The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-12-09
EXPERTS IN NUNICIPtL OFFICES
OUR NEED.


The joint committee Of the Nationa
Municipal League aud the National Ser
vice Reform League Oh the selection
and retention Of experts tn municipa
Office in It's report made a
the annual convention in NIL
waukee last week. calls atten
ton 10 a striking distinction between
the administration Of cities in en-
nghtcncd European countries and thai
Of the cities Of the United States fe'
CARELESS Of the differences in the form
and ORGANIZATION Of municipal govern
mont in different countries in Europe
the report declares. there is always a.
the head of each Of what may be
termed the operating services OF city
Government in European cites an eN-
por, who has achieved his position
through his expert qualifications ana
experience and who holds that position
during continued efficiency and good
conduct. In every case he has the rea-
sonanIc certainty Of an honorable and
pcrmaucnt career in the line OF his
chosen calling.
IN the United states" tho report de-
ciarcs. "this essential feature OF sue
cessful city government IS almost
wholly lacking" Corresponding posi-
+ions q, the head Of the operating SER
vices OF city government here are
rIcd nv a Kaleidoscope procession OF
casuals." whose appointment and tenure
are usually Influenced by considerations
OF partisan politics. and no permanency
OF tenure or hope OF a career IS prob
able. il even possible.
The application OF the merit system
to the operating departments thus far
has been, with few exceptions. confined
10 subordinate positions only. This mas
created an anomaly that subordinates
have been withdrawn from partisan
oolitjcs while their superior and direct
ing officials are still subject to its evil
influence. Tho result upon tho chi
cheney Of tho operating services OF
city government has been just what
was expected
There is absolute necessity FOR plac-
Ing upon a permanent and independent
basis the higher administrative officials
who carry out. but DO not create. the
policies Of a city government. This
has long been the demand Of earnest
workers for the betterment OF city
government in this naticn-s That wise
student Of government here ana
abroad 4 Lawrence Lowell. now pres
;dent Of Harvard University. pointed
our tho need most clearly IL paper
rcad al the meeting OF tho National
Municipal League in 1905
The con7Tnittee suggests that the
opcrati.s departments OF a city gov
eminent should &c manned by force
selected and retained solely because
OF competency 10 do the work OF their
positions At the head of each such de-
partmeut SEe1ld - an expert in the
work 81 the department who holds his
position without reference TO the
exiEencies of partisan politics
American political experience has
proved says the report. that on the
whole. tie most certain way Of Sc
curing such = force is through wat
have come % 10 known o. CIV. service
reform method. namely. through COM
petitivo examinations of applicants Tor
srpointnont or promotion since Us"
when the prac;ica. application OF tnes'
methods began. 8: has been found that
81 oxsmirafio-> ned rot and otter
shoeld not ho confined % book knowi-
ed-o o. o. written questions and an
suers. and tha,. provided ;hc Gamma
tlors he fairly conducted hv compctcn
examiner. otaer forms of cxaminatio'
have been successful 90 OIL marked de-
grcc :n SLING positions requiring .o
only the highest expert k1oW efe" n.
the hizhe>t expert ad0iuistrarv
sbi-ify - vcH
How shall ;ar stem -v-i-a rr71-. c
ssch Examiners I'd sab -~sults FROG
sxauirsfions .r rs-a h.ishei aud gro
tecteds to commit. s--r.sts
board O. co1-miss.ei. whose sir=
duty 90 Is % r-airfa.n ard rrrf..t sac
ssvs:en ard uhose r r~- ar hei
their position &c. f-ou aruIrrs-~ 90
49, r-tz.r.e- --r -.rtt..t.r rar.