Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 9.djvu/690

 666 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

appointees is often worse. More freedom, they urge, should be given to the heads of departments in the selection of employees, and they should be allowed to choose from among the first twenty-five or fifty on the list, rather than from among the first three. For how can you test by written examinations a man's experience, or, even more important, his judgment and tact and ability to handle other men ? But some of the objections are made even against the principles of the civil-service reform, and especially as to whether the competitive system should be applied at all in the case of promotions ; for in this case it is experience and the ability to lead others which are all- important, and which it is well-nigh impossible fairly to test by a written examination.

It should be stated that fewer complaints have been heard as to the results of the civil-service system from the present admin- istrators of the Health Department than from some of the other city departments. Still, the dissatisfaction is widespread, and certainly worthy of very careful consideration. There is no space here to discuss how far these complaints are justified ; nevertheless it is the opinion of the writer that there are grave defects in some of the present methods, if not in the principles, of the competitive system. Most of these are probably due to the inefficiency of the examiners, many of whom are men without any practical experience. If so, they can probably be remedied in time. And certainly it is absolutely essential that there should be some means of impartially testing the general ability of can- didates in the making of appointments. The day is past when either the national or the local government in this country can afford to return to the obnoxious spoils system. But it is equally essential that some more practical means be devised for testing a man's experience and executive ability than is the case at the present time in New York city. The examiners must be of a different stamp; and the suggestion that the heads of depart- ments be allowed to select from all the candidates on a list who have been able to pass a certain minimum requirement, rather than from among the first three, seems a good one ; for, if neces- sary, that minimum requirement may be raised so as to insure at