92 Wisconsm Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters. 



ships, but largely administrative, and lience demanding such 

 high natural qualifications as must be personally known, 

 either to the officer having the appointing power, or to per- 

 sons of his acquaintance whose recommendation is a guaranty 

 of capacity and trustworthinss. But no objection can be urged 

 against the right of the people to demand that all appoint- 

 ments, even the highest, shall be made on the principle that 

 ability, integrity, special adaptation, and special attainments 

 wherever essential to a proper discharge of the duties devolv- 

 ing on the appointee, are absolutely essential, and hence para- 

 mount to all considerations of mere party relationship or parti- 

 zan service. Such right is undeniable, and the only reason it 

 is not exercised is, that, on the one hand, there is a lack of 

 appreciation of it, and, on the other^ the potent influence of 

 party prejudice and party interest. As a consiquence, most 

 unfit men are found in all branches of the civil service. 

 United States judges, unsited to the responsibilities of the 

 bench ; foreign ministers, without the slightest knowledge of 

 diplomacy, scientifically or historically considered ; consular 

 agents, without any idea of consular duties or even oi the 

 language of the country to which they are accredited ; and 

 even heads of executive departments, sometimes chosen with 

 less reference to special fitness than to influential standing in 

 the political party of the administration. 



Here is a vast and immensely important field for civil 

 service reform, in which the executive is supreme, one in 

 which, practicing on the principle, "country first and party 

 afterwards," wo may do a great deal to promote the welfare of 

 the country and establish the world's confidence in the wisdom 

 and economy of republican institutions. 



II. A second requisite is the making the tenure of all such 

 offices as require special preparation and considerable experi- 

 ence for the proper discharge of their duties, conditional, not 

 on party affiliations merely, but on demonstrated ability and 

 fidelity. 



