The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-13
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE NATIONAL
LEAGUE IN BOSTON.
Report of the Executive COunciI-Ad-
dresses by Messrs. FOulke,
Schurz and Others.

BOSTON. Dec. 12.-After an executive
session the twenty-tirst annual meeting of
the National Civil-service Reform League
was opened to-day. DR.. ID. c. Gilman. of
Baltimore, presided. The opening session
was devoted to the presentation of reports.
The annual report of the council which
was first in order, said in part:
THE past year has been one of encour-
agement for the friends of civil-service re-
form. 1t has seen the restoration to the
classified service of some 900 persons in
the War Department, removed from 1t by
the order of May. 1899, the steady develop
ment of the merit system in the Philippine
islands and the restoration of entire har-
mony in the relations of the league with
the Civil-service Commission.
THE language and official action of Pres
ident Roosevelt leave room for doubt
as TO his hearty sympathy with the friends
of good government and pure politics. The
recent election in New York will be al
most certainly followed by a great advance
in the practical application of the princi-
pies of the league.
Everett P. Wheeler, of New York. de-
livered an address on How TO Specialize
Civil Service Examinations. He said:
The way to specialize the examination is:
First-To ascertain accurately and fully the
duties of the office to fill which the ex-
animation was held. Second-As far as
possible to make the examination a specific
test of the particular kind of work that the
candidate. If appointed. will have TO do.
Third-Above all things to avoid getting
into rut and thinking that because par
tiCular examination was an excellent thing
for particular place five years ago. it is of
course the best that now be devised
for another place. | am convinced from
experience that if we firmly but courteOusly
stand for our rights under the law and re-
fuse TO put unfit work upon the public.
even though the public is niggardly in pro-
viding compensation, we shall in the end
justify our cause.
A meeting in Sanders Theater Cam
bridge. was addressed by President Eliot
of Harvard, Carl SchurZ, DR.. Daniel G..
Gilman and William Dudley Foulke Pres
ident Eliot said in part: Ninety years ago
chant. headed public lottery, from the
proceeds of which StoughtOn Hall was
built, and ii stands to-day as a hall built
by public lottery In Massachusetts. Shall
we not find that fifty years from now, IL
will be regarded S discreditable and dis
honorable for a man TO use the salary of
public position TO promote his advantage,
or even TO promote the advantage of a po-
litical party?
Carl SchurZ said that civil-service reform
will not cure all the evils of a political sys-
TEN, yet with every officer rescued from
the spokesman the huckster will have less
to deal with, and the field for meritorious
candidates will be so much enlarged.
Dr. Daniel G. Gilman. president of the
leaugue said: THE victories of the league
have been won by long, patient efforts AS
IL succeeds in national fields one sees more
that can be done I'm other fields
In urging the civil-service idea he said
that il could well be used by school boards
and even by churches seeking pastors.
William Dudley Foulke. of Indiana. recent
ly appointed a member OF the national
Civil-service Commission said Nearly ev-
cry applicant for office now bases his ap-
plication-in part. at least-upon the state
ment that he is a devoted adherent to the
civil-service law. That indicates an adj
vance. 1t is because have a leader
There is a man who has the power II
handle civil service i'm an almost autocra tic
manner That man is the foremost civil
service reformer in America-PreSident
Roosevelt"