Albuquerque evening citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1905-1907, 1905-12-05

eNitablN result 10 chaos. The civil ser
vice commissioners are doing excellent
work. and their compensation Is inades
quate considering the service they per-
form.
IN, statement that the exominations
are not practical In character Is based
on "a mIsapprchension Of the practice
OF the commission. The departments
are Invariably consulted as To tho re-
uuiremcnts desired and as to the char.
acter OF questions that shall be asked.
General Invitations are frequently sent
out to all heads Of departments askinn
whether any changes. in the scope OF
character of examinations are required.
In other words, the departments pre-.
scribe the requirements and the otiaii-
fications desired, and the civil service
commission cO-opcrates with them i'm Sc.
curing persons with these qualifications
petition. IN a large number OF examlna-
lions las, Tor example, those for trade
Positions there are no educational re-
quiremputs whatever, and "A person who
can neither read or write may pass with
a high average. Vacancies In the SER
vice are filled with reasonable expedi-
ton and the machinery of the commit
sion, which reaches every part of the
country, is the best agency that has
yet been devised for finding people with
the most suitable qualifications for the
competitive examinations do not make
an ideal method for filling positions.
but they do represent an mmeasurable
advance upon the "spoils' method. un-
der which outside politicians really
make the appointments nominaiiy
made by the executive officers, the APP
p%ointees being chosen by the politicians
m question, in the great majority OF
cases for reasons totally unconnected
with the needs Of the service or of the
public.
statistics gathered by the census bu-
reau show that the tenure Of office i'm
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
tnefficienCy has served no good pur-
pose whatever, because that Is not a
matter upon which "a hearing of the EN-
ployee found to be inefficient can be OF
any value, and In practice the rule pro-
| viding 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- 60 through the re-
quired procedure. Experience has shown
that this rule Is wholly ineffective to
save any man, If a superior for inn
| proper reasons wishes 10 remove him,
and Is mischievous because Ii some
times serves to keep In the service in
competent men not guilty of specific
w~rong-doing. Having these facts in
view, the rule has been amended by
providing that where the inefficiency
or incapacity comes within the personal
knowledge Of the head of a department
the removal mas be made without no.
tice, the reasons therefor being filed and
made a record Of the department. The
absolute right of removal rests where II
always has rested. with the head of a
department; any limitation of this absO-
Lutte right results in grave injury to the
public service. The change is merely
one of procedure; it was much needed;
and II Is producing good results.
The civil service law is being ener-
geticauy and impartially enforced, and
in the large majority of cases com
plants of violations of either the Law
or rules are discovered to be unfounded.
In this respect, this law compares very
favorably with any other federal stat
ute. The question Of politics In the APP
pointment and retention of the men en-
gagged In merely ministerial work has
been practically eliminated in almost
the entire field of government employ
ment covered by the civil service law.
the commission with its own force in
stead of requiring II to rely on detailed
clerks has been justified by the increas-
ed work done at n smaller cost to the
government. | urge upon the congress
a careful consideration of the recon-
mendations contained in the annual re-
port of the commission.
Revision Of Copyright.
Our copyright laws urgently need re-
vision. They are imperfect In defini-
ton, confused and Inconsistent In eN-
preston; they omit provision for many
articles which. under modern reproduc-
tive processes, are entitled to protection;
they impose hardships upon the copy,
right proprietor which are not essential
to the fair protection of the public; they
are difficult for the courts to interpret
and impossible for the copyright office
to administer with satisfaction to the
public. Attempts to Improve them by
amendment have been frequent, no less
han twelve acts for the purpose having
been passed since the revised statutes.
To perfect them by further amendment
seems impracticiable. A complete revt-
sion of them is essential. Such a revi-
been found necessary in Germany, Aus
tria. Sweden, and other foreign coun-
tries, and bills e~mbodying it are pending
IN England and the Australian colonies.
II has been urged here, and proposals
for a commission TO undertake II have,
from time to time, been pressed upon
the ongress. The inconvenience OF the
present conditions being so great. an at
tempt to frame appropriate legislation
has been made by the copyright office,
which has called conferences OF the, var
ious interests especially and practically
concerned with the operation OF the
copyright laws. II has secured from
them suggestions as TO the changes
necessary; II has added from its own
experience and investigation, and II has
drafted q bin which embodies such OF
these changes and additions as, after
appeared TO be SOUND and safe. In form
this bill would replace the existing in
sufficient and Inconsistent laws by one
general copyright statute. IL Will be
presented TO the, congress at the coming I
session. II deserves prompt considera-
ton.
Aouiterstion Of Foods.
/ recommend that a law be enacted
to regulate interstate m in mis- |
branded and adulterated foods, drinks,
and drugs. Such law would protect
legitimate manufacture and commerce
and would tend TO secure the health and
welfare of the consuming public. Traffic
in foodstuffs which have been debased
or adulterated as to injure health or TO
deceive purchasers should he forbidden.
The law ~forbidding the emission OF
dense black or gray smoke in the city OF
Washington has been sustained by the
courts. Something has been accomplish
ed under II, but much remain TO be
done II We would preserve the Capital
city from DETACHMENT by the smoke nut
sance. Repeated prosecutions under the
recommend that il be made more strin-
gent by increasing both the minimum
and maximum fine; by providing Tor IN
priSOnment In cases OF repeated VIOLA
ton; and by affording the remedy OF
injunction against the continuation of
the operation Of plants which are per-
sistcnt Offenders. l recommend also, an
increase in the number of inspectors, |
whose duty IL shall be TO detect viola
tons Of the act.
CALIFORNIA; Generosity.
! cali your attention to the generous
lct of the state Of California in con
ferring upOn the United States govern |
ment the ownership of the Yosemite
valley and the Mariposa Big Tree grove.
There should be no delay in accepting |
the gift, and appropriations should be
made for the including thereof In the
Yosemite National park, and for the
care and policing OF the park. Califor- |
mia has acted most wisely as well as
There are certain mighty natural feH- |
lures OF our land which should be pre- |