Show WHAT OP OF TILE CIVIL CI Gentlemen in and out of Congress are considering the ilso 1180 and necessity of oC the tho civil service system There Is Isa Isa a n. preval prevalent nt belief belle that the s system stem stem has resulted In getting a lot of oC Incapable Inca Inca- pablo pable men into office with nothing In th their h favor Cavor excepting the fact tact that tho they cannot bo ho put pUl out The Tho Washington Post PORt mal makes cs this comment on QuO one phase of ot tho the problem I lem em A study stud of ot tho the examination course cours will readily show that It U III Is constructed holl wholly on the pedagogic idea Iden It Il is III moro morA on tho the order of or an examination or of the tho pupils In one ona grade grado of or the public pub pUb- 11 lic schools for advancement ad to a n. higher higher high high- er Or grads grada than It Jt is to find out tho real competency of or an applicant to rIn 1111 a n place under tho the government Tt Tl has too man many frills and furbelows thrown around It IL and not enough of ot tho the solid material A keen sighted clear d employer em em- player would fluid find out mit more o of the real abilities of oC an applicant In half hair an un hour than tho the civil I service examinations examinations examina examine can au do In a A. dozen trials trial These Is li a lack of or the time practical both about tho the work york required of or applicants and about tho the method prevailing at tho the cx- cx And probably a truer word was never spoken In all the world there thera is Js nothing prettier than the theory of tho the civil F vim set tho r I th c mont merit u n tern tem It has been called And in all tho the world there thero is nothing clearer than the practical fact tact that better men were selected in the good old days das of the spoils spoil system or Of course that is rank heresy But tho the truth remains The Tho civil service serc system Idea is good Its practical lI working-out working Is not what could have been hoped for It ft And that is because because because be be- cause of ot tho the difficulty of ot getting a practical test of ot tho the efficiency of or an applicant Nothing In tho whole world Is funnier than a set of oC civil service questions And nothing is less directed to the purpose honestly de do- do sired I Tho countr country is paying a n. lot of oC money moncy for tor the system and not getting getting get get- ting tho the best men inca to do tho the work of oC government go The somewhat late George H. H Pendleton Pendleton Pen- Pen is reputed to be the tho father of the merit system Possibly if It he could see the result of or his labors and lectures lectures lec lec- tures he would turn over o in his grave grayc Which would not riot be especially important important im Im- im- im so long as ns he didn't leave that calm and peaceful abode alto alto- gether gethel And Georges George's Idea was to perfect a system by which some Democrats Democrats Dem Dent could get into office he being enough of oC a n prophet to realize that the doors of ot election would never open very wide to them thom And it was his proud I purpose to so arrange matters matters mat mat- tore as that through the civil service Democrats might finally como come to the control of control ot tbs government Well the tho alleged merit system has now been in effect for more than twenty years rears The Tho Democrats got In once once and couldn't s stay tay ita Not even tho the ghost of or George Georgo H. H Pendleton could l keep them thorn there And since it has failed tailed of Its original nal purpose isn't it about bout time either cither r to reorganize It on a practical basis bash or send Bend it to meet its dear departed author |