The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-12-15

had recommended In his annual message
that a new bill be prepared codifying all
the former acts. and this bill was passed.
Under the new laws they had a much bet
ter state OF affairs. In the State civil Serv-
ice had been perfected. and there was a
prospect of much better administration OF
affairs In the counties. The greatest fight
was with the T~ammanyites. who. I'm spite
OF all they could do. would get around the
law In some manner.
GOOD NEWS FROM BUFFALO.
Henry b. Richmond said there was moth
ing but good news from Buffalo. He said
they had had a great battle for civil serv-
ice in Buffalo. and had demonstrated at the
polls that it had come TO stay. Said he:
1--WE beat them. and L guess they know
when they have had enough. II is safe TO
say that civil service Is for all time"
r. Francis Wood said that he had little
encouragement to report from Philadel-
phia. He said that the violations Of the
civil-service law in Philadelphia were
enough TO dishearten them. but they still
hoped for great reforms I'm the future.
when they should get an infusion from
young blood TO spur them on TO greater
things.
c. ]. Bonaparte, of Baltimore. spoke of
great reforms that had taken place I'm Bal
timore since the meeting OF the league last
year. He said that a good deal Of the
" tAC q III TIC aAlA
Said he: One man told me that he was
opposed to the National Civil-service Re
form League. but he was in favor OF the
merit system"
Charles B. Wildly. of Cincinnati. said that
he was very much discouraged with the
outlook in Cincinnati, as they were making
very little progress. He said that the po-
htical ringsters were a source OF great
power. and little had been accomplished
in the work. He said he was very sorry he
could not congratulate Ohio on the prog
ress made In this great movement.
CONDITIONS AT HOME.
Lucius B. Swife said that he was glad to
say that Indiana was not now the horrible
example that she had been. He said that
there had been much Improvement in the
State at large; that the affairs of the State
were now in the hands of clean. conscien-
tious men. The State institutions had been
separated from the spoils system. Said Mr..
Swift: I'VE have done much with our State
institutions, but / am sorry / cannot say
as much for our municipal affairs. We had
but just begun our reform here when kicked
out by a hay who put in his own boards.
'Tfs true we have a police department that
could enforce the law If they were told to
do so, and 1t is equally true that they are
blind to any violation of il, providing
they receive instructions from the same
source. But there is one thing that we
nave 6Olr dliu that IL u ~ department mat
can put out fires as well as any fire depart
ment." He said that he wanted to COM
mend the work Of the State Board of Char
tiles. which visits all of the State institu-
tons and makes very full reports of its
findings. He concluded by saying that the
situation was better than it had ever been
before.
Mr.. A. L. Berry said that the affairs OF
the league in Missouri were progressing,
and especially was it true of st. Louis.
where there had been many reforms I'm mu-
nicipal affairs. He said the league could
count on st. Louis being under the flag OF
civil service for all time to come.
MR.. BURT'S PAPER.
At the conclusion Of these reports a pa
per was read by Silas w. Burt. of New
York, on the subject of 1.-The Competitive
Plan in the Filling of the Higher Grades"
Mr.. Burt said: 1.-The merit system diff
fers from other political questions that are
engaging popular attention. 1t neither
touches business interests nor appeals to
sentiment or passion. No question OF pub
lie policy to-day is so firmly established.
and in the merit system must rest our po-
iitical administrative fabric, now existing
or wherever 10 be extended.
1.-The development of che merit systm has
been on evolutionary lines-a constant adj
vance from low and primitive types to
those higher n more complex. At first
competitive examinations were limited to
entrance TO the lower grade, but the pro-
cesses have ever been progressive and as
cending to the higher positions. These are
divisit4e into several classes-the first of
which comprises those places found in Of
fees where -~2eral or many persons are
employed ienticai or in cognate and
related d" organized In distinct diyi-
sions und eff clerks. charged with the
discipline the force, the decisions of
questions Using in the work and i'm some
cases with communication with outsiders
interested in il. Such higher positions
should be obviously filed by promotion of
the most fit in the lower grades, and IL
none are found thereby an open COMPETE
ton with confidence that the higher dig
nifty and pay would attract those who
could soon master the special knowledge
only to be acquired in the Office. Such a
contingency would be infrequent since pro-
motion would afford a safe resourc i'm
nearly every case, and this promotion
would extend upward TO all places below
the head.
1.-The next class of positions to be con-
sidered are those demanding professional.
scientific or expert attainments, a class
that is ever becoming more numerous in
the increasing functions OF government and
covering every branch of human endeavor.
The qualifications being in part OF a precise
technical character, open competitive ex-
aminations have been Invariable success
full in their test. The claim that men emf
nent in science or the professions would
not compete has not been sustained by
e8
come now to the third class which
the opponents of the merit system are most
insistent regarding the practicability OF
competitive examinations-generally so in
sistent hat they include the whole serv-
ice in this class. OF course L refer to the
so-called confidential positions. The sin
certify of the claim Of confidential rela-
tons when analysed has almost invariably
shown them to apply to the officials own
affairs, or to be entirely baseless and have
often revealed ridiculous perversions of the
facts
The qualifications for these positions
that We are told cannot be tested by com.
petitive examinations are executive abili-
ty, trustworthiness and character. Execu-
tive ability is a combination of several
qualities, some innate and others acquired.
which are not exercised in secret. An APP
pointed officer has no exclusive cognizance
of these qualities: if he knows their pos
SCISSOR he shares with others the recogni-
ton of his ability, and whether he knows
him or not, the testimony as to the mans
qualities is as open to a civil-service COM
mission as il Is to the most jealous pub
lie official; and IL the latter has any ad-
vantage in such respect, IL Is overborne by
the almost universal fact that he does him.
self appoint-he is the mere trustee of a
patronage fund and must honor the drafts
upon il made by the boss or other poten-
tate of the machine.
"Trustworthiness in the sense of so-called
confidence has been mentioned. When II
is fiduciary-that is when the incumbents
are charged with the receipt, disburse-
| nIent or custody of money or goois-ths
prudent Superior can exact such a bond az
is now readily furnished by reputable sure
ty companies, a precaution now adopted by
banks and other private concerns. As has