Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1903-12-07


ments of all unclassified laborers, boil
in the departments at Washington and
in the field service, shall be made with
the assistance of the United states
civil service commission, under a sys'
tenn of registration to test the rela-
tive fitness of applicants for appoint
ment or employment. This system is
competitive, and is open to all cltl-
zens of the United States qualified IN
respect to age, physical ability. moral
character. industry, and adaptability
for manual labor; except that in case
of veterans of the civil war the ele-
ment of age is omitted This system of
appointment is distinct from the class
flied service and does not classify po-
sitions of mere laborer under the civil
service act and rules. Regulations in
aid thereof have been put in operation
in several of the departments and are
being gradually extended in other parts
of the service. The results have been
very satisfactory, as extravaganza has
been checked by decreasing the num-
Der of unnecessary positions and by in
creasing the efficiency of the employees
remaining.
Reports of Board Of Charities for Dis
trict Of Columbia
The congress- as the result of
thorough investigation of the charities
and reformatory institutions in the
District of Columbia. by joint select
committee of the two houses which
made its report in March, 1898, ere
a board of charities for the District OF
Columbia, to consist of five residents
OF the district, appointed by the presi-
dent of the United States, by and with
the advice and consent of the senate,
each for a term of three years, to serve
without compensation. President Nc
Kinley appointed five men who had
been active and prominent in the public
charities of Washington, all of whom
upon taking Office July l. 1900, resigned
from the different charities with which
they had been connected. The MEM
bers of the board have been reappoint-
ed in successive years. The board
serves under the commissioners of the
District of Columbia. The board gave
it's first year to a careful and impartial
study of the special problems before
il, and has continued that study every
year in the light of the best practice
in public charities elsewhere. Its rec
concentrations in it's annual reports to
the congress through the commission
ers of the District of Columbia "for the
economical and efficient administration
of the charities and reformatories of
the District of Columbia" as required
by the act creating it, have been based
upon the principles commended by the
joint select committee of the congress
in its report of March, 1885, and ap-
proved by the best administrators of
public charities, and make for the de-
sired systematzation and improvement
OF the affairs under its supervision.
They are worthy of favorable consider
alton by the congress.
The Army
The effect of the laws providing
general staff for the army and for the
more effective use of the national
guard has been excellent. Great i'm
provement has been made In the effi-
cheney of our army in recent years.
Such schools as those erected at Fort
Leavenworth and Fort Riley and the
institution of fall maneuver work ac-
complish satisfactory results. The
good effect of these maneuvers upon
the national guard is marked, and
ample appropriation should be made
to enable the guardsmen OF the several
states to share in the benefit. The gov
eminent should as soon as possible Sc
cure suitable permanent camp sites for
military maneuvers nj the various Sec
tions of the country. The service there
by rendered not only to the regular
army bat to the national guard of the
several states, will be so great as to
repay many times over the relatively
shall expense. We should not rest sat
isfied with what has been done, how
ever. The only people who are con-
tented with a system of promotion by
mere seniority are those who are con-
tented with the triumph of mediocrity |
over excellence. On the other |
hand a system which encouraged the
exercise of social or political favoritsm
in promotions fould be even worse. |
but IL would surely DE easy 10 devise |
a method of promotion from grade to |
grade in which the opinion of the
higher officers OF the service upon the |
should be decisive upon the
standing and promotion of the latter,
Just such a system now obtains at |
West Point. The quality of each
years work determines the standing of |
that years class, the man being |
dropped or graduated into the next !
class in the relative position which his
superiors decide to be war
ranted by his merit In other words.
ability. energy, fidelity, and all other
similar qualities determine the rank of
a man year after year in West Point,
and his standing in the army when he
graduates from West Point; but from
that time on. all effort to find which
man is best or worst. and reward or
punish him accordingly. is abandoned
hill 80