The Washington herald., 1910-05-29

American. II might he asked here
what is. the purely American policy In
civil service?" Is II not the iniquitous
"spoils system" that fiit-by-night polit-
ical game which tumbled some years ago
into a lonE-deserved grave, repudiated
forever by the American people when
the merit system arose in it's full pro-
portions?
It Is no fiimsy assumption to state that
this country is committed to the merit
system in dealing with the public servant
Manifestly the government must not be
less capably served than private bust
ness concerns, and the examination test
must necessarily serve its purpose by
eliminating the unfit.
Experience of YnIue. 4
Having opened It's portals TO the proved
recruit, the government must encourage
him in faithful service by Offering good
conditions, and since his training in spe-
cial work enhances his value each year.
long tenure Of service Is a fact OF su-
preme Importance. No prudent man en-
cages an inexperienced doctor or lawyer
where one mellowed by years Of prac-
tice may be retained. The work OF the
government is specialized. and yearly It
grows more technical and more compli-
Gated. Only the familiar eye and the
sharpened mental powers can cope with
the conditions OF high-tension business
which attach OF necessity TO government
work to-day.
In the minds eye one sees the detailed
work OF the Interstate Commerce Com
mission as its employees apply the ramifi-
cations Of laws. rulings, account systems
orders, formal and informal, &c. to the
particular facts before the employe
Trained as a ractical railroad man in a
few or In many lines, an employe be
comes simply invaluable 10 the commits
sion when he has mastered the laws un-
der which this work must be accom-
plished
The Patent Office has a corps Of such
highly trained employees that some are. in
fact, the sole repositories Of necessary in
formation in various lines. The Forestry
Service. the Reclamation Service. the
Geological Survey Service. the Agricul-
tural Department workings, and other
divisions of Federal service demand high
ability unusual application and distinct
responsibility in the servant, and while n
is freely conceded that much routine
clerical work OF mediocre grade is per-
formed, the fact remains that the civil
service test exacts a superior workman
from the mass OF candidates and certi6es
him and him only 10 such EMPLOYMENT
Therefore. the inevitable feature-conti-
nuity I'm service-must be sought. and no
fact contributes 70 this end more effect
ually than a certainty OF comfort IN old
age when health and strength are spent.
An Inducement to EmpIoye.
1T IS advantageous 20 the State thar
part Of the remuneration Of It's servants
should take this form" civil service pen
sions). reads item No. 10 OF the findings
of The Royal Commission on Superannu-
alton IN the Civil Service" as published
in Volume 3, 1903. "as there is thus Sc
cured an inducement 20 maintain continu-
Gus service on the part OF the servant and
a facility on the part Of the State 10 dis
pcnse with further services if age or in
hrmity renders them less efficient" The
above finding is largely remarkable. since
1t is the deduction OF practical expert
ence, Great Britain having maintained It's
civil pension list continuously since 1851
when II voluntarily assumed that charge