The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-08-27

the matter of promotions and othsr iavtIs
h. stil very strong and to its correction
the roformers will next have to u tdross
themselves. Ono OF the assistant sette-
taries remarked at the opening OF this al
ministrntion that tho difference 10 him be-
tween the present civil service sys;em and
the old regime was that between a liiaitod
and an unlimited trust, Now, tile em-
plcVcs enter the service through honest OK.
aminntions, but. once In ofncc, they senu
their senator's and representatives. 10 be-
siege the departments IN an sndeaior 10
secure a promotion In the CID days tue
senators and representatives como TO re-
cure original appointments, The atprals
for favor then were from tho whole outside
population OF the party In power, Nhiie
today the requests for favor are limited To
the persons who arc already Nf.hin tho
gates.
Systems OF recording efficiency have titus
far not proved entirely satisfactory. Ell
forts have been made to Keep record OF
each mans work. on the basis Of quality,
quantity, promptnoss. attention, &c, ana
to make promotions accordingly. hu. GER
tain objections TO this practice are apprr-
emit The man who addresses envelopes all
day may do his work In quality perfect In
quantity he may earn 100 per cnt, IN
punctuality and attendance he my lie all
| that could be asked for; a-.d yet y would
be obviously unfair to promote lin M
higher and more difficult class 81 work
| even though reaching only 81 pee 'ont OF
| tho perfection estimate In that employ
| mcnt.
| TO avoid such situation VI hes been
| proposed that a commission he apf tinted
| TO 60 through the depart meats End rate
| the different positions, aceSfiing 10 INC
! skill and ability required IN each. anu
make n standard on that basis. In the
| classes recurring the largest s'.iities ana
| Intelligence, mako 100 per cent the stand
| ard and mark an cmplcye n duannty,
| quality etc. on that basis, IN no next
| grade Of employments. make DO rer cent
| the standard OF perfection. and discount
| failures from that figure. Then there might
| be an 50 per cent class ana ~ per cent
| class which would be the lowest FOR those
| clerks who do purely routine WtIF, IKE
| copying addressing envelopes, aEmius
signatures with u rubber stamp, ctc IN
| this way the percentages that came Up for
| promotion would be more liaal3 to be
| those OF the persons doing me blgn crane
| intellectual work. and of such Il d'strim-
nation In the past there mas Teen very
| notorious absence.
But no friend OF civil service reform
| contends that the system has yet reetten
| perfection Mr.. Grosyenor al Mr.. Cal
lIpger are the persons most snrpiisen that
| weak spots could etIil remain In tho clas-
ziGed peryica system. Mr.. s,ailiaSers lat
est Illumination Is not regarded IN WASH
ington as worthy Of the slightest attention
When man asks the public IL JON RIM
In conclusions the reasons Tor wiicn ne
| haaaa t,non statements which nige little
I or no foundation OF fact, 1t 's hitting mat
he should be shown wherein his premises
are al fault n. however. the bringing OF
the indlspuiable facts 10 his stten'ioa pro-
duces no effect upon him, and nc fp.s On
TO advocate the same conclusions la''eu
| old
| urally comes when he 10 not w1rta ils'en-
Ing to,
An editorial in a leading republican
newspaper In New England ahmed to snow
a few days ago that Mr.. Gallingers ns-
ures as TO dismissals were all askew, pu'
this was a waste OF time, MT, Gaiiingei
has been shown that many times before.
An excellent example OF the tenacious holo
which he has upon things that are not 60
| is afforded In his recent magazine article
by his reference to the hopping on one 1901
for a distance OF twelve feet. TINS mas
been one OF Mr.. Gallinger's favorite SUD
|. liects Of attack upon the civil service sys.
lem IN the senate and outside. and ye'
on the 2lst Instant his latest attack say
. some utterly absurd requirements nave
been made In the matter Of examinations
, AS an Illustration. the blank for the trades
and skilled occupations requires, amons
|, other things. that the applicant shall hoI
/ on one foot. Invested OF all clothing, ais
/ lance OF twelve feet"
Mr. Galllnger states this as II II were al
! athletic test. given for Its own sake. y
! has many times been shown that II y
/ merely part OF test OF the heart acsioi
, Of candidates. which is the same in use b
, insurance companies and In other places
4 The regulations provide that the heart ~
5 tion shall be taken when the candidate
i sitting, standing and after b0pping on On
4 foot for distance Of twelve feef ~
: Iquirsd for ~ tynAee ~ ekllle4
tiens. ne paper9 oe m - y