Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-29
THE CIVIL SERVICE LAW,
Commissioner Roosevelfs Answer to Sun
intendent Porter of the Census Bureau.

THE CIVIL SERVICE Law.
Commissioner Roosevelf's Answer to Super.
intendent Porter of the Census Bureau.
A HEARING BEFORE THE HOUSE COMMITTEE To-
DAY--THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PASS EXAM
NATIONS AND COMPETITIVE EXAMINATIONS
THE Law NOW OPERATING.
| In response to a request from Mr.. Lehlbach,
chairman of the House committee on civil
service reform, Mr.. Roosevelt of the civil
service commission appeared before the COM
mittee at meeting held at 1890 this morning,
to answer the statements made by Mr.. Robert
P. Porter, chief of the census bureau. There
were but three members of the committee
present, the chairman and Messrs Dargan and
Boatner.
| MIR. PORTER WANTS TO AMEND.
Mr.. Porter started out by requesting the OPP
portunity to amend the report made of his
statements at meeting Of the committee held
on the 9Th Of last September. He read from the
report as follows:
MIR. Andrew-For what purpose il this limited
examination in the civil service?
Mr. Porter-I do not know. It Is evident
that they do not examine applicants thoroughly.
MIR. Porter said that he meant to say that
they were not examined as carefully in arith-
metic as they should have been.
Mr.. RoosEvELT's ANSWER.
Mr.. Roosevelt then began to read his answer,
which was quite lengthy document.
Mr.. RoosEvELr's STATEMENT.
Mr.. Roosevelt said he welcomed the chance
of joining issues squarely with Mr.. Porter as
regards his comments on the merit system of
| making governmental appointments. ''Mr.
Porters remarks" Mr.. Roosevelt went on,
show that he appeared before your committee
favoring the old patronage system of making
appointments and advocating its reintroduction
into the departmental service at Washington.
His advocacy Of system of non-competitive
| or pass examinations does not change his posi-
ton IN the least, for non-cOmpetitive examine
tons serve only as a cloak to hide the naked
ness OF the spoils system. Pass examinations
| or non-competitive examinations are absolutely
useless as checks upon patronage appointments.
They prevent the most incompetent men from
| being appointed to Office, but they do not
secure the appointment of the most competent.
and they afford no check whatever upon polit-
ical appointments 1t is idle to talk OF the
actual non-competitive examinations being
fair; for the unfairness and favoritism come in
In the choosing of men who shall be allowed to
try Them Mr. Porter frankly avows his pref
erence for a partisan over non-partisan
service. stating, on page 124 Of the report, that
he believes that there is no harm in looking
| into the politics of the individual to be
appointed. and that he is in favor of it provided
it does not interfere with the efficiency Of the
clerks
APPOINTMENTS FOR DEMOCRATIC FRIENDS"
"He adds that the majority of those recon-
mended to him for appointment are republic
cans and that there has been a distinct leaning
to republicans; but that to a reasonable ex-
tent his democratic friends have also had APP
pointments given them. 1t is hardly necessary
to point ont that service is not rendered ono
whit the less political in character because
favored individuals Of the opposite party hap
pen to have influence with the appointing
power. II the appointments were divided
evenly among the politicians Of the two par ties
pointments as ever. The object of non
partisan service is to get the appointments out
| OF politics. To distribute them among the poll
ticlans OF two parties instead Of continuing them
to the politicians Of one does not alter the case
| In the least, leaving the method quite as OBJ
jectiOnable as it ever was. In the worst DAYS
| of the spoils system influential politicians of
| the party in opposition could occasionally get
their adherents appointed to clerkships, and
many appointments were also made through
favoritism of non-political character. Mr..
Porter says that he often appoints men for my
| democratic friends Any head of q bureau
under the spoils system il willing at times to
obllye in this way his intimates in the party op-
posed to him. Patronage has always been used
| III patronage offices to subsidize and placate
leading Congressman Of the opposite party with
a view to procuring legislation, notably in the
matters Of appropriations.
MIR. Porter makes some remarks about the
system in vogue in England, which do not
feel called upon to discuss. Mr.. Porter is him.
self n native Of England and is presumably
better acquainted with a. least certain Of the
political methods in vogue there than l am.
but inasrnuch rs approach the subject Of civil
service reform purely from the American
standpoint do not think it needful to discuss
the attitude OF England in the matter at all.
| PROMOTIONS.
MIR. Porter is to be thanked for having fur.
nished usa most effective argument for apply.
ing the merit system, including competitive ex.
aminations, to promotion within, as well al
admission to, the classified service. He shows
how promotions are made under the patron
age system. His statement is in brief, that he
does not give promotion to any man UNFIT for
| Il. but that lac does promote any one who il
both fit and is also able to procure the per.
sonal intercession of Senator or member OF
Congress. In other words, in making promo.
ton Mr.. Porter takes into account both man's
fitness and also the strength of his political
backing. We hold that his fitness alone should
be considered. Doubtless the practice Mr..
Porter follows, of allowing political or per-
| sonal favOritism and influence to be among the
causes which procure man promotion, il
rife In most departments under the patron.
age system, anu Mr.. Porter's own account OF
his method offers abundant reasons why al
promotions should be made under the super
vision Of the civil service commission.
| THE PERMANESCY OF APPOINTMENTS.
"Mr. Porter says: 4 am myself in favor Of
examinations and think the results of our ex
perience will undoubtedly sustain the efforts
which were made in that direction, though ]
am not in favor exactly Of any system of barna
cleism. The greatest danger is the system OF
permanent civil service appointments and thai
| danger is becoming greater and is being fitted
to certain classes and shutting out the common
people from these examinations These two
sentences seem a little involved, but apparently
Mr.. Porter is referring to the examinations az
conducted by this commission when he dwell:
ON the danger which il becoming, as he as
serts. greater. If this is SO his fears are not