Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-12-05

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Der of examinations tas, for example.
those for trades positions) there are no
educational requirements whatever,
and a person who can neither read nor
write may pass with a high average.
Vacancies in the service are filed with
reasonable expedition. and the ma
chinery of the commission, which
reaches every part of the country. is
the best agency that has vet been de-
vised for finding people with the most
suitable qualifications for the various
Offices to be filled. Written competi
tive examinations do not make an ideal
method for filling positions, but they
do represent an immeasurable advance
upon the "spoils" method, under which
outside politicians really make the APP
pointments nominally made by the ex
ecutive officers, the appointees being
chosen by the politicians in question
in the great majority Of cases for rea-
sons totally unconnected with the
needs OF the service or of the public.
Recent Executive Order Explained.
Statistics gathered by the census bu-
reau show that the tenure of office in
the government service does not differ
materially from that enjoyed by en-
ployees of large business corporations.
Heads OF executive departments and
members OF the commission have call
ed my attention to the fact that the
rule requiring "a filing OF charges and
three days notice before an employee
could be separated from the service for
inefficiency has served no good pur-
pose whatever. because that il not
matter upon which Il hearing of the
employee found 10 be inefficient can
lie of any value. and in practice the
rule providing for such notice and
hearing has merely resulted in keeping
In "a certain number of incOmpetents
because OF the reluctance of heads OF
departments and bureau chiefs to go
through the required procedure. EXpe-
rience has shown that this rule is Who'll
IL ineffective to save any man if a SUI
perior for improper reasons wishes to
remove him and is miscellaneous because
IL sometimes serves to keep in the SerV-
ice incompetent men not guilty of spe-
cifc wrongdoinS Having these facts
in view. the rule has been amended by
providing that where the inefhciency
or inCapaCity comes within the person
al knowledge of the head OF II depart
ment the removal may Ice made with
out notice. the reasons therefor being
fled and made Il record of the depart
ment The absolute right OF removal
rests where ii always has rested, with
the head of IA department. Any limita-
ton of this absolute right results in
grave injury TO the public service. The
change is merely one of procedure. 1t
was much needed. and it is producing
good results.
The civil service law is being ener-
getically and impartially enforced, and
in the large majority of cases COM
plaints of violations OF either the law
or rules are discovered TO be unbound
ed. In this respect this law compares
very favorably with any other federal
statute. The question OF politics in the
appointment and retention of the men
engaged in merely ministerial work
has been practically eliminated in al
most the entire field of government en-
ployment covered by the civil service
law The action of the congress in pro
viding the commission with its own
force instead of requiring it TO rely on
detailed clerks has been justified by
the Increased work done at a smaller
cost to the government l urge upon
the congress n careful consideration of
the recommendations contained i'll the
annual report Of the commission.
Copyright Laws.
Our copyright laws urgently need re
vision. They are imperfect i'll detni-
ton. confused and Inconsistent III ex
preston. They omit provision for
many articles which under modern re
productive processes are entitled IL
protection. They impose hardships
upon the copyright proprietor which
are not essential to the fair protection
of the public They are difficult foI
the courts TO interpret and impossible
for the copyright office to administer
with satisfaction TO the public. At
tempts TO improve them by amend
ment have been frequent, no less than
twelve acts for the purpose having
been passed since the revised statutes
To perfect them 10y further amendment
seems impraCticable \ complete re
vision OF them is essential Such l
revision to meet modern conditions ha:
been found necessary in Germany
Austria. Sweden and other foreign
countries, ana DlllS ehDouElhS II an
pending in England and the Australian
colonies. 1t has been urged here. anC
proposals for commission TO under
take Ii have from time TO time beeI
pressed upon the congress. The incon
veuieuces Of the present conditions be
ing SO great. an attempt To frame ap
propriate legislation has been made b!
the copyright office. which has calle'
conferences OF the various interests es
pecially and practically concerned witt
the operation of the copyright laws
has secured from them suggestions a
to the changes necessary. IL has adde'
from its own experience and investi
cations. and il has drafted n bill whicl
embodies such Of these changes and al
ditions as after full discussion and eS
pert criticism appeared to be sound ant