Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-12-29

reason to be under any obligation to contrib
ute to any political fund, or to render any
political service, and no person must use his
official authority or influence TO coerce the
political action of any person or body. No
tice is to be given by the appointing power
to the commission of the persons selected
from among those examined, together with
notice Of the lection of any such persons after
probation, and Of transfers, designations and
removals. The commission must mako an
annual report to the President for transmits
sion to Congress. The commission must, at
Washington and in one or more places in
each state and territory where examinations
are to take place, designate and select a suit
able number of per6o.s, not less than three,
in the official service of the United States re-
siding in said state or territory, to be mem
bers Of boards of examiners Such boards of
examiners must be so located as to make it
reasonably convenient and inexpensive for
applicants to attend before them, and where
there are persons to be examined in any state
or territory examinations shall be held there
in at least twice in each year A chief exam
liner may be appointed at a salary of $4,000
year, and the commission may have neces-
ssry stenographio aud other clerks.
Within 60 days after the passage Of this
act the Secretary of the Treasury and Post
master General are to arrange in classes tho
clerks in their departments in all sections OF
| the country wherever such clerks exceed 90
in number, and after six months from the
passage of the act no officer or clerk shall be
appointed or promoted except after examina-
ton, as the act provides. Whenever there
are two or more members of family in the
public service in the grades covered by this
act, no other members of such family shall be
eligible to appointment. No recommends
| ton given by any Senator or member Of the
| House of Representatives, except as to the
character or residence of the applicant, shall
be received or considered. No person habit
ually using intoxicating beverages in excess
shall be eligible to appointment in the public
service. The provisions of the Edmunds bill
to prevent political assessm ents, elsewhere
| quoted, are Incorporated in the measure bod
lily and made a part of it. Violations Of thi
law are punishable by a fine not exceeding
$4,000 or by imprisonment not exceeding
three years, or both.
These in brief are the main features o
this important measure. The limits to tn,
operation of the act as will be seen from thi
summary, are tina! u "Yrlies at first only L
the departments at Washington and to sucl
offices under the Secretary of the Treasury o
Postmaster General as have moro than u
employees, and afterward to such offices as tn
President may direct. Whether or not it is
perfect enactment or the best one attainable
is point which men who are in earnest il
the matter of civil service reform will no
stop to split hairs about. In any case it i
an honest step in the right direction, and tn
Senate has shown true wisdom in thus heed
ing the voice of the people and making hast
in its passage. The bill now goes to tn
Speakers table in the House, and its treat
ment and fate in that body will be watched
with no little anxiety. Blind hints are give
Whole and thus allowed to sleep the sleep o
death But the Republican members hAv
the power to call the measure up and secur
its passage, and they should be warned tina
the people are in no temper to be trihed wit
in this vital matter. As soon as they hav
settled down to business with full ranks, al
ter the holidays are over, they should make
their first duty to give this bill candid consid
Grafton and then pass it without loading
down with needless =L-ea6ments in a way t
endanger the concurrence of the Senate
When the measure Is once placed on the stat
ute book there will be beginning of bette
and cleaner days in our political management
than we have yet seen.