Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-07-17
EDITOR

where We have seen no more lucid and broad
recognition of the underlying principles of the
civil service idea than that contained in a recent
chapter from Col Roosevelts Possible Biogra-
ply Col Roosevelt, it will be remembered,
was appointed by President Harrison a ma
tional civil service commissioner, and served
with distinction for six years, two Of them under
President Cleveland The group of which he
was a member did really remarkable service, and
the fact that at one time the other two members
of the commission were dyed-int hewool Demo
Gratis did not mar its fine record
Mr.. Roosevelt devotes large part of a recent
chapter to the work of the commission. OF con-
crete local interest are his conclusions as to ex-
aminations and promotions. He says:
If men are not to be appointed by favoritism wise
or unwise, honest dishonest they must be appoint
ed in automatic way which generally means
by competitive examination. The easiest kind of COM
petitve examination is examination in writing.
This is entirely appropriate for certain classes of
work. for lawyers stenographers, typewriters clerks
mathematicians and assistants in astronomical
observatory for instance Il is utterly inappropriate
for carpenters detectives, and mounted cattle in
spectofs along the Rio Grande--to instance three
types OF employment as to which / had to do battle
to prevent well-meaning bureaucrats from insisting
OH written competitive entrance examinations. 1t
would be quite p0SSblestO hold very GOOD competl-
tive examination for mounted cattle inspectors by
means of practical in brand-reading and shoot
ing with rifle and revolver, in riding mean" horses,
and in roping and throwing steers. did my best to
have examinations of this kind instituted, but my pro-
posal was of precisely the type which most shocks
the routine official mind and never able to get
it put into practical effect
The important point, and the point most often for
gotten by jealous Civil Service Reformers, to
member that the routine competitive examination was
merely means to end. 1t did not always produce
ideal results. But it normally better than
tenn of appointments for spoils purposes it some
times worked out very well indeed; and in most big
governmental offices not only satisfactory
Suits but the only system under which good re-
suits could be obtained For instance when / was
police commissioner appointed some two thousand
policemen time, 1t was utterly impossible for
the commissioners each to examine personally the
six or eight thousand applicants Therefore they had
to be appointed either the recommendation of out
siders or else by written competitive examination.
The latter method-the adopted-was inf
ntely preferable We held rigid physical and NOR
al pass examination, and them among those who
passed. we held written competitive examination
requiring only the knowledge that any good primary
common school education would meet-that is a test
of ordinary intelligence and simple mental training
Occasionally man who would have been a good Of
ficer failed. and occasionally man who turned out
to be bad officer passed; but, as rule, the men
with intelligence sufficient to enable them to answer
the questions were of type very distinctly above
that of those who failed
Therefore felt convinced, after full experience
that as regards very large classes of public
by far the best way to choose the for appoint
ment was by means of written competitive examina-
ton. But absolutely split off from the bulk my
professional civil service reform friends when they
advocated written competitive examinations for pro-
motion. In the police department found these
amnations serious handicap in the way of getting
the best men promoted and never in any office did
find that the written competitive promotion exami-
nation did any good. The reason for written
pettye entrance examination is that it is impossible
for the head of the office, the candidates prospect
i've Immediate superior, himself to know the average
candidate to test his ability. But when in Of
flee the best way to test any mans ability is by long
experience in seeing him actually at work His pro-
motion should depend upon the Judgment formed of
him by his superiors.