Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 March 1884 — CIVIL SERVICE. [ARTICLE]

CIVIL SERVICE.

Extracts from the Voluminous Report of the Civil-Service Commission. The Evils of the Spoils System Set Forth and a Good Word Spoken for the Common Schools. The following message was sent to Congress on the 29th ult.: To the Senate and House or Representarrvss: In compliance with an act of Congress approved Jan. 16. 1883, entitled “An act to regulate and improve the civil service of the United States/’ the Civil Service Commission has made to thaTresident its first annual report. That report is herewith transmitted, together with a communication from the heads of the several executive departments of the Government respecting the practical working of the law under which the commission has been acting. Upon tho good results which that law has already accomplished I congratulate Congress and the people, and I avow my conviction that it will henceforth prove to be of still more signal benefit to the public servioe. I heartily commend the seal and fidelity of the Commissioners and their suggestions for further legislation, and I advise the making of such appropriation as shall be adequate for their needs. Chester A. Arthur. Executive Mansion, Feb. 59,1884. The report makes a volume of sixty-seven olosely printed pages. It states that the several results which appear to be the more dlreot objects of the law and civil servioe rules, as understood by the commission, are: X. That official authority and influence must no longer be used to impair the freedom of elections, or cocroe the political action of citizens. 2. Extortion from those in public servioe, whether under the form of political assessments or otherwise, for the purpose of paying the expenses of parties or candidates, must come to an end. 3. Selections for executive ssrvioe on the basis of official favor and partisan influence must be suppressed by requiring examinations and other adequate tests of character and capacity as conditions for entering this servioe. 4. The true responslblity and independence of the Legislative and Executive Departments under the Constitution must be restored and preserved. Upon the subject of political assessments the report says there have been eovoral violations of the law, but only trifling sums secured, and the Illegal practice ceased upon publio attention being called to It. The amount colleoted from Federal officers slnoe the act wont Into effect is not more than onehalf or one-fourth as muoh as formerly. The evils of the spoils system are sot forth at great length, and the benefits derived from competitive examinations fully desorlbed. The difficulty attending the oiasslflontion of oivil service is dwelt upon at length, and the statement made that at largo offices tho power and opportunity for intrigue and selfish Influence aro dungoronsly great. In tho three branches of tho classified service the number of places to to filled on the basis of competitive examinations is, in the aggrogate, 13,924. The increase since made in the classified service carries the number above 14,000. The opinion is expressed that a salutary effeot would follow the selection of chiefs of bureaus, postmasters, und collectors at the larger ofiioes from among subordinates who would bring business experience rather than partisan activity to those positions. The report states that soldiers and sailors honorably dlsohargod by reason of disability, if capable, are allowed preference, and nowhere Is thoro ahy favor or advantage allowed by reason of sex. The oommlssion hold that the power of removal and Its exercise for just reasons are essential both to the dieoipllno and efficiency of the public servico. A life tenure would be Indefensible. It is still possible, says the report, to promise tho spoils of 109,000 offices as rewards lor party victory in a national canvass. It is still possible to remove every person In the classified servioe once In four years or onoo in four months, but the vacancies can be filled only by those who, Irrespective of party, demonstrate superiority In a free and open competition of character and capacity. It appears from the statistics presented with tbe report that H 5 per cent, of all those who entered the servioe through competitive examinations wore educated In the oommon schools alone, and the commission considered It unquestionable that the nation by bestowing its offices upon the most meritorious of those whom the States have oduoatod at publio expense will greatly honor and stimulate the publio school system of the country. Tbe report gives extracts from a largo number of letters received from Postmasters and Collectors, showing great benefit has accrued to the publio servioe by the enforcement of the civil service rules. It Is suggested that party test should be uo longer applied in the selection of Collectors and Postmasters, and that every corrupt exercise of power, nomination, promotion, transfer, or confirmation, even though tbe corrupt consideration may not be “a thing of value,” should be an offense under the bribery laws. The oommlssion, in eonolusion, declare the civil service act a success, and do not doubt that the most difficult point has passed.