New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-06
A CIVIL SERVICE DANGER.
WHAT A CORRESPONDENT THINKS OF COM
PET1TIvE EXAMINATIONS FOR EN-
GINEERING WORK.

TO the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: The State OF New-York IN It's canal DIM
culties. Is having foretaste OF trouble from
which In coming years. the public WORKS OF ou'
country generally may suffer seriously during inc
next century the sums OF money that VIII go INTO
public works will he enormous. Not even the cost
OF great war equals IN amount what Is expenden
In decade Of public improvements. Yet the TEST II
selecting the engineers who decide as TO how the
money shall be spent practically insures IN THESE
engineers only one qualification. and that the low
est-memory. The younger and less experienced
the applicant the better HIS memory is likely to be
and the greater his chance FOR appointment Ills
power ~ examining temporarily and spoutinS pro-
fusely IS generally greater than In older men
There is nothing in any such examination 10 IN
sure the many more important qualifications LONE
practical experience good judgment. inventveness'
organizing and executive ability business luai'-
cations. keenne.s in detecting fraudulent WORK
ability 70 foresee and provide for Obstacles haolts
o. industry. neatness. sOhrety, tact IN deaHs WIN
subordnates and others hrmness In resisting press
ure for inequitabie allowances; honesty, economy
and many other requisites are In no way "scer-
tanned by any examination. The broader exaMina-
ton that OF years OF actual work can alone ae'
termlne the possession OF such qualifications me
only men who know about this are those VII"
whom the candidate has worked, the only things
that can evidence II the works constructed. or.
better still avoided by economical and satisfactory
substitutes
Moreover. the class from which appointments are
made Is a limited one II IS the unemployed or
disconnected who hunting a Job" While IN
engineering the best man may be out occasion
ally, selection which limits the selection 10 the
outs IS necessarily not the best possible
examination at the beginning OF their career PROB
ably at no time IN their subsequent practice c0uu
they pass N same examination equally well Ger
tainlv no eminent doctor. lawyer. manager pi
scientist would go through a competitive eN"ihiI5-
ton condition Of election or SelectlOn IL loi-
lows that hy competitive examination IN most
cal.ings the eminent are shut out 10 the greater
loss Of the work than OF the eminent man. ~ IS
well known IN civil Service compeitions tnat me ne
most veterans decline TO 20 mo thdI su "a ar
bat II public construction work has suffered even
FL times OF depression in private CONSTRUCTION Mnd'
viii the direction Of II be when private cons,ruc-
tions seeking men eagerly! $500, -.
There is still another reason, and GOOD one
why eminent engineers dislike public service hey
are Obliged work through SubOrdinateS NOT OF
their own choosing. whom they 30 not Know 70 ue
good. whom they may know 20 be poor; a iol.S
only 10 result IN getting NOT hing better Any ensl
neer Of emluence imperls MS PROFESSIONAL s'anu'"s
by working under such conditions - -
Unless IN way public CONSTRUCTORS IN SC
cure the benefit OF the most experienced ana ca
pahle engineers and do II without the prerequisite
Of solicitation by the engineer much or iuture eN
pendlture viii he money lost. Even now. within
The ranks Of public servants. the number OF engl-
neers Of large experience is none too great a,,.
mon should be appointed and retained II IS oe-
cause We belle IN efficient service IN civil oet.
vice that the method. not the aim. or the present
CIVIL Service . criticised by many. Inete, -
timidltv in openly opposing present methods. lest
VICE aims For the higher grades Of position IN
ne possible for the position to seek ana 10 iiu '"e
MEMBER OF AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL
New Rochelle r. Y. Dec !. 1895.