Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-01-05
PENDLETON'S BILL.

sfOn-A Glorious Day for All Homes
RefoEmers-FuiI Text of the Inn
pOrtant Measure.
The Hon. Geo. II. Pendleton ha.
succeeded in getting his great anC
| much-talked-of civil service reform
bill passed by the senate. 1t is a grea
victory for the civil service reformers
all over the country. The full text O.
the bill is as follows:
A bill to regulate and improve the civil seryic,
of the United States;
WHEREAS, Common justice requires, so far a
practicable, that all citizens duly qualified shal
be allowed equal opportunities on grounds o
personal fitness for securing appointment, EN-
ployment and promotion in the subordinate ciyi
service of the United States; and
WHEREAS, Justice to the public, likewise re
qsires the government shall have the larges
choice among those likely to answer the require
ments of the public service; and
WHEREAS, Justice as well as economy eff
cheney and integrity in public service, will b,
promoted by substituting open and uniform com
petitive examinations for examin ations hereto
fore held in pursuance of the statute of 1858 anC
1855;
Therefore, be it enacted by the senate ant
house of representatives OF the United States o.
America III congress assembled That the presi-
dent is authorized to appoint by and with the
than two Of whom shall be adherents of the
same party, as civil service commissioners, and
said three commissioners shall constitute the
United States civil service commission. Said
commissioners shall hold no ether official place
under the United States. The president may re-
move any commissioner, and any vacancy in the
position of commissioner shall be so filed by the
president by and with the consent of the senate
AS to conform to said conditions for first selection
of commissioners. The commissioners shall each
receive salary of So 800 a year, and each of
said cammis sioners shall be paid his necessary
travelling expenses incurred IN the discharge of
his duty as commissioner.
Section /. That it shall be the duty of said
commission fl st, to aid the president as he may
request in preparing suitable rules for carrying
this act into effect and when said rules shall have
been promu gated it shall be the duty of all off
GERS of the United States in the departments and
offices to which any such rules may relate to aid
in ali proper ways in carrying said rules and any
notifications thereof into effect.
Fec ion 2. Among other things said rules sh all
provide and declare as nearly the conditions of
good administration will warrant viz: first, for
open competitive examinations for testing the
fitness of applicants tor public service, now CLASH
fled or to be classified hereunder and such exam
nations to be practical in their character and so
far as may be, shall relate to those matters
which will fairly test the relative capacity and
fitness of persons examined to discharge the duties
pointed; second, that all offices, places and en-
poyments so arranged or to be arranged in
classes, shall be filled by selections according to
grade from among those graded the highest as
the results OF such competitive examinations;
third, appointments to the public services afore-
said in departments at Washington, shall be ap-
pointed from among the several states and terri
tories, and the district of Columbia, upon the
basis of population aScertained by the last CEN
sus. Every application for examination shall con-
tain among other things a statement under oath,
stating his or her bona tfae residence at the time
how long he or she has been
resident of the place; fourth that there shall be
a period of probation before any ab'olute ap-
pointment or employment aforesaid; fifth that
promotions shall be from lower grades to higher
on the basis OF merit and competency sixth that
person in the public service is for that reason
under any obligation to contribute to any poiti
cal fund or render any political service, and
that he will not be removed OF otherwise preu-
diced for refusing to do so; seventh no person in
said service has the right in his official authority
or influence to coerce political action of any
person or body; eighth, there shall be
non competitive examinations OF oil
proper eases before the commissioners
When competent persons do not compete after
notice has been given of the existence of va
cancy under such rules as may be prescribed by
the commissioners as to the manner of giving no
tice, and competition may not be found praotica-
bic; notice shall be gwen in writing by the ap
pointing power to SAID commission of persons Sc
lectcd for appointment from among those who
have been examined, of the place of residence of
such persons, OF rejection of such persons after
promotion of transfers, designations and remov-
ais, and of the date thereof, and record of the
same shall be kept by said commission, and any
necessary exceptions from said fundamental
provisions of rules shall be set forth in connec-
ton with such rules and reasons therefor shall be
stated in the annual reports of the commission.
Section 3. Said commission shall be subject to
rules that may be made by the president, make
regu' ations for and have control of snch exami.
nations and through its members or examiners
shall supervise and preserve records of the same
and said commission shall keep minutes of its
own proceedings.
Section 4. Said commission may make investi-
cations concerning facts, and may report all
matters touching the enforcement and effects of
said rules and regulations, and concerning the ac
tion of any examiner or board of examiners here
matter provided for. Its ewn subordinates and
those in public service shall respect the execution
of this act.
Section s. said commission shall make
annual report to the president for trans
mission to congress showing its own action, rules
and regulations and exceptions thereto in force,
the practical effect thereof and any suggestions
it mag approve for more effectual accomplish
meut of the purposes of this act.
Section g. That said commission is authorized
to employ a chief examiner apart, whose duty
shall be, under its direction, to act with the ex
amining board as far practicable, whether at
Washington or elsewhere and secure uniformity
and justice in all their proceedings which shall be
at times open TO him. The chief examiner shall
be entitled to receive salary ut the rate OF S3 900
year and shall be paid necessary travelling
expenses incurred in the discharge of his duty.
The commission shall have a secretary TO be
appointed by the president who shall receive a
salary of 81 500 per annum. 1t may, when neces-
sary, cmp'0y a stenographer and messenger, who
shall be paid, when employed the former at the
rate of 81 800 per year the latter at the rate of
5000 per year. The commission shall sit at
Washington, and IN one or more places IN each
state and territory where eXami nations to
take place, designate and select suitable number
of persons less than three, in the official SER
vice of the United States residing IN said state or
territory, after consulting with the head of the
department office in which such persons serve,
to be members of tho board of examiners, and
may al any time substitute any person in said
service living in such territory in place
OF any one selected. Said board of examiners
shall he so located as to make it reasonably con-
venient and inexpensive for applicants to attend
before them and where there are persons to be
eNaminee in any state or territory, the examiners
shall be he therein at least twice each year. 1t
shall be the duty of collectors, postmas ers and
outside of the district of Columbia. where exam
inations are directed by the president, or.by said
board, to be held to allow reasonable use Of
public buildings for holding such eX limitations
and in all proper ways to facilitate the same.
Section 4. That it shall be the duty Of the
secretary of the interior to cause suitable and
convenient rooms an accommodations TO be as
signed, or provided and to be heated and lighted
at the city Of Washington, for carrying the
work of said commissioners and said examiners
and to cause necessary stationery and other ar
ticles 20 be supplied and the necessary printing
TO be done for said commission.
THE next section provides for the punishment
of offenders against this law, and the following
section stipulates how the employees Of the gov
eminent shall he classified for examination.
Section s. After tie expiration of SIX months
from this passage of this act, no ot1cer or cIers
shall be appointed and no person viii be employ
ed to enter be promoted IN either Of said classc
now existing, or that may be arranged under
and rarsuaut to said rules, till he hai
passed an examination. or shown 10 b
especially exempt from such examination in con
formity herewith but nothing herein contained
| shall be construed to take from those honorably
discharged from military or naval service an
preference conferred by the l754th seccon Of thi
revised statutes, ror take from the preside t an
authority not inconsistent with TIN
act conferred by the IT53d section
of said statutes; nor shall any Office
not in the executive branch of the goverzmen
or any person merely emplope as lsborer or work
man be required to be classified hereunder; nor
unless BY direction Of tie senate, shall any per
the senate be required to be classified or pass ex
animation.
Section 2. Only two members Of the sam
family shall Be eligible to ofics.
Updegraf-s Successor.