The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-04-28

hone the less certain. establishment of the
merit system a. a consequence.
faklng our own Bureau Of Surveys rs an
example We and that In 1850 there was
practically nothing corresponding 70 IT, I'M
less We so regard an item Of 500 for "regu-
hsing streets" and a further item OF $3.50
for Center square improvements Ia
100 the funds available for the use Of thl
barcau dncluding the balance from previ-
Gus years FOR unfinished work amounted TO
I.2lco>Ss This bureau has the super
VISION OF the construction Of sewers.
bridges and subways. 81 the abolition of
grade crossings and OF public Improve
n.ents like the Broadening OF Delaware
avenue and the construction Of the filter
plants and the surveying Of every piece
OF property In the city. The bureau has q
regular force or 23i men. and an extra force
Of hfty-seven In the water section IN charge
ct the building Of the filter beds. Since the
bureau was established IN 1855 there have
been three chief engineers. two dying IA
Office. The present chief has held the of
fee since 1sa3. and has been connected with
the bureau for twenty-four years. Dur
Ing that period ne has occupied nearly
every engineering position. and has risen
from the lowest and least compensated
place - the highest. The bureau has had
three Secretaries. two dying IN office. TAX
ing up the district surveyors. I find that two
have held the office for twenty-five years;
one for twcnty-one wears. who has been
connected with the bureau for forty years,
one for fourteen years. succeeding "a sur
veyor who had held the office for thirty
years: another for twelve yeas. succeed
Ing a fOrty-year incumbent, and so on
through the list. The same statement Is
true OF the other employees. This, In suo-
stance. l. the merit system. and IL has
teen IN force since 1856. long before my
formal enactment OF the subject. \ con-
tinuancc policy for technical work has
mate its establishment imperative The
introduction Of the civil service regula-
tons has improved and sireug hened the
already existing system withcu: qucs ton.
but they improved an existing system,
rather than introduced a new ouc-
MERIT SYSTEM \ NECESSITY.
The great increase In the number Of Of
fcers and in Expenditures work 70 the
same end. II will not be- long before the
people will feel the burden of Increased
municipal taxation. and this will be the
forerunner Of more economical methods of
administration which are impossible with
out the merit system. The people will not
for long tolerate the diversion OF the police
men and hremen and other employees AMI
officials from their legitimate duties TO
political affairs: for they will not long per
init a system TO exist which means higher
taxes and greater expenditures without
corresponding benefits.
The time Is not far distant when COM
petition will become so keen between our
various cities and those Of Europe that the
cost OF municipal government will become
m important factor In the cost of produc-
tion. When this time comes, and il is ap-
preaching with great rapidity. the merit
system will be introduced throughout all
departments Of the municipalities. A city
cannot long ignore economic factors and
conditions and maintain its supremacy.
The last century was indeed "A wonder
full one as Alfred Russell Wallace has
pointed out in his entertaining volume; but
its progress was almost exclusively con-
fined to the material side of our develop
ment. Let us hope that the present one
viii see an equally great advance along
governmental lines. / for one believe we
viii. but we are not TO expect too much.
for such reforms have TO do with mems
political opinions and sentiments. and these
are formed but slowly. IL is our duty 10
change these. 'ro excite the desire for
higher standards is the true work OF re-
formers"
In the words OF Alfred De vigny: Society
IS a large clock having three hands; one
advances 40 slowly that one could believe
IL motionless. IL is the mass of men. The
other. somewhat lighter and swifter Of mo-
tioi. progresses rapidly enough TO permit
the eye with a little attention TO perceive
its progress. This Is the mass of eulight-
ened men. But above these two hands Is
another more agile and whose bounds one
follows with much difficulty: sixty times
81 has gone the space before ii ere the NM
ute hand has progressed and the first hand
has dragged itself an im~perceptible dis
tance. Never. no never. have looked at
this third hand. this little dart. so rest
less. so bold. so emotional. quivering as it
were with a sense OF its own audacity, or
with the pleasure Of it's conquest over
time. never have 1 looked at IL without
thinking that the past has ever had. ever
should have, this rapid advance march IN
the centuries, this advance upon the gem
eral spirit OF his nation. ever upon that of
It's most enlightened past"
CLINTON ROGERS WOODRUFF.
Secretary OF the National Municipal
League.
Philadelphia, Pa. April 26.