The morning journal-courier., 1908-11-06


 bred men, therefore, have great ad- vantage in obtaining places This is utterly false, We frequently see ques- tions Quotqd n debates or speeches which appear to be perfectly absurd. . In most cases these questions were never asked, in others they have been perverted to suit the speakers pur- | pose, l recall that question was | held up to scorn In which lt~Was stat ed that the distance from New York | to Madagascar, New York to Cape Town was asked of a clerk. An in- vestigatlon showed that the question read somewhat as follows What is | the distance from New York to Cape | Town If steamer which covers a cer- tain stated. number of knots day takes thirty days to complete the passage?" T3 ask a clerk the distance from tho earth to the moon would be an absurdlty and properly subject to rldlcule, If done, but this would be a perfectly proper question for an as- tronomical position, Experience Is a factor in almost all examinations and in some cases the previous service of the candidates and the record they have made with former employers will be all that Is taken Into account, The statistics show that college bred men form but very small percentage of those who pass the examination and that for tne ordinary position q com mon school education Is all that Is re- qured.
 There is one feature of the system which must appeal to all practical men and yet is frequently overlooked. We hear that objection made time aft CT time, that examinations cannot test certain qualifications. such as tact and Judgment and personal honesty True, they cannot, although the statistics show that the persons who pass the examinations generally make satisfac- tory employees and their record for personal honesty Is very nigh as com pared with persons Who come in by personal appointment. But no one re- ccives a permanent appointment 10 the service without undergoing the six months trial on probation, during which time the appointing officer is supposed to carefully observe the character and the work of the proba- tloner and at the end of the time, if he proves unsatisfactory in any way, he may be dropped from the service. The small percentage If those wno are dropped at the enl of probation prove how satisfactory as a general rule the examinations are as a test of fitness,
 Now, let me give you some idea of the results of tho introduction of the competitive system-of the merit sys- tenn, as it ls called in contrast to the spells system The competitive sys- tenn Is more descriptive title. There is mass of evidence as to the in creased efficiency and economy which has resulted, but with the time at my disposal I can give you but few ex- amples. Perhaps the best example of all is furnished by the railway mail service, which was classified that Is to say, brought under the rules and | the competitive svstem--ln 1889 An account ia kept In this service of the number of pieces handled and the number of errors made in handling. In 1889, at the time of the classifica- ton of the service. the ratio of errors l in the distribution of mall was one to less than 5000 pieces correctly han dled Since that time there has been not only steady increase In the mum her of pieces handled annually by each 1glA Itt ha nf o. creased year hy year until 1t 1904 it was only one in 1I.O0o. This increase in efficiency has been unhesitatingly attributed by the heads of the depart ment to the merit system.
 The present Is the great opportunity for civil service reform. President Roosevelt has been civil service re- former from the time that he entered politics, and his father was civil ser vice reformer before him. He Is not only faithfully enforcing the law in the federal service. but his attitude and example have had a great infu- ence throughout the country The marked interest that is now taken in the corruption In municipal govern ment and the efforts which private clt- Izens everywhere are making to im- prove the conditions of local govern ments have aided the system for the state, city and county services. To- day by far the greater part of the country is still under the domination of spoils The work that has beer accomplished, in view of the small number of men who have been actu- ally interested in 1t, has been mar vicious, but there still remains q great task to he accomplished. Civil service reform is bound to win in the end, for 1t is right in principle and cannot fai to appeal to the sound common busi' ness sense of the American people.
 And now, just a final word upon the situation In Connecticut and what 2 federation of clubwomcn, reaching tc every nook and corner of the state can do to bring about tho introduction of the merit system. I do not mean tc critcise the government of Connecti' cut. but if what I have heard from citizens and what I have read of 1t k correct then perhaps l may venture without offense, the modest statemen that political conditions here are no so perfect that they could not be bet tered. In all movements for better mcnt women are an important factor Our form of government is represent ative. By arranging meetings, by dis tributing literature through the me dium of the press and by personal con vcrsation you possess a great power tt form and crystallze the public sent
 ment in your community in favor o this truly fundamental reform, and
 once having accomplished this, tn, battle Is won lt is the fault of th' community if Its representative doe