The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-06-21
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
The subject Considered In Cablne

the rules and regulations either TO restrict
the power Of removal or to extend the
tenure OF the service, such power will not
be exercised, arbitrarily, and therefore,
application must not be entertained by
any authority, having the duty ofappoint
ment or nomination for the removal Of any
person In the civil service; nor will any
person beremoVed for the mere purpose
Of making place for any other person.
The following are the extracts from the
rules: The grouping heretofore made for
the Executive Department at Washing
ton is modified BY striking out the words
"Femsle clerks, copyisIs and counters at
nine hundred dollars q year." These
places being below the grade Of clerk
ships Of Class l, selections may be made
by the appointing power, at bis disCre-
tlon, from those reported competent, being
at liberty TO give preference 10 such as
may be Justly regarded as having higher
claims 10 public confederation by reason
Of loss oil support or property occasioned
by the death or disability OF any person
in defense al the Union in the war, or In
other public service Of the government.
Applicants for appointment as cashiers
Of collectors Of customs, cashiers Of assis.
lant treasurers. cashiers of postmasters,
superintendcnts OF the money order divis'
ion In post offices, and custodians OF large
sums OF public money for whose fidelity
another officer has given official bonds
may be appointed OF discretion. But this
rulesha not apply to any appointment TO
a position below the grade Of Assistant
Teller. Incases oil dcfAlcatiOn or embez.
element of public money, or other emer.
gency calling for immediate action where
the public service would be materially
injured unless the vacancy is Vt
once promptly llled, without resorting
to tho method OF selection and appoint.
ment prescribed by the rules and regula.
lions Ur where a vacancy happens at o
place remote and difficulty oil access, and
the methods prescribed for filling 1t can.
not be applied without causing delay in,
furious 10 the public service. The ap.
pointment may be made at discretion,
but this rule shall not apply TO any place
which is provided 10 be filled under the
rules Of compehvG examination. For the
purpose Of bringing the examinations for
the civil servic as near TO the residences
Of those desiring 10 be examined as the
appropriation at the command OF the
President will warrant and for the fur.
ther purpose o! facilitating Us lar as posi-
BILE, the making oil selections for such
service, equally from the several portions
OF the union, while at the same time pre-
serving the principles Of promoting
merit rs tested by fair competition. II
is provided that the States shall be group.
ed into five districts, and the President
will employ or designate asultable person
TO be CHIEF examiner, whose duty It will
be to subject to tue supervision Of the civil
service commission to promote uniformity
In preparing for, conducting, reporting
and grading examinations by said boards
at Washington, and TO prepare IOr, attend,
supervise and report the examinations
herein provided to be held elsewhere than
at Washington. The District examina-
lions shall DO held not more than twice
In any one year in the same
District, except In Washington,
where au examination may be
held In respect OF each Department as
frequently as the head Of such depart.
ment, subject to the approval oil the Pres.
ldent, may direct, and all persons 30 ex-
amined in Washington, wherever they
may reside, shall be entered on the record,
Of person eligible for appointment, equally
as II examined elsewhere.
The Civil Service Commission 10
President Grant says among other things,
It appears to be the una1imous opln.
lon Of those at the heads Of the de-
paItments that there has been decided
mitigation under the operation Of such
rules Of the serious evils which before pre-.
vailed and steadily increased. Mere per-
sonsl importantly and partisan intrigue
have diminished in the same ratio that
individual merit and Just rules for testing
such merit have been made the basis
of promotions. The application oi
these tests has been gradually extended,
as experience has seemed 70 warrant, and
In every case with good results. The
Commissioners are convinced that the
success Of the civil service reform Is TO
be decided by intelligent fidelity with
which It's friends shall present It's true
methods 10 the popular Judgement. 1t has
been their aim 10 recognize the right
which requires that q victorious party
should be able to name the officers 80 far
down the official scale as their principles
may be Justly involved 10 fair and hon.
est administration. Atthe same time that
we have resisted that pernicious theory
which insists that every clerk In public
Office, no matter how subordinate or how
useful, shall mingle As partisan In every
contest, aud go out as matter Of course,
with q retiring head Of the Department,
but the new rules they submit will show
that they do not regard the question on.
the proper duration Of the tenure Of Office
or Of cleIkships as one with which the
Civil Service Reform, as now inau.
gurated, has any other than an indirect
connection. The Commissioners say In
conclusion: awe ought TO bear testimony
to the attention and cooperation with
which the Executive and members Of the
Cabinet have aided our labOrs, and the
more we have been brought into familiar.
ity with the peculiar bearings of the great
principles Of individual justice and nation.
al safely, which must be the basis and
sanction Of all true methods Of improv-
ing the civil service, and the ample
opportunities have been Of measuring
allegiance, which such principles COM
msnd from those whom the people have
placed at the head Of their great affairs.
The moro profound d. our Impression Of
the iuestlmablo value ol the reform itSelI
and Of the solemn obligations Of all itS
friends TO leave no means untried during
this best opportunity our generation has
seen or may see 10 place that re.
form upon sure foundation, and
TO transmit II In healthy Vlgor as the
greatest blessing this generation can con-
fer on the generations TO come.
[Signed DORIAN B. EASToE,
| SAMUEL SHELLADARoER,