The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-03-01
CIVIL SERVICE.
MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT HAYES
ON THE SUBJECT.
OF the Workings OF the RlleS
for the Reform OF the Civil Service
In the New York Custom
House aud POstOffIee-
AGOOd Showing.

WASHINGTON, February 2S.-The Presi.
dent sent in the following message to
Congress to-day:
qb he SenGte and House OF Representatives.:
l transmit herewith q copy OF the letter
addressed to the Chairman OF the OWL
Service Commission on the third of De.
Cember last, requesting to be furnished
with report on the results In the PostoI.
fee and Custom House OF New York Of
the civil service rules requiring open com.
petitive examination for appointments
and promotions, together with the report
OF Dorman Il, Eaton, Chairman OF the
Commission, In response. The report
presents very gratifying statement OF the
results OF the application OF the rules re.
ierred to In two OF the largest and most
important local offices in the civil service
OF the Government. The subject ia one
Of great importance 10 tho people OF the
whole country. commend the sugges.
tions and recommendations OF the Chair.
man Of the Commission to the careful
r. B. HAYES.
Executive Mansion, February %.
In response 10 the Senate resolutions Of
tho SIh and l4th insts,, calling for inIor.
nation In regard to tho appointments and
practical. workings OF the civil service
rules In the administration OF customs
service at New York, the Secretary OF the
Treasury to-day transmitted TO that body
an elaborate report from Collector Mer.
ritt, accompanied with sundry tables and
exhibits, giving the details asked. In re.
ply to the Sd, 4th, 9th, 9Th and 9TH para.
graphs OF the 1rst resolution (Senattr
Conkling's) the Collector says: III have
In the volume Of public business Of this
point, the Department, after careful In.
vestiRation, deemed 1t proper, In order TO
meet the exiGenCies arising thereirom, to
authorize o temporary augmentation OF
the force employed with the anticipation
that the services Of the temporary force
might not be continuously required, and
the number OF permanent appointments
has THUS been kept at minimum. This
augmentation Ia excepted from the ordin.
ary operation OF the civil service rules and
is intrusted tn the discretion OF the ColleC.
tor and Secretary oil the Treasury. The
results from the temporary increase OF the
force have amply justified this action OF
the Department as wise measure OF econ.
omy.
Exhibits show that the amount OF reve.
nue. collected at New York has increased
from about S06, 100000 to $l42, ,O00, 900 In
1880; that the steamer arrivals increased
from 07S TO 1892, and the number OF
pounds OF imported goods, weighed at this
port, increased from at 2,1lb,00O,000 to
5,2l6,000, 900, while the cost per ton Of
weighing tho same decreased from 2S1
cents TO II cents.
The Collector continues: This sudden
increase OF business has been long sus.
tanned, and where, In any particular case,
there has been continuance OF the ap.
pointment beyond the period specified In
the civil service regulations, 1t was made
with the sanction OF the Department, and
under reasonable anticipation that the
services OF the employe would be required
but for brief period.
Collector Merritt appends statement
that the per centage Of cost Of collecting
the revenue during the two and a.half
years Of his administration has been
l5O l.l0O0 Of one per cent as against the
percentage Of 1877, 5sl.l0,0OO OF one per
cent for the ak and a.half years term Of
Office OF his predecessor, Gen. Arthur.
The assurance that the tenure and promo.
tion depended solely on their own per.
sonal merit and character, and not on
uterior considerations or influences, has
had happy effect not only on these ap.
pointees, but also upon the force gener.
ally,"