New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-18
THE AMERICAN CIVIL SERVICE
IT'S NEED OF A PERMANENT TRAINED
BODY OF EXPERTS.
THAT AT ANY RATE. is WHAT AN INTELLIGENT
AND SYMPATHETIC ENGLISH CRITIC
THINKS WE MOST WANT.
From The London Spectator.


From The London Spectator
trained permanent Civil Service. hand oil espelt
servants of the state whose knowledge ana ex,
who control the Executive. Such body AmeriS .
has got either in the world OF adm,s,i a oDd
military world and hence the conduct OF her PUBL
affairs IS always ttle plejGdlGcn ny 'g In nne ~
the VERY interesting articles On things AmeIlcsn
which Mr. sidney Low Is contributing TO - ne d., ~,
Iamess Gazette he asks how II comes that III tIr
face OF a grave crisis the AmerlC an f.Ne,uaiNc
shows such evident signs OF no feel quite
what is the next step and me rSr Ssnp in
take; such sense IN fa M Id POINTS out the
nervousness is certainly no, que to 1~sv and co.,
iecti,eiw hive 70 the point OF recklessness and
no nation ever had better or stonter hear';
witness the civil war and indeed. all the sIeat
crises Of American history. The true American an; Is
quite in Gunsa Dins p9sl,on, a,1 as whole has
spirit as inlomitable It is restless ana ncq tx
How then does 1t happen that me an IN Amer
lea have been showing signs of hestancy ana ~
widerment? Instead Of showing the Nnt'I ha,o hal
anced and hesitate. Sidney Low sussestts I'M ,h.
the explanation is To be found IN meme ~ aimost
men who control the American hNecu ecu go iitil.
from the top 10 the bottom-haNc had Vt's NJ
experience Of great Affairs There are and force
painstaking men. and men OF nthnamcy ar lat az
among them bu, they are mostly new 10 ~
fairs. and particularly to the dnifhe' ,r.ign Pow
conducting diplomatic relations WIN i"'e's"
I{ut Will he said. and Salf lisH''ff a..
mi straight into Cabinet In England oi,.h h n,
painfully climbed the ladder ruHs from uS a Junior
have previously been everything. rom "a sch
Unframed men have not exhibited want OF nerve %
shown themselves TO be 10 SOM eAu tiit,,ss Why
then should able Americans subjected TO s''n'. as
circumstances act dinerenty @ ssc,i"ns OF the
race or at any rate. whatever dine,ehcs 80 90
thc mo 4 far more mODlc III Htli'h
less distrustful OF his own powers lar 'npit wi,
mistic and inclined 10 believe that everything WIZ
,narr, ,hrough All right In A word. the American
is the brighter quicker and bo!dcr man an" rS,c
must then be some other. or rather iurthef tx
PLANTATION than that OF sidney l'9" io' 49, ~ ,be
answer 10 The couundrum is in reality very simple,
The unframed American state, men sho" Ssnn
English staiesmen DO not. Simply because IN ing
lard We have hishS orsahi['qp Inn in Amcrlca thcy
have not With rs the Cabinet Minister settles thc
advised by The permanent peopr now 10 80 .,,v
his work When he Is new 10 the WORK my ~
apccr,n,muated experience and SIN more their in
stinct for the special characterislcs OF p.rmous
Of grasp which cannot be obtained IN any "'h, 81
great civil service There are. We know. plenty OF
clerks and some Of them are very abe ana g nTan,
rralihrc Who have devoted their lives aud energies
90 ofcia bDsi"ss and know it horoughiy Perma
ncni Officials OF This Kind hardly cxs, Ia Washing
except perhaps at the Treasury or If they do
exist. the position accorded TO them Is not that
which IS given the great heads of departments IN
Of department, are the Cabinet Ministers. but then
they are not trai"ed Official hli abe men ,r VINO
ties. as 1t were. ~ each OF the great 9flces. As
9n as not lny s "4 e o mngeF beoe
and hence there ~ bound To he makeshi,t
docs no' matter much IN easy times for then me
makcshft does almost As wei! as the thoroughly
IS immaent need for cautions and wary Walking
II il otherwise. The head Of the Executive and
port. not in arriving at thcir policy bur for giving
It its bes and most successful expression. The
they are not take false stop. But when
man is very anxious not 10 take false step. and
; ,HiI,n ~ gd ncrn,.~ra rc c"np"f s.n bis wav
clear. he has no one 20 before him with a light.
sense Of anxiety as 10 where his ncyf forster nay
ia nd him Imagine man who had previously No
knowledge Of such work put to manage n great
ce er and peror for"mcn he nav no doubt, be
able TO get along II the business II going smoothly.
bur If he suddenly gets involved in a complicated
lawsuit about patent. and otherwise into troubled
waters. he VIII have many an uneasy half-hcur.
IT, on the other hand. he has. besides tho stan Of
clerks and foremen. one or two men Of tried ability
and great experience who can. advise him at every
point OF procedure and can forecast for him the
results that this or tha; policy will probably pro-
The new may not take the advice. but AT
any rate he feels that ne has Efficient eyes. ears
and hands
What America wants. then. I. n set Of perma-
nent officials who shall be able TO act as the eyes
and hands Of the Administration. The poll
ticans and statesmen will not any the less be
the brains OF the Government; hut instead OF hav-
ing to do work they unfit for they Will be
able TO give the necessary order to the mon who
fit. a highly paid. highly organized Civil Ser.
endowed In fits highest ranks with pres
tigc and honor Of the Federal Judges would be Of
immense service 10 the States. But though we do
doubt the reality Of the need do not sup
pose that America Will ever get the Civil Service
We
busy and too much inclined TO optimism TO take
the trouble TO adopt the remedy. Nothing hut a
big disaster VIII make America put her official
household in order. and a big disoster IN America
Is very far of. Besides. experts are popular
In country. where every man believes that
he has only TO try 10 DC good n schoomaster
carpenter. mason. sailor rs any I'm tho