Morning journal and courier., 1882-01-25
Wednesday Morning, Jan. 9, 1882.

| i CIVIL SERVICE REFORM BILL. | Senator Dawes of Massachusetts introduc-
 ed in the Senate yesterday a bill providing
 for entrance into and promotion in the civil
 service of the government by competitive
 examination The bill is intended to estab-
 fish the system of competitive examination,
 open to all citizens equally as the actual
 method of securing employment as clerk in | the departments at Washington and in the principal postofices, custom houses, etc, in
 the country, and to abolish the system of
 partisan patronage. It is said to have been
 for some time under consideration by mem
 bers of the old civil service board and depart
 ment officials who are desirous of substitut-
 ing better system for the one now prevail
 ing. These gentlemen are reported as think
 ing that Senator Dawes bill provides for a
 more simple, elastic and practical scheme 1 than that of Senator Pendleton..
 l One feature of the bill is that it does not
 take away the powers conferred upon the President by section 1,753 of the Revised Statutes, but establishes competitive examin- | ations for admission to the civil service,
 whether or not the President exercises the
 authority given in that section. Another
 feature is that it creates no new officers or | boards. but provides for making available
 for the duties of conducting examinations officers already in:the service, who, of course,
 are better judges of the necessary qualifca- tions for the places to be filled than men
 who have no experience in the duties and 1 business of the departments can be. Sec l tions and of the bill are as follows: Sec. 2. That applications for appointment in the departments in Washington will be re- 1 eeived only for appointments to clerkships of class 1 and to places of the compensation of S1, POO or under year. These appointments are open to competition to any citizen of the United States, male or female Vacancies in office in the department above class l, or in those of higher compensation than $1, 200 a year shall be flledEby competitive examina- tion under rules and regulations to be ap- proved and promulgated by the President from among applicants already in the service in the department, but if no such applicant be found qualified and fitted upon 8 con- petitive examination of all such applicants, the vacancies shall be filled by competitive examination, oper to all citizens, in confor- mity with the provisions Of this act, for admission to offices in the de- partmants not above the grade of class l, or of $1 200 a year. The head of the depart ment may, at his discretion, open to compe- tition, exclusively by women, the vacancies occurring in offices of the rate of compensa- tion of $9O0 a year, but all admissions to that grade or class of compensation shall be by competitive examination under the rules prescribed by this act.
 Section 3. That applications for appoint ment in custom houses, postofices and other offices connected with the civil service can be received only for places of the compensation of $1 200 year and under, and vacancies in offices above class l, or above the salary of $1,200 year, shall be filled from among clerks applying who are already in the ser vice, if any such applicants shall be found competent, upon competitive examination of all such applicants, conducted in accord ance with the provisions for admission to the lowest grades, but if no such applicant shall be found qualified and fitted upon such ex- animation the vacancies shall be filled on & like examination open to all citizens apply ing in the manner provided for in this act.
 Section of the bill provides that the times and places for examinations shall be fixed and such rules and regulations for the conduct thereof shall be made, subject to ap- proval and promulgation by the President, as shall be best calculated to disclose, so far as possible, the fitness of all applicants for the service sought, including, among other things, personal integrity, good habits, in dustry, temper, patience, and special apti tude for the service required; but no dis closure of political opinion or affiliation shall be required or permitted. Section s pro- vides that the appointment of all persons en- tering the civil service in accordance with these regulations shall be made for proba tionary term of six months, during which the conduct and capacity of such persons shall be tested, and if at the end of said pro bationary. term, satisfactory proof of their fitness shall have been furnished to the head of the department in which they shall have been employed during said term, they shall be reappointed.
 Senator Dawes bill is, as whole, simple, direct and comprehensive. It will at least furnish good ground for discussion of the subject of which it treats.