Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-30

Where Is the commercial organization
elsewhere. the chamber of commerce or the
merchants exchange or other body Of sim
liar character. that ever went cut Of its
way to pass resolutions laudatory OF civil
service reform or to urge its extension
upon the public authorities?
Does the Board of Trade of Washington
covet the unenviable distraction Of being
the only institution Of the kind In the
whole country to perpetuate such an ex-
traordinary piece of foilyf
The Washington Post.
The Star has already published the yigor-
Gus resolutions passed by the Philadelphia
Board OF Trade In behalf Of civil service re-
form: II has also called attention to the
actively favorable declarations and move
ments of the Boston Merchants Association.
the Denver Chamber OF Commerce. the St
Paul Chamber of Commerce. the Baltimore
Board of Trade and the National Board Of
Trade.
Below will bs found the record OF the
great New York Chamber OF Commerce
upon civil service reform:
The annual meeting OF the New York
Chamber Of Commerce was held on May
OF the present year, on which occasion
there was unanimous adoption of a report
submitted by the Committee on Foreign
Commerce and the Revenue Laws on re-
form in the consular service. Some time
prior to that meeting the chamber referred
to that committee resolutions Of the Ma
tional Board of Trade and the Boston
Chamber of Commences, relative to a re-
form In the consular service which would
abolish the spoils system and increase the
efficiency Of the service without a dis
sentins voice the Chamber Of Commerce
approved the report OF the COMMITTEES in
81. - . H.
form rules to the consular service.
The resolutions unanimously adopted by
the board were:
That the consular service Of the United
States h branch of the public service
which demands. In order TO secure efficient
and creditable service, the abolition of
the spoils system In the selection of ap-
pointees by an adequate civil service ex-
ANIMATION; permanency of tenure and pro-
motion from less to the more desirable
places. when special ability and faithful
ness in extending the markets for Amei-
compensation sufficient to command the
services OF men Of good ability should be
arranged. as the present compensation in
most cases Is far inferior to that of the
consular represen tatives of other nations
and Inadequate to permanently command
the services OF competent men,.
But Endorsement of civil service reform IL
by no means a novelty In the proceed
inss of the New York Chamber of Com
Inerca As far back June 2, 1881, that
same body recognized the value OF q bust
nesslike system In the conduct of govern
mental affairs, for on that date 1t adopted
resolutions declaring that
''in the judgment of this Chamber the
system OF examination for appointment for
place In the custom-house which has ruled
during the past two years has been OF
Ih2f Tn fha Ia
munity and Ii. In their eyes, OF great i'm
portance; that the interests Of all doing
business with the custom house demand
the continuation and extension of the same
system. IS one which has resulted in more
prompt and intelligent attention to the
business. both OF the government and the
merchant; that this Chamber hereby in
structs Its committee on Foreign Com
merce and the Revenue Laws to wait upon
the new collector. when he shall be in
stalled, with copy of these resolutions,
and to press upon his attention the i'm
Portance of their subject matter; and that
a copy Of the resolutions BE- forwarded
also to the President and Vice President of
the United States, and to the Secretary of
will throw their influence in the same
direction
To comment upon these resolutions is
entirely unnecessary. Members of thew ash
insten Board Of Trade must. by this time.
IL they were not before, be fully aware Of
the fact that the resolutions a. to civil
service reform In municipal Offices which
will come up at the next meeting. are in
every sense proper matter to be considered
by any organization that has for its OBJ
ject the welfare of the community In which
It Is located. When the Washington Board
of Trade adopts the resolutions which were
thoughtlessly tabled at the last meeting
ft Will place itself in line with the many
leading commercial organizatio that have
taken similar action on practically the
same subject