The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1901-12-07
CIVIL SERVICE.
President Roosevelt a Firm Believer
In the Merit System.

President Roosevelt a Firm Believer
In the Merit System.
The merit system Of making appoint
mcnts is in its essence as democratic and
American as the common school system
itself. 1t simply means that in clerical
and other positions where the duties arc
entirely nonpolitical all applicants should
nave a fair field and no favor, each stand-
ing on his merits as he Is able to show
them by practical test. Written competi-
tive examinations offer the only availa-
BILE means in many cases for applying this
system. In other cases, as where laborcrs
are employed, a system Of registration
undoubtedly can be widely extended:
There are, Of course, places where the
written competitive examination cannot
be applied and others where 1t offers by
no means en- ideal solution, but where
under existing political conditions 1t Is.
though an imperfect means. yet the best
present means of getting satisfactory re-
suits.
Wherever the conditions have permitted
the application of the merit system in its
fullest and widest sense the gain to ne
government has been immense. The navy
yards and postal service illustrate prOba-
bly, better than any other branches of tho
government the great gain in economy,
efficiency and honesty due to the enforce
ment of this principle.
. which will extend the classified serv- .
q ice to the District Of Columbia. or .
q will al least enable the president .
q thus to extend It. In my Judgment .
q all laws providing for the temporary q
q employment OF clerks should here q
q after contain a provision that they .
q be selected under the civil service .
. law. .
It is important to have this system OBJ
tain at home, but 1t is even more fmpor-
tant to have it applied rigidly in our .fnsu-
lar possessions. Not an office should be
filled in the Philippines or Porto Rico
with any regard to the mans partisan
Affiliations or services. with any regard to
the political. social or personal influence
which he may have at his command. In
short, heed should be paid to absolutely
nothing rave the mans own character
and capacity and the needs of h serv-
Ice.
The administration of these islands
should be MS wholly free from the suspi-
cion of partisan politics as the adminis-
tration Of the army and navy. All That
we ask from the public servant IN the
Philippines or Porto Rico II that he re-
fleet honor on his country by the way in
which he makes that country's rule q
beneft to the peoples who nave come
under Il. This is all we should ask. and
We cannot afford to be content with less.
The merit system IL simply one method
OF securing honest and ehcient ADMINS
tration of the government. and IN tine
long run the sole justification OF any type
Of government lies In Its proving ITSELF
both honest and efficient. s
. The consular service Is now 81 4
= lied under the provisions OF g law =
: passed in 1856, which Is entirely in-
z adequate to existing conditions.
90
The interest shown by 30 many com-
emercial bodies throughout the ountr
IN the REORGANIZATION OF h service -
heartily commended I o your attention.
several bills providing for g new consnlar
service have In recent years been sub
mitteds to the congress. They are based,
upon the lust principle that appointments
"a the service should be made only atter
4 practical test OF the applicants -htnesss
chat promotions should be governed by
trustworthfness, a~daptability and zeal IN
the performance of duty, and that the
tenure OF once should be unaffected ~
partisan considerations ss
The guardianship and fostering OF y
rapidly expanding foreign commences, tAe
neotections Of American citizens regorttug
% foreign countries In lawful pursuit of
thair a6airs and the m~aintenance etstlho
- (CsnflnueA On SIKH rassa