Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-10-11
IMPLIED CIVIL srrrlcr.


IL is enc Of the conspicuous merits Of
the present national administration that
II has very greatly improved civil service
conditions 1t is observed that there IL
healthier civil service tone among the
lower officials Of the government than
has prevailed hitherto. This is ascribed
10 two factors-the search for better
trained and more expert men and the
greater rigidity with which civil service
laws are enforced. The increasing scope
of the scientific and economic activities
Of the government, II is pointed out,
has undoubtedly had the effect OF con-
centrating attention upon the need for
trained men, and has also tended to
raise the importance of such men and
Of the work they do relatively to the i'm
portance Of those who perform the
purely administrative functions con-
nected with the conduct of affairs. ut
is now a frequent subject of remark"
says a Washington correspondent, that
man may hope to secure promotion,
up to a certain point at all events, on
the strength Of his merits and without
the aid of purely political influences.
That this situation has the effect Of
stimulating men to do more efficient
work there can be no doubt and in fact
the expert and scientific branches of the
service are those I'm which improvement
is much more noticeable than in the
purely administrative employments."
1t is noted as a most interesting fact
that the bureaus which are managed by
the executive shine out brilliantly in
comparison with those where congress
sional oversight is maintained. In the
latter the old political situation still
exists and as a consequence they are
the least efficient and probably will con-
tinue so as long as they remain in close
dependence upon congress. A notable
example of this is the government print
ing office, which investigation has shown
to be most inefficiently and ex-
travagantly conducted. President Roose-
welt has shown since the beginning of
his administration a most earnest pur-
pose to improve the civil service and
he has accomplished much In this d.
rection. More needs to be done and
undoubtedly will be done. There are
still faults to be corrected and defects
to be remedied and the president will
do all in his power to accomplish this.
The commission he appointed to investi-
gate business methods and other condi-
tions in the departments and bureaus
is expected to show the way to a still
further improvement of the government
service.
A matter in which Mr.. Roosevelt APP
pears to be very greatly interested is
that of consular reorganization and
Secretary Root is understood to be in
full accord with the president in regard
to this. 1t is probable that some such
legislation as is proposed in the Lodge
bill will be urged by the president in
his annual message and it is quite posi-
BILE that the fifty-ninth congress will
adopt the legislation necessary to place
the consular service on better basis.
1t is not contended that the service ass
generally Tad, for such is not the case.
On the contrary, it is as a whole very
good service. Yet, as Mr.. Roosevelt has
said and those who speak with knowl-
edge admit, the service can be improved
and 1t is highly important, in the In
terest Of our commercial expansion, that
it shall be. We must not be inferior
to any other country in the character
and efficiency of the consular service.