The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-06-16
EXPESlENCE on INCONSISTENT ADVOCATES
The Blind Faith in the Power
of Influence.
INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFICE-SEEKERS
Manner OF Making Appointments and
Removals.
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.


4 WASHINGTON, June Ia. 1877.
The theory Of civil service reform Is worry ias.
cinatina. II Ia pretty gded and sugar-coated pill
only when some OF the reormcrs como 10 take them
selves they make worry wry faces over II. Thus WASH
ington has large number OF twisting soreheads, {"
who como AZ civil service rciormors to the heads
ofthcir friends A dron case OF this kind shown
mo tho other day. A clerk In the Treasury Depart
ment was marked for discharge account OF rather
gafing and various inefcsncy. His friends promptly
came forward to plead for him, aud among the In
nucnces brought to bear was some am assured, on
tho part OF q newspaper which has boon con-
spicuous Tor It's advocacy Of civil service reform
The struggle for hiss retention 60 on
ergetic that il threatened to succeed. for per-
slstency goes good way with busy people,
but al last this clerk required the quo-
ton propounded generally about these days in tho
Treasury Department whether he had any relatives in
the department. Behold his reply, verbatis -
l have no Relitivs BY Bud or marig In
the tresury Department
On this return he counted out civil service or no
civil service. II you talk with Treasury and other
officials you may hear good many stories not mucn
worse than this For Instance, influential Congress-
man Is very anxious to have relative appointed
He is promised that his shall go before the Treas-
nry civil service examiners as a vacancy hap
pens He 10 In great haste, and wants 1t done at
once '.But why can't your wait few weeks y"
10 at last asked, and be frankly replies, ''becsuse
am paying his board At the hotel while he s
waiting" Again, there is a story Of west-
ern republican newspaper, whose proprietors
write to member Of the Cabinet demanding that their
correspondent shall be promoted better place Ia
the Department.; 'She is excellent correspondent
and has served US faithfully aud done good work, and
the promotion is due to her merits and to u.s." And
the reply goes back tnat she Is undoubtedly
cellen correspondent her employers ought TO raise
her salary and give her better place in thor Office
And away goes another friend OF civil service roiorm
6ucn things as these naturally sadden tho hearts Of
politicians and members OF Congress. and iorco them
TO SEQ that the Presidents Southern policy 10 failure
AN oBJEcrIvE POINT
The Treasury Department liz naturally the objective
point OF the office seeking campaign IN Washington.
The State Department has but little TO give away the
Interior Department, under Secretary Schurz, is y
discouragng place, because he has been cutting down
the force and his we'll known character as o fierce
civil service reiormer has discouraged attack. But
the Treasury building contained the 4th Of March
nearly 900 clerks and other public servants and the
Treasury has been tho point OF attack the
now administration came In, 10 spite OF big sign
hung out prociaimng that "thcre are vacancies /"
GRSERAL ORDER.
On the 26th OF March Mr.. Sherman issued an order
of which the following is a copy
l. The forcc employed in this department, ana in
each DIVISION anu bureau, will DO carefully limited TO
the number and grade fixed by law and the appro-
priations therefor
2. When the law does not fix the number or DOM.
pensAti0n Of employees as IN the case OF temporary
clerks or persons paid from appropriations for spec
fc purposes the number at no time shall exceed the
demands OF the service, and the compensation shall
exceed the rates paid for similar service private
establishments
s. Each head of bureau in this department will bo
strictly holden to the enforcement or the foregoing
rules, and Will report in writing this Office within
ten days. and from time to time thereafter the names
OF all persons employed under his direction Who by
reason OF ncompetency, bad habits, neglect Of duty
any other ought not be retained longer in the
service; also those whose services are longer
qu,rcd for the conduct of business intrusted to his
charge. When vacancy In any grade above that OF
class occurs any bureau and the public service re-
will report in writing to this Office the tho
persons OF lower grade who by reason OF Industry,
integrity and competency most deserving OF recog
milton by promotion thereto.
T. Appointments TO this department of temporary
clerks Will hereafter be made only Tor limited time
not TO exceed the exsency which calls for their en-
poyment-thc period OF service to be stated in the
letter Of appointment.
poyed in this department unless WRIT application
Tor the appointment or employ and all papers and
in this department shall nave been lcd the Appoint
mcnt division OF this Office; and merely verbal appli-
Recommendations o.
motion will not be entertained
Under the requirements or the joint resolution of
Congress, approved March s. 1865 preference for Up
pointmcnt viii necessarily DO given TO honorably dis
charged soldiers or sailors OF tho United States; aud
under the provisions OF the act OF March g. 1875,
directing the appointments Of this department TO he
arranged as to be equally distributed between the
States OF the United States the and
tho District OF Columbia, according to reputation,
person whose legal residence Is any division OF the
country above mentioned which has received already
ts full number OF appointments In accordance with
the distribution directed, can be appointed In this de-
partmen And MI appointments Will be subject 10 the
examination required by the provisions OF section 104
Revised Statutes OF the United States.
yea JOHN SHERMAN, Secretary.
As4 EFFECTS THE ORDER.
largo number of tho Sccretary's political friends
evidently thought this rather elaborate Joke He IL
understood to have explained to good many that 10
was dosd In earnest" but II shows how dull people
ire that some one turns up almost daily who docs not
1t all believe that Mr.. sherman II. II is under
btood that the reports OF heads Of bureaus and div
Mons gradually gone over order to dismiss those
reported for Incompetence bad habits aud to re-
move also supcr6uous clerks and WHILE outside OF The
Bureau OF Engraving aud Printing not many removals
have bcen made, thoro will be reduction Of the force
Whenever II can BE- done. II one eonvcrses
with Treasury officials no quickly learns that
there are abundant opportunities for economy and
FORM Thus, In tho Bureau OF Engraving and Printing
II WAS discovered that man had tho contract Tor
washing the rags With which bank roto and s,eol
plates are wiped OF, Tor which service he got $4,000
per annum. Mr.. Mcrherson found ne could do It In
the building for $4,000 per annum. The paid TOR
buildings used ior Treasury purposes have been gone
over, and though most uasxpircd make
reform impossible, IL has possible 10 save already
over $al. 600 per
APPOINTMENTS AsD REMOVALS
The manner OF dealing with appointments and re.
movas In tho Treasury Department ought to DO pub
licy explained, because IL would save "A good many
honest people tho trouble OF coming hcre and tho
worry OF getting up elaborate recon IN cndatons from
political sources Hore 10 what, on inquiry havo
discovered
l. In tho Bureau Of Engraving and Printing $50 per-
sons have been discharged, and no Is to be en-
ployed In tbclr place. Mr. Mcpherson finds that he