Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-12-07

AZ thoroughly its principles have been I'M
the greater has been the fa az OF
%by administrative officers. Any attempt
TO carry on the great executive depart
Of the without ohe this
he civil service commissioners are do
Sig5 excellent work; and their compen-
ton Is inadequate considering the ser
zee they perform.
Examinations Are Practical
The statement that the examinations
y lie not practical in character Is based
misrepresentation of the practice of
Ss%ie5 commission. The departments are in
eaa apea ed as to the
of questions that shall be asked. Cen
I eral invitations are frequently sent out
to all heads Of departments asking
i whether any changes in the scope or
character of examinations are required
In other words, the departments pre-
scribe the requirements and the quali-
fications desired, and the civil service
= commission cooperates with them in Sc
curing persons with these qualifications
and insuring- them open and impartial
competition. In a large number Of exam
inations Gas, for example. those for
trades positions) there are no education
al requirements whatever, and a per-
pass with high average. Vacancies in
&the service are filled with reasonable ex-
Il petition and the machinery Of the com
a country, is the best agency that has yet
$been devised for finding people with the
most suitable qualifications for the va
Asttive examinations. do not make an
6SlMsal method for filing positions, but
sSy do represent an Jmmeasurable ad-
the poticans reay make he
ssointments nominally made by the ex-
ssstlve officers, the appointees being
saEgen by the politicians IN question na lion
MAS totally unconnected with the needs
I'M the service of the public.
Change in Removal Procedure
Statistics gathered by the census
lS4kureau show that the tenure of office in
SNahteriaIly from that enjoyed by en-
ployees of large business corporations;
Heads of executive departments and
attention to the fact that the rule
u occurring filing Of charges and three
#Rdys' notice before an employee could
whatever. because that is not a matter
upon which q hearing Of the employee
nsae 81 in prneee an u proy
Aing for such notice and hearing has
&,nerely resulted in keeping in certain
lumber Of incompetents because Of the hs
snreau chiefs to go through the required
3rocedure. Experience has shown that
Shis rule is wholly ineffective to save any
ayishes to remove him. and is mischiev-
US because 1t sometimes serves to keep
in the service incompetent men not
! guilty Of specific wrong doing. Having
these facts in view, the rule has been
ssslended by, providing that where. the
e. g3 fHciency or incapacityg comes within
FL s|ss personal knowledge of. the head of a
81 EIh artment the removal may be made
as y hout notice, the reasons therefor be-
Etment The absolute right of removal
syzhls where 1T always has rested, with
"a ID Ihead Of department.; any limitation
III ghis absolute right results in grave In
81 hh M to the public SERVICE The change Is
sti Mtgly one of procedure; it was much
81 Med; and it is producing good re-
Law is Being Enforced
:ss kihe civil service law is being ener-
stically and inpartially enforced, and
III the large majority of cases. COM
piaints of violations of either the law
q or rules are discovered to be unfound-
! ed. In this respect this law compares
very favoEably with any other federal
appointment and retention of the men
Nlgaged in merely ministerial work has
E&Gn practically eliminated in almost the
s lBAfre field Of government employment
JASred by the civil service, law. The
ft wSn OF the congress in providing the
ht MSnissioni with its own force instead Of
&A1iring 1t to rely on detailed clerks
ybeen justified by the increased work
S;Se at smaller cost to the govern
h reconsideration Of the recommended
fASs contained in the annual report of
@l commission.
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