Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1915-01-06

mates, after an examination by the
governor and the heads of the va
rious commissions, departments an1
Offices, and their approval, would con
stitute one part of the budget. SINH
lar estimates of all revenues of tho
state from it's many sources of in
come would constitute the other part
of the budget. The legislature, In
making it's appropriations, would have
before it fairly accurate knowledge of
the states needs and its means. This,
of course, would be of great value.
I hope whatever you may decide to
do in reference to this matter, to
place before the next legislature some
thing like budget.
STRONG OPPOSITION LIKELY.
But there will be opposition, and
very pronounced opposition, to tho
first and second recommendations of
the commission. There is much SEN
timent for tho doctrine ITO the vic
tors belong the spoils." It Is urged
that those who are active in political
campaigns, who give of their time
and their means for the success Of
party candidates, deserve recognition
at the hands of those candidates
when successful, and that practical
recognition is the bestowal of public
Office. It has been the practice to re-
ward fidelity to party and campaign
activity with appointment to admin
istrative place. In the main we have
had good and efficient officials under
that policy, and especially is this true
in the more conspicuous of the ap-
pointive Offices. But in many of the
less important places toward which
the scrutiny of the public is not d.
rected the strongest and most eff
cient men have not been selected,
and often men who have developed
into excellent officers have been re-
moved, to the detriment of the public
service, for no other reason than their
political opinions. It is proposed that,
except the heads of departments and
q few other officers, those who desire
to enter the service of the state shall
be examined by q nonpartisan board,
and their qualification for public serv.
ice determined by that board. Those
found to possess the necessary quail
f1cations shall be entitled to q place
on list of eligibles, the place upon
such list to be determined Dy the rat
ings received in the examination.
Whenever vacancies occur this non
partisan board will nominate from the
eligible list candidates, and the heads
of the departments select from them
ments will no longer be dependent
upon party service nor upon political
opinion. This will tend to bring to
the service of the state efficient and
well qualified employees who will feel
that they cannot rely upon influence
or favoritism to hold their positions,
but must depend upon their industry,
efficiency and worth.
WOULD LIMIT OFFICE TERMS.
"'rhe proposal will meet opposition;
first, from those who believe that
party service should be rewarded by
public place, and, secondly, from those
who believe it unwise to establish an
Off ceholding class. To the objection
of the first, it can only be said that it
is an effort to promote the interest
of tho state rather than the interest
of 4 political organization. But to the
objection of the second, q further an
swer should be made. The merit
system has been adopted by the fed
eral government, and appointments
to the civil service of the United
States are now made in the manner
in which it is proposed to make them
in Minnesota. Those in the federal
classified service are inclined to feel
that, once appointed, they have such
an interest to their positions that they
cannot be separated from them with
out their consent. Where there is NO
provision for retirement on pay or for
pensions many thoroughly inefficient
employees are retained in the service,
to the detriment of the work and the
discipline of the administrative corps.
l think, If the merit system is estab-
lished, the term of those appointed
should not be indefinite, but should
be made for fixed periods, say, for
six years, the efficient and worthy to
be eligible for reappointment The
proposed scheme of reorganization
has not only the approval of thou.
sands OF representative citizens, but
it has been commended by the press
and from the platform. It cannot be
disregarded. It must have your best
thought and your most careful con-
!. sideration. In the report is included
fo-m e. bill for IN act Eakt2e :.