New-York tribune., 1873-03-20
OWL SERVICE REFORM.


"RULEs AND REGULATIONS FOR THE I'M
PROyEMENT OF THE CIVIL SERVICE" IN THE
TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 81, 1873
GENTLEMEN: We have the honor to submit
report on the operation Of the Rules and Regulations
for the Improvement OF the Civil Service in the Treas
ury Department. since appointment by the Pres-
dent the 18th day Of April, ls72 as Board OF Ex-
aminers conduct all Investigations and examinations
for admission into the Treasury Department for pro-
motion therein" A desire is felt by many thoughtful
md Intelligent persons learn exactly what Civil Ser
vice Reform in the Departments amounts TO, and IL is
our aim present these truthful picture OF the
workings OF the system, upcolored by personal oas
either for or against the measure.
The first duty which the Board was called upon u
perform was that Of preparing, in conjunction with the
Boards Of Examiners for the other Executive Depart
ments aud under the direction OF the AdVSory p0"'
plan for the practical application to the SoVo'"i
partments OF the rules and regulations pronusa.ou "
the President. Those rules and regulations ooi"e ~
sarily of a general nature. the seVeraI Dol'. '
Roards wore reouested by the Advisory Board 10 pre-
mare reguations OF more specific nature ssttns ior'h
n detail the manner Of application for admission TO the
denartments and the method OF conducting examine"
tions both for admission and promotion
The Board determined in the beginning, that the rules
sbou be enforced with tho utmost rgdity and Impair
tality It was hoped that by this means unfair cru
cio would be dsarmed and the efficacy OF the rules
tested in the most thorough manner. Accordingly IL
was required, the first place. that all appheauons
should he made perfect accordance with the require
ments Of the rules and all which varied therefrom In
the slightest particular rejected without hesitation
1t was soon seen however that 1t would be iudlcous
On absolutely reject every imperfect application, as com
netept applicants might thereby be excluded. 1t has
therefore been made practice in the case OF imperfect
applications, to inform the applicants, by means OF
printed notifications and marked copies OF the rules OF
the particulars wherein their applications we're defec-
tive and 10 give Of them two opportunities to COM
plete his application. But when upon the second at
tempt at amendment the candidate has failed, with
marked copy Of the rules pointing out the defects ln MS
application before him, TO comply with the require
ments the failure has been considered as evidence OF
lack ofcapacty for the performance OF clerical dules
and ne has thereupon been finally rejected as manfesty
not qualified.
The power to reject applicants as manifestly not quail
fed being Of an arbitrary nature has been sparngly
used and only where there could be no question
in the mind Of any intelligent person as to the app
cant's nftness and the names OF all applicants whose
auplcatous when completed showed that they possess
even the moderate degree OF fitness Tor cerlcal
service have been placed upon the list OF candidates
eligible for examination. Notwithstanding numerous
suggestions that printed forms should be provided Tor
the use OF those making applications under the rules,
the Board has preferred to require each applicant TO
write bis application in full without the assistance of
10 he used The application thus furnishes something OF
test Of the applicants capacity and constitutes much
better guide selection Of the practicable number
for examination than would one written III printed
form application, made in the manner prescribed
has been considered by Board furnishing the evil
deaec as to character health and knowledge OF the
English language required By the first rule ana the
second regulation for the Civil Service.
ADMISSION OF WOMEN.
The only limitations placed by the rules and regua-
tons upon classes Of persons who may make apph
cation Tor admission Civil Service are those con-
taned in the first of the rules promulgated December 10.
1871 and the first Of the regulations, promulgated
April lG 1872 which declare that no person shall be
admitted to the Civil Service who Is
not q citizen Of the United States who shall not have
furnished satisfactory evidence IN regard 10
The Constitution Of the United States land who shall
not have passed satisfactory examination IN speaking,
inference from these provisions is that any citizen OF
hnd who passes the prescribed preliminary examine
ton entitled TO make application I9l aGmlsslon 10 .e
born or ma within the United states are ctlze
under the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution,
and as the act of July r. 1870 DC Statutes 250 author
izrs the appORtment of female clerks who may De
fonnd competent and worthy any Of the grades Of
under rules and regulations for the Cilv service
women are entitled to compete for admission TO the
lowest grade of any group IN the Department on the
same terms Moreover, it was thought that,
system fdlr test OF the relaVe qualhcaIons o
men for the Government service, 1t is an equally far
test OF the relative competency OF men ana women
Women have therefore, been admitted 10 the exahha-
tons Clershps Of class one on the same terms as
pointed TO that grade or these 10 were alreaay en-
nloyed in the Department as "femaie CLERKS at SO
srge proportion OF the offices of the Department
had employed 10 some extent prior TO the promu-
was the appointment Of women; but IN those IN
sess no proper conveniences for them reluctance
20 employ them was shown. In consequence OF TINS
feeling the Secretary instances ayailed him
self of he mower of objection conferred by the regua
Ons TO enter conditional objections 10 the appointment
OF women had been certified by the Board put WIN
the request that their names and standing should be
carried forward to subsequent examinations
ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE AS TO CHARACTER.
The evidence concerning the character Of applicants,
required by the third Of the regulations governing ad
mission to the Department is certificate signed by
TWO Trustworthy and responsible persons well known in
the community which they reside, that the applicant
is personally well known to them 70 be OF good moral
70 be faithful 10 the Union and the Constitution" 1t
has been urged that this evidence is insufficient TO eX
II is not deemed necessary that any additional evil
dence Of good character should be required OF aRpl,
cants No kind OF written evidence can be devised
hch Togues least persons OF loose character VIII
not be able TO procure Inc ease WIN whicn recon- RECON-
mendatOns for public place are oDIane9 Is notorious
But the best TO the suggestion the statement
of the simple fact that OF the appointment OF a
dishonest nempelate person UNDER tne rules mas not
thus far been brought to the Ap9weqge OF t9e board
public given in the newspapers OF the exist
Of large number Of vacancies class one IN the
tive examinations aud that every person who should
have on file on the first day Of October application
made ~ accordance with the rules and showing rea-
sOnabe degree Of fitness for clerical service, would be
summoned to appear for examination. On the first day
Of October the number OF persons whose names were
the eligible list including all who had not been sum
suoRed for previous examinations 269 every Of
whom summoned to appear. The number was, OF
greater than could be examined at one tme-the
exsmnatlon-roons being only large enough for the ac
lOmInOdatiOn Of about GO candidates 1t however
desired 10 arrange the examinations that they would
e practically ODe and that those reaching the highest
averages should be certified for appointment This re-
cult accomplished by holding five examinations the
questions each OF which different but covered
bs nearly as possible the range; by assigning but