The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-15
20 TRAIN OUR DIPLOMATS
Plans Urged by the Civil Service
Reform League.
The Annual Reports Presented But
Not Made Public - DIR. Gilman. of
Johns Hopkins, Elected President
to Succeed Carl Schurz-A SuEges-
tion for a Government College.

NEW YORK. Dec. 1.-THE National
Civil Service Reform League continued
its annual meeting today, with morning
ing in the afternoon at the Carnegie
Lyceum, and a banquet in the evening at
the Hotel Savoy. At the annual cleo
ton President Daniel Colt Gilman. Of
Johns Hopkins University. was chosen
president Of the league, to succeed Carl
schurz. After the election Mr.. Schurz
retired from the chair, which was taken
by the Chairman of the New York As
ISOLATION, Mr.. Jacob F. Miller.
In the morning at the City Club the
league went into executive session. when
the report OF the investigating commit
tee which has been looking into the opera
tion Of the Civil Service Reform law in
the Federal service under the present Ad-
ministration was received. What revela-
tions were made will only be divulged at
. later date. in such form as the league
deems proper.
1t was announced after the session that
some of the revelations made were such
as show a condition of affairs very much
more serious than is believed to be gen.
orally understood by the public or by most
OF the members OF the league. The re-
port will he condensed and given to the
press in a few days. 1t will be followed
shortly by other reports on special
branches of the Government service"
Surprising this promised terror In i'm
mediate interest was the report of the
Executive Committee, which was pre-
scented to the league by Charles Joseph
Bonaparte, of Baltimore.
In the afternoon Henry Loomis Nelson
read a paper on The Purpose of Civil
Service Reform in which he said that
the reformers would not stop until all
the Offices in the Government Administra-
ton should De in the competitive class.
He wanted a system in which the high
ambassadorships might be looked forward
to as the goals after successive promo
tons.
Hugo r. Meyer, Of Harvard. read a "a
per on The Results of Civil Service Re-
form In Australia" and the secretary Of
the league. Nj. McAneny, read a paper
prepared by Miss Elizabeth Foster, of
Boston, which was entitled "A report On
the movement in the women's clubs in
aid of civil service reform"
Elliot H. Goodwin, OF this city, read .
paper on The choice of correct methods
in the administration Of the civil service
of American dependencies" in which he
said:
Few, even among the bitterest oppo-
nents of the policy Of the Administration
regarding Porto Rico and the Philippines
wish to see them separated eventually
from this country as a result of inalad-
ministration. Yet our success in our new
calling depends upon the readiness with
which We meet our responsibilities, and
among these none is more important than
the establishment of an honest and eff
cient corps OF officials.
1t is hard to see where to turn il not
to English experience. The essential
qualifica lions of the candidates for ad-
mInistrative positions in an Eastern de-
tendency are youth. health and a liberal
education.
The university training is a feature
upon which great stress is laid in Eng
land, and the next question that arises is
whether II must be abandoned here on
account Of existing prejudices. Prof. A.
Lawrence Lowell recommends the estab--
lishinent of Government college to do
for the colonial service chat which West
Point does for the army and Annapolis
for the navy. Such a college could pro-
vide the young men selected with a high
general education, and maintain peculiar
facilities for the special training.
The course of study would be three
years, devoted to general education. and
not more than one year spent on those
general subjects a knowledge of which
would be of little OF no value to the stu
dent IL he stayed al home Government
college would undoubtedly encounter less
OF popular prejudice as less of an innova-
ton than plan involving a university
education.
ITO meet the future demands of the ad-
ministrative service in the dependencies
have ventured to suggest the introduce
ton Of system by which the candidates
shall he selected by a competitive exami-
nation, open to all between the ages Of
eighteen and twenty-one; those elected to
undergo a four years training, three
fourths OF which is to he devoted to gen.
a Government college, founded especially |
for the purpose Of training our future con-
suls and colonial officials
The league adopted voluminous set Of |
resolutions in which II is declared among |
other things that II is unconstitutional for |
the President to permit Senators to select /
the Federal sppointees In the various |
States. as that gives them the power of |
appointment which by the Constitution is /
vested in the President by and with the |
consent and advice Of the Senate. |
The league decided to have its counsel |
see what may be done TO prevent persons |
who, IL is held. have been appointed 10 |
places in violation of the Civil Service |
la ". from getting pay for their work.