The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1883-05-17
CIVIL SERVICE.



Presadent Arthur Slightly Modifies and Af-
fxes His signature to the New Rules to
Govern CfTiI-Service "A f5fSOintments = a
Summary of the Directions TO BE Fol
lowed by Ehose l ssaslf1l4ng- Government
Employment
The Civil-sersdcei rules were yesterday
morning approved by the President. The
rules, as approved, are twenty-five in num-
ber. The clause preliminary to the rules,
containing the formal promulgation, is re-
cast in form 50 that it begins The
President" and goes on to say that he
hereby prOmulgates The rules. Below is
given summary of the principal directions
embraced in the rules-twenty-tw IN NUM-
ber-which are to govern the Com
mission in the work before them.
The first two pnlles prohibit coercion
of the political action of any per
son in Government service by amy official,
pronounce against all interference with cleo
tions and aInioGnce that no one In the civil
service shall be under obligation to contrib
ute to any political fund.- or be removed for
refusing to do so. Three branches Of civn-
service are established--fhe classified depart
mental service, the classified customs ser
vice, and the classified postal service Pro
vision is made, for open competitive ex-
aminations TO test fitness for po-
sitions, and the subjects Of the
examinations are pcnmanshfp, Or
biography, copying and letter-wTiting,
arithmetic the elements of the English
language, the proper. construction of SEN
tences. geography history and the Govern
ment Of the United States. SiXty-fve per
cent. of complete proficiency must be at
tanned. Special examinations for appoint
| ment to offices requiring peculiar qualiflca-
/ tions are also provided for No diScrimina-
! ton is to be made on account of political OF
! religious opinion or affiliatiOn of applicants,
and the disclosure of such opinions or affilia-
! tiOns is to be diScOuntenanced by the COM
/ miSsiOners and examiners. The applicant
must affirm his qualifications under Sec OF
! the Civil-SeTYice act, which prohibits the
! appointment to or retention in office of any
person addicted to the excessive use of al
| coholic beverages. He must also possess
proper certificates of good moral character
and health and physical and mental capa
city for doing public work. Examinations
| for the classified postal service are prOhlDlteC
where the applicant is under sixteen or Owe
thirty-five years of age, or for the classified
customs service or the classified department
| service, where the applicant Is unde
eighteen or over forty-hVe years OF age. Bu
the maximum limitations do nOtHpply to thOs
who have been hOnorably discharged from
military or naval service during the lat
war. All appointments are to be made 10
a probationary term of six months, and per
manent appointment is to depend upon tn
character and qualifications and the seryic
of the probationer during that period. Th
only important change made in the origiTa
draft submitted by the Commissioner is on
striking out a clause providing for cOmpet
tive examinations of a suitable character t
test the fitness of persons for promotion
the service. This branch of ciyilseryic
reform will be the subject of additional ne'
rules, which will be agreed upon and prC
mulgated when thought necessary by tn
Con,,icSiou