The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-01

The fifteenth annual report Of the Civil
service Commission, under date OF Nov. l.
1898, has been presented to the President
The total number OF persons examined dur
ing the wear was 4512, OF whom $3.50
passed. This was a decrease OF ASS in the
number OF examined and decrease OF 5,soS
in the number who did not pass. as COM
pared with the previous year. In the de-
partmental branch of the service Zoo per-
sons were appointed through educational
examination and 2.38 through the nonedu-
cational or registration examinations Two
hundred and two persons were appointed
% in the internal revenue offices. and 20
in the Government Printing ONCE. Inc
commission also issued certificates for the
reinstatement OF 1,l33 persons during the
year. In discussing appointments in our
recently acquired territory, the following
1T will be a satisfactory discharge of our
duties to give simply a better government
TO these Islands than the government which
we replaced, but we must give govern
thinks II proper TO publish in the appendix
to this report an authentic account OF the
colonial governments. We will learn the
following valuable lessons from a study OF
these governments:
"First-That they are rot disturbed by
political changes in the home government,
the tenure being determined by good and
efficient service only.
'.Second-That the men sent to govern
colonies selected because OF special ft-
ness and are promoted. generally from the
smaller colonies to the larger, after demon
strating ability to deal with difficult prob
lems-
''Third-That the officers charged with the
collection of revenue, both internal and Gus
toms duties. are promoted to those places
after faithful and efficient service In minor
grades. and are never appointed as re-
ward for political services at home; that
the cle-kships in the customs and other
lid h. efTsa
aminations: that the pay is commensurate
with the duties performed, and that persons
IN the colonial service are prohibited from
engaging III business enterprises In the COL
onies.
ut will be seen that Spain has lost her
colonies through an application Of the pa
trasting her misgovernment with the excel
lent government of Holland and Great Brit
ain we will see that one is expensive and
forces the home government to maintain
large armies to keep in subsection the ma
tives. while in the other the government Is
economically administered. the. people are
contented, and only small military force
Is necessary. For instance, Spain, with two
hundred thousand men. was not enabled 10
a population of a million and a half; while
England In Jamaica has quieted, by good
government. more turbulent popula ton.
and only keeps, in the important garrisons
Of that island. less than 400 British soldiers.
I'm the Island Of Ceylon, with twice the
population OF Cuba, the entire British force
Is less IMAM nIlecn 1unQTeu NEIL Willie Oh
Andrew Clarke. by his wise government in
the Straits Settlements of the Malay penin-
sula. has been able to bring order out of
chaos and misrule, to put an end TO tribal
warfare. and bring prosperity to the people
without the aid OF any British soldiers.
These examples show in sharp contrast the
application of sound. honest business prin-
ciples on the one side and the application
OF the patronage system of government on
the other. If the positions in our recently
acquired territory are given a reward for
political service at home. we may expect
dioontent. nisrule, and expensive admins
-frafion-
eff. on the contrary. men are selected be-
cause OF their ability as administrators, and
the service Is put upon a basis of ascer
tanned fitness for the duties to be per-
formed, and tenure and promotion are made
dependent upon efficiency and honest serv-
Ice. then we may expect our administration
TO be boon 10 these islands. and we will
have cause to be- proud of our share In sup
planting the misrule of Spain with a gov
eminent in accord with the aspirations of
modern civilization. The commission de-
sires to express the opinion that provision
should be made and the necessary steps
taken whereby as soon as practicable the
civil positions I'm these islands may be filled
Ia accordance with the principles of a merit
system" $50
To meet many demands for information
as to the status of American miners in gold
fields of the Atlin lake region of British
Columbia. the State Department has pub