New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-01-22


nesses. This authority is rot granted by thSTieil
Service law and the Commission been
justly criticised because of its lack Of power in
this respect in conducting its Investigations when
! the fault is in the law itself
Attention is called to the need of promotion regu-
! lations throughout the service and the importance
OF preventing outside influence or inside favorusm
+ from deciding promotions The Commission states:
As appointments to classified positions
made as result of tests of fitness and without
regard to influence, 1t has followed that the iufu-
to the control of propofin0s in The no absence of
/ regulations requiring that they shall be made only
upon merit When promotions made on
auenee there is adverse Criticism i and discomfort
heads s1cb nro-at5 enpIoEes over WIoTs
necessarily detrimental the service while,
leaves no room for Just criticism on the part of
! tain nigh standard of efficiency in the service.
The Commission for the first time discusses the
/ question OF providing retirement fund for super
animated employees 1t refers to the report of the
! joint commission Of Congress in 1893 appointed to
inquire into the organization of the executive de-
I partments in Washington, in which IL was shown
that OF 17G73 employees 146 sixty years Of age
OF over q seventy years or over, and 40 eighty
/ years or over. Reference is also made to the ac-
ton Of the Secretary Of the Treasury In 1897 who
recognizing the difficulties under which the Treas
! ury Department lahored with aged and incapaci-
tated employees hindertng the proper performance
| Of the work. created an honorable service roll"
| which action was questioned in Congress- and a
provision adopted prohibiting the establishment Of
such a roll or civil pension roll The Commission
states:
It must be admitted. however, that the question
/ Of the superannuaton of employees is serious one
proper and efficient administration of the work of
| the executive service -
The Commission believes that the adoption and
enforcement Of suitable regulations governing pro-
motions. reductions and dismissals would reduce
capacitated employees because under such rae IN
lions there would be little nducement for this class
1t is suggested that the question of enacting
law providing for retirement fund for tncapaci-
tated employees, such fund to be created and main
tain by withhoIdng certain percentage of the
salaries OF employees, is worthy of the serious at
tention of Congress. Such a law would not be open
and # should be enacted the Go4ernRnent Would
& f FT Thef as II 69 6 emp2 placed PG9
prime of life.
SMALL NUMBER OF REMOVALS.
Gratifying progress is shown in the remarkably
small per cent of removals now made from the
classified service. The Civil Service law requires
that removals from positions subject to examination
shall be made for political religious reasons.
but the order of the President Of July 81 1897 pro-
hibiting removals from competitive positions except
for just cause and requiring that the reasons for
| removals shall be given in writing and made d
part Of the records of the Office, has had most
salutary effect. Only 9.19 per cent Of those ap-
pointed through the Commissions examinations
have been removed from the departmental service
during the last sixteen years, little over seven
tenths Of per cent year.
The Commission contrasts the small per cent OF
removals from the classified service with the large
per cent from the unclasshed service, and makes
this significant comment:
If the removals from the uncIassihed positions
were made because the occupants were incompe-
tent 1t a condemnation of the system under
which they we're appointed on me otner n 4l
unftness the welfare Of the service could not have
figures s the conc9son must be drawn that either
the persons brought in through examination are
far more efactent than the others or the removals
from the unclasssd positions post nave 1een maze loF
MERIT SYSTEM IN THE ISLANDS
The Commission dweIls at length on the question
of a merit system for the Civil Service OF our
colonial possessions. 1t is urged that the Spanish
method OF making appointments for political or
personal reasons without due regard to the quail
fcations of appointees. be avoided Reference Is
made to report OF the Secretary Of War, IN
which he states:
except in the chief ofces. system Of Civil Service
quests from the GoveEnoE Of Puerto Rico for suit
able persons 10 De cb VII be PRESENTED by the
Philippine Commission renders unnecessary any e%-
tended statement by me on the subject OF govern
ment in those Islands.
The Commission also calls attention to the Ian
guage used by the Philippine Commission in its
proclamation TO the natives promising them an
honest economical and efficient Civil Service. and
states:
This promise made by the authorized agents of
the United States cannot be fulfilled unless the /
ing appointments as PERSONAL favors political
rewards through which spain lost her colonies. Is
The patronage system has been tried in this coun-
try and found wanting. II 1872, the year before the
passage Of the Civil Service law the Congress !
COMMITTEE appointed TO Inyesqgate the cGndlIl0n
of the Federal service reported that the civil ser
vice of the country under that system was 1nefi-
cient, extravaganza and In many instances corrupt
The necessity good administration, the commit |
tee stated. imperatively demanded a change. The |
into the government Of the Philippines, after the |
condemnation of that system at home, cannot be /
pnos who have been promised an honest, economi- |
and efficient government.
to young IN this country renders them better |
qualified TO grapple with conditions than the |
have been successful in the government or colo
MES This is shown by the successful management !
this country In the administration OF the govern
ment Of our new possessions, this Government
enterprises in securing and retaining the services or
able men. This only be done. discovered by |
other countries, after long experience by giving
tenure dependent on 1althful ana eInclent service
and not subject to political changes at home; by /
making the pay for such services compassionate |
gers Inconvenience which they involve, and By
encourag ing promotions from the lower grades 10 |
the highest in the service.
The benefits which have resulted from the appli- !
cation of Civil Service rules to the Federal civil
merit system TO State municipal services the
same vices of administration will be found in al /
governments. whether Federal, state or municipal.
where appointments made without due regard |
10 the qualifications of appointees, which experience
has sh 0eH wl is perd to dictate such appoint
rnents. The Commission therefore strongly urges |
that no unnecessary delay should occur IN bringing
the great bulk OF the civil positions in insular
territories within The provisions OF civil Service
rules.
INFIDEL LIBRARY DESTROYED.