The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-18

an examination. When the person for
whom the politician wanted a pace,
passed the examination, all was well
and good, and when he failed to pass
provided his influence remained
strong he was set to work just the
same, but on probation. He was as
signed desk beside the man who
passed. on the theory that experience
was probably all that was needed. and
after few weeks of that, he was given
the same salary as the man WHO start
ed in prepared for the work. This
demoralZed the whole force. 1t Will
be recalled that Madeline Pollard.
whose name is perhaps as familiar to
the public as any of the 5000 clerks
employed on the last census, passed
the examination when presented by
Mr.. Breckenridge for a place on the
pay roll, but there is no doubt but that
she would have been placed there in
any event. Mr.. Porter says in his
North American Review article that
2,7OO examinations were given; but as
the number of appointments according
to the report was 4, 465 ,765 must have
been admitted without even that sight
test of fitness. If examinations as to
fitness which shall mean something
are now really desired, the government
is provided with civil service com
mission Tor that purpose. There
should be no lodging on this point.
Mr.. Carter next says: 1T is believed
that the census, being in the nature of
emergency work, in the performance
or Which large number of persons
will be engaged for only short time
the force to increase rapidly for time
and then to diminish rapidly, selections
made from the body of the people at
large by an examination specially pre-
scribed by persons thoroughly CONVEX
SAINT with census work, will prove mora
satisfactory than the selection of the
required number of persons from the
eligible list of the civil service. The
census work being largely technical
1T appears beyond question of dispute
that the director charged with respon-
sibility for the final success of the un-
dertaking can and will prepare a more
satisfactory system of examinations to
test the efficiency of applicants than
would result from any scheme of ex-
animation devised by a commission not
possessed of special qualifications for
the task contemplated.
This paragraph is the concentrated
essence of humbug. The civil service
commission regularly prepare their ex-
amlnat1ons in co-opera ton with pers ms
specially familiar with the work for
which an eligible list of candidates is
desired. A government printing office
veteran designated for that purpose
goes over with the commission the sub
1ects, topics, methods, ETC., for ex-
amining prospective printing Office en-
plGyes. In the same way census eX-
perts who know what preparation was
wanted in the clerical force would
join the commission in getting up tn So
examinations. The commission is as
as well prepared to test fitness for this
work as for Secretary Longs assist nts
in the navy department, or for Mr..
Cages finance experts in the treasury
or any other branch of the public ser
vice.
Mr.. Carter also referred to selections
made from the body of the people at
large" How are such selections pray
to be made by examination except
through the machinery of the commits
sion? Is the new superintendent of the
census to open examination bureaus in
all the large cities of the country such
as the commission already has estab-
lished, or is this body of the people
at large" to come on to Washington
en- masse and be examined here? The
allegation that the work IS in too much
of hurry to wait for the machinery
of the commission needs no comment.
The enumeration will not take place
till June, 1900. A good many papers
can be marked between now and that
time, and as for getting the prelimi-
nary corps, there would, of course, be
no trouble. 1t is an extraordinary thing
that the weakness ses and inefficlency of
the present civil service system should
be so conspicuous to the eyes of Mr.
Carter of Montana, Mr.. Grosvenor, Of