Evening star., 1895-06-18
A M ER|T SYSTEM
How the Order Of the Commissioners
Originated.
4 PRACTICAL TEST OF TIE idea
Competitive Examinations to Be
Required in the Future.
A FAR-REACHING ORDER

Being Commissioners of the District of
Columbia, and having the power of ap
pcintment and removal, it is to be pre-
sumed that they have the right to make
rules governing these appointments and re-
rlcvals.
With this statement of facts before them,
the Commissioners, as exclusively stated in
The Star of yesterday, decided at their late
board session to adopt merit system for
the District government. This has been ex-
pected for some time There never has
been board of Commissioners but favored
this arrangement. Away back in Major
Raymonds administration as Engineer
Commissioner he proposed an order similar
to the one just issued by the Commission
ers, but it was never strictly enforced, and
so became obsolete. The constant pressure
of Congressman for positions for their con-
stituents made the life of Commissioner
hard to bear. and it has been the dream of
them all that one of these days the District
sovernm ent would be protected by the civil
service law.
of Commissioners organized that this very
subject came up afresh. Commissioner
Ross mad always been strong advocate
OF the application of the civil service law
to the District, and it did not take very
strong arguments to convince his col
leagues after they had been in office
month Of the advantages CT such scheme.
Commissioner Truesdell became as ardent
an admirer of the project as Commission
Ross, and Major Powell never doubted the
efficiency of service that would come from
such an arrangement.
A Practical Test.
1t is not generally known that several
months ago the idea was put to a prac-
teal test. A small position was vacant
The Commissioners We're anxious to fill
it with man thoroughly reliable and COM
petent Four Senators and two Repre-
sentatves made application for the place
ard presented their constituents, all OF
whom they recommended in the highest
terms as being fully qualified. Here was a
predicament for the triumvirate.
The Senators were all representative men,
and had proven their friendship for the
District in Congress. If one was recog-
nized, and his man appointed, it would
stir up bad feelings among the others.
Then 1T was that proposition was made
that solved the entire question. competi-
tive examination wouli be held under the
auspices of the civil service commission,
and the man recommended as having
passed the best examination would get the
position. No one could object to this. 1t
was fair and just So the examination was
ordered, and The applicants notified. About
half of them responded The examination
was taken and the papers later forwarded
to the Commissioners. Just one of the
number passed, and his rating was not
failures. The appointment was accordingly
made, the man receiving the highest mark
getting the place. Here, indeed, was a
striking example of the necessity of civil
service reform for the District govern
ment No better evidence was needed, and
here it was that the egg of the merit sys-
tenn, which yesterday Matched into full
grown and vigorous youngster, was laid
And now before a clerk receives an ap-
pointment in the District service he must
prove b. a competitive examination that
he is qualified.
The Order Far Reaching.
This order is far reaching. AS stated in
The Star of yesterday, firemen and police
men will have 10 submit to it, and every
one who seeks employment in the District
service will have to pass an examination
Next December number of positions of
physicians to the poor will be vacant. AL
ready there are a number of applications
on file. Before any one Is appointed he
must prove to the satisfaction of the Com
missioners (who will rely upon medical
examining board, shortly to be selected,)
that he is fully qualified to attend to the
duties incident to the position. The Com
missioners are being congratulated on all
sides for this important move, although
there are some who irsist that it will not
work when Congress convenes.