Action of the Senate on Nominations.—­All of the nominations sent by the President to the Senate are submitted to appropriate committees, as, postmasters to the Post Office Committee, ambassadors to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.  The report of the committee is considered in secret session, and the nomination is then voted on.  If the vote is adverse, the President must make another nomination.

The Spoils System.—­During the first forty years of our government there were only seventy-four removals from office.  The opinion was general that there were a large number of strictly non-political offices in the departments and elsewhere, the holders of which should be regarded as agents or clerks whose duty it was to assist in carrying on the business of government.  Therefore the best results could be secured, it was believed, only as these positions should be filled by persons the most competent, who might hope to retain the office so long as they gave efficient service.  But with the coming in of President Jackson the “spoils system” was introduced.  This system, in practice, provides that political workers belonging to a victorious party may, as far as possible, receive reward for their services in the shape of some office.  “To the victors belong the spoils of the enemy” is the familiar motto of those who have advocated this system.  During the first year of President Jackson’s administration 2000 officials were deprived of their offices, and friends of the administration were put in their positions.  From that time there has been great pressure on every new President similarly to reward his followers.

Civil Service Reform.—­While the evils had been pointed out at various times, little was done to remedy the spoils system until Congress, in 1883, passed the Civil Service Law, known as the Pendleton Bill.  It provides for a Civil Service Commission of three members, not more than two of whom may belong to the same political party.  This commission gives competitive examinations, which are required for testing the fitness of applicants for certain positions in the public service.  The number of offices originally included under the act was about 14,000.  The President is given the power to direct the further extension of the “classified service,” that is, those positions that are to be filled by persons who have passed the best examinations.  In 1913 there were some 284,000 classified offices.  While much has been accomplished, during the past twenty years, toward reforming civil service appointments, it is to be hoped that a large number of the unclassified offices will, at an early date, be placed on the list to be filled only after examination.[48] The National government may thus further assist in the movement for like reforms already so well begun in some of our States and cities.

[Footnote 48:  In 1913 there were 100,000 unclassified or excepted offices.  During the year 1901-1902, the civil service rules providing for competitive examinations were extended by order of the President or by act of Congress so as to include the rural free delivery service, employees of the permanent census bureau, and additional employees made necessary because of the war with Spain.  Five thousand eight hundred offices were placed on the competition basis in 1911, and 50,000 in 1913.]