service be supported
to ascertain whether a clerk is q good
eopyis., or an examiner of accounts q
good book.keeper or whether, In short,
any person is qualified for tho partic.
ular duties required of him! What
difficulty is there in ascertaining thee
facts by few days trail, under the
competent head Of bureau or divi-
sion! Banking institutions. railroad
companies, and other great business
establishments find no difficulty IN
selecting persons capable of discharg-
ing the most important duties These
selections are made after practical
tests, not after secret manIpulations.
| A secret-servico board modelled after
the Ciyil.Service Commission would
destroy any private business in the
county; and, If the Government bust
ness Is not ruined by it, 1t will not be
because the system is not calculated to
impair its efficiency, but because the
Government is so strong and great that
it can survive vast deal Of mal.ad.
ministration.
The pretense that the machinery
connected with the Civil Service Com.
mission 81 necessary to determine the
qualifications of the employees Of
the Government, is absurd. II 10 the
duty of heads of departments. bureaus,
and divisions to ascertain that those
under them are competent, and they
have efficient means of determining
that ouesliOp without outside assist.