It is instructive to notice that this feature of competitive examinations was, when first introduced in England, as much of a bugbear as in this country. Mr. Eaton, in his volume, "Civil Service in Great Britain" (p. 198-99), states that, "by some the new system was opposed on the ground that the standard of examinations would be fixed so high that none but learned pedants and college-bred aristocrats could gain admission; and by others it was opposed for exactly the opposite, that it would be fixed so low that gentlemen would be overslaughed by a band of conceited, impracticable school-masters and book-worms." "Ridicule," however, he states (p. 211), "was soon turned against those who had laughed." Statistics are preserved showing the details of these examinations, and Mr. Eaton adds (p. 225), "as further showing in what small ratio merely literary (or not directly practical) knowledge excludes those rejected," "the report for 1867 shows that of 818 rejections in that year (from the 3,038 examined) 8o5 were made by reason of deficiency in knowledge of subjects connected with the practical work of the office,' or of ignorance in the matters ofreading, speiling, arithmetic, and handwriting.""

6

The adoption of competitive examinations in England.

to the proposed reform, who does not know that business qualifications are among the last things considered, when they are considered at all, under that system. Ä man is neither appointed in the first place, nor kept in the service after his appointment, on account of his business qualifications, unless, indeed, these people under. stand by business qualifications the knack of making a speech, packing a caucus, or carrying elections by arts which do not bear close inspection."

It is noteworthy that in the New York post-office "there are competitions and drilling in mechanical expertness in the making up, distribution, and stamping of mails, to which the community is much indebted for the promptness of their recep tion. (Mr. Eaton's pamphlet, p. 74.)

state.

An article in Scribner's Monthly, May, 1878, gives farther details: "For instance, the clerks who are distributing matter in the mailing department were recently required to place correctly 2,200 cards, containing the names of all the post-offices in Ohio, in a series of pigeon-holes, labelled with the names of all the counties in that One man succeeded in making the distribution in two hours and twenty minutes, with only thirteen errors. The best man at the New York table was yet more remarkable. He put the whole 2840 into their proper counties in one hundred and five minutes, with but a single error." "In the delivery department, the box assorters, whose wonderful memory of twenty thousand names I have described" (elsewhere in the article), "are tested by the distribution of cards containing 2,000 names of persons and firms holding boxes. A little over a year ago, when these examinations were begun, the highest man on the list received a mark of ninety for correctness, while the lowest ran down to sixty. At the last trial (1878) seven were marked over ninety-nine per cent. for correctness. The swiftest assorted the whole" "in forty-five minutes; the slowest- a new man perhaps - -was more than four times as long. But the very lowest of the whole twenty-nine received sixty-seven as the percentage of correctness and expertness. Such is the improvement wrought by the stimulus of emulation." ("The New York Post Office," by Edward Eggleston, Scribner's, v. 16, p. 77-78.)

appears to have been, to some extent, a matter of theoretical political administration. The beauty of its actual introduction in this country as a working measure, on the other hand, consists in the fact that it was, to a large extent, a perfectly natural development from the existing conditions. Neither Mr. James, in the New York Post Office, nor Mr. Windom, in the Treasury Department, wanted these examinations. Step by step they advanced to a consideration of their value, and, in Mr. James's case, to actual trial, verification, and complete endorsement. In fact, the testimony to the value of this one feature of examinations, from the business element of the country, is very striking, and may well be considered to outweigh the criticisms that the system is unbusiness-like, made by others. Let us hear what the gentleman who has now succeeded to the presidency had to say of them, when acting as collector at the New York custom-house; and no one, we think, will consider the collector of that day as especially prejudiced in favor of civil-service reform, to say the least. He remarked, in a report to the president:

1

"No one in any degree acquainted with the necessities of the customs service can doubt the propriety of some kind of an examination for admission to it. This obvious necessity has, for many years, been recognized by requiring an examination; but it had, prior to the introduction of the new rules, become, in a great measure, formal and perfunctory. There can be no doubt that the increased strictness required by the new system has, in this respect, been beneficial."

His successor, Mr. Merritt, who, while entering upon his duties with some misgivings as to these provisions, has gone the farthest in enforcing them, says of them that they have, in large measure, served the purpose intended.

Mr. James, who, as we have seen, was almost driven to the competitive examinations, in his report to President Hayes, Nov. S, 1879, declares: "I have no hesitation in saying that the results have been salutary in a marked degree, and that, from my experience so far, I am satisfied that the general application of similar rules could not fail to be of decided . benefit to the service." (Mr. Eaton's

1 Quoted in "Civil-Service Commission Report," Apr. 15, 1874, p. 53.

pamphlet, p. 74.) It is also of importance to know how these measures were regarded by the constituency of these officers, the great business community of New York city. Mr. Merritt says, in a report to President Hayes, in November, 1879: "The examinations have been attended by many citizens, who had an opportunity to thoroughly investigate the scope and character of the tests and the methods of determining the results, and those visitors have, without exception, approved the methods employed, and several of them have publicly attested their favorable opinion.'

2

The New York Chamber of Commerce resolved, June 2, 1881, that "The system of competitive examination has been of substantial value to the mercantile community, and is, in their eyes, of great importance." On the acceptance by Mr. James of the position of postmaster-general his position as postmaster of New York was filled by the appointment of his assistant postmaster, Mr. Pearson. In this connection it is stated very significantly: "The demand in this city for his appointment was spontaneous, decisive, and general beyond all precedent. It was irrespective of all party lines." Never before did public opinion in New York designate a postmaster. Now it has dictated his appointment." "His name was little known to the public. But this they knew, that Mr. Pearson had helped to take the post-office out of partisan politics; that he had been identified with the examinations which had brought in worthy clerks." (Mr. Eaton's pamphlet, p. 103.)

Again, every merchant or business man knows that while an examination is useful so far as it goes, it does not tell you all you want to know about an applicant. But let the newcomer work under the eye of the superintendent, and show his practical abilities in every-day experiences, and you can

1 Mr. James also says: "It is my deliberate judgment that I and every subordi nate can do more for the party of our choice by giving the people of this city a good and efficient postal service than by controlling primaries or dictating nominations." 2 MacPherson's "Hand-book," 1880, p. 10.

3 From the following newspaper paragraph it appears that the same methods are to be employed:

"Postmaster Pearson, of New York, announces that he intends to make no new appointments. He will promote members of the existing staff in the post-office, and each of the successive vacancies will be filled by a promotion from the rank below. This is a practical reform of one branch of the civil service, and all acknowledge its benefits. Why not apply it to the custom-houses of the country? Is there any reason why post-offices should be out of politics and custom-houses in politics?"— Boston Transcript.

tell better at the end of six months "whether that boy will do." It is precisely this principle which underlies the fourth rule of section 2 of the Pendleton bill: "There shall be a period of probation before any absolute appointment or employment aforesaid." The examinations are by no means the whole of the system. They represent one phase of the plan, but one only, and are most appropriately complemented with this other proviso, founded on simple, common-sense principles, which commend themselves readily to any business man. "The fact that it will be applied," says Mr. Eaton (speaking of its operation in England), “generally keeps away those young men who know, or whose friends know, they have no practical qualities for business." 2

1 "Of two individuals who might present themselves for such a place, any discreet person would say that, while they might have the same mental qualifications, and might be able to answer the questions, one as well as the other, yet one might be well fitted for the service in every way, and another would fail in it. And the government will get its service best in the same way that the bank officer gets his clerks. While he in some way ascertains whether they have the proper mental qualifications, he goes further than that, and examines the men personally to see whether they are likely to be men who, in all their characteristics, will suit."-Congressman Robinson, of Massachusetts, in Boston Advertiser, July 30, 1881.

The following from Mr. Merritt's report, of last February, is very suggestive: "An important, and indeed indispensable, feature in the system is the rule that all appointments of successful candidates shall be made at first for a probationary term of six months only, at the end of which period the examining board shall report their conduct and efficiency during the term, and if the report is not satisfactory the employemnt ceases; but if satisfactory a reappointment is made. This probationary term is a practical corrective of any defects in the examinations as a test of the quali fication and efficiency of those nominated for appointment. Only four appointees have been dropped at the end of the probationary term." (Report, p. 7.)

2 "Civil service in Great Britain," p. 168.

CHAPTER V.

IT IS NOT INDEFINITE.

6.

1

BUT it is claimed that it lacks definiteness; that there is no agreement, even among reformers,” as to what specific plan to adopt. All of this was very true ten years ago; but the constant discussion of the past few years has made many points familiar, has settled some, and rendered others clearer; so that we have in the bill now pending in congress a measure, perfected by the experience and discoveries of fourteen years, and which practically expresses the common sentiment of citizens generally. It would be a matter of surprise to observe how closely the provisions of this bill correspond with what most men have gradually come to agree upon. Yet the most significant reason for its ready acceptance lies in the fact that it distinctly represents the very features we have just been discussing, namely, the "practical" and the "business-like;" for, according to a source justly regarded as high authority on this matter,2 it "is simply the legal embodiment of the system already tested in several offices in Washington and in the New York custom-house. As it has been and is now in actual operation, there is no longer any doubt of its practicability, and the results of its working have been such as to settle the question of its usefulness. Mr. Pendleton's bill is designed to perpetuate it and to give it a more general application.” It may therefore not improperly be regarded as a growth of

1 Senate bill 2006, 46th congress, 3d session, "A bill to regulate and improve the civil service of the United States." This bill was reported to the Senate, Feb. 16, 1881, by a committee, of which Mr. Pendleton of Ohio, was chairman, and was ordered printed. It has been issued as Senate report no. 872, 46th congress, 3d session. The text of the bill will be found in the appendix.

"This bill, carefully prepared by an association of gentlemen representing both parties, and, after a thorough discussion, approved by a committee of the senate, also composed of members of both parties, was reported to the senate by Mr. Pendleton last February, accompanied by an able report, with the approbation of every member of the committee who attended its meetings, including members of both parties." (Mr. Eaton, in the North American Review, June, 1881, v. 132, p. 551.) 2 The Nation, Aug. 18, 1881, p. 126.