New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-03
THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION.
THE RULES CONSIDERED BY THE CABINET-KEIM So1
YET COMMISSIONED.
lBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuSE.l


YET COMMISSIONED.
lBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuSE.I
WASHINGTON. May 2-The Civil Service rules
were again considered by the President and tho
Cabinet to-day. While some changes were Thoughts
advisable. they were few in number AMI none such
as to alter the rules materially. As finally approved,
it is understood the rules will be substantially a.
recommended by the Civil Service Commission.
They have not yet been formally approved and will
not be given to the public until that Is dOne-proh-
ably within the next two or three days.
The commission of Mr.. Keim as Chief Examiner
has not vet been signed. and IL is learned from .
trustworthy source that 1t is not likely to reach him
for the present While the Commissioners do not
yet seem inclined to reconsider their recommends
ton of Mr. Keim, there Is some reason to believe
that they adhere to 1t less firmly than
they did several days ago. and 1t s regarded as nos
wholly improbable that II " may finally relieve the
President from his embarrassment by asking leave
to withdraw his name and substitute that OF soms
less Objectionable man. The President is much in
cined 10 defer to their wishes in the matter, but
of course, he must after all shoulder the respons-
bility of the appointment.
The statement of Mr. Eaton that Mr.. Keim was
the best man that could be found, who would sc-
cept the place. is stoutly denied by persons who do
clare that they know to tho contrary. One OF them
asserted last night that of the applicants fof
the Office of Chief Examiner Is "a man who has
been identified with the Civil Service Reform
movement for yeors; man who has
thorough knowledge Of the methods and require
ments Of the public service aud against whom no
geographical considerations could be urged;
q man who s well known. and whose appoint
ment would have been received with general satAs-
faction by the friends of reform, but whose ability
and strength of character might have put some OF
the Commissioners themselves at disadvantasn
lie has been informed by two OF the Commission.
ers very recently that he was almost appointed.'
The namo of this applicant has not yet beo1
ascertal ned.
ONE DIFFICULT QUESTION.
IGENERAL PRESS DIsPATcH
WASHINGTON, May 2.-rhere was one question
which the Cabinet found it difficult to decide and
which is still undetermined. The custom now OBJ
served In making appointments in several of tho
executive departments and which in the Treasury
has the force of law, is to distribute them among
tho States and Te rritores upon the basis of popula
ton. 1t is questioned whether o strict adherencs
TO this rule would not in many cases hamper the
administration of the Civil Service aud majority
of the members of the Cabinet incline to the view
tnat appointments under the new Civil Service rules
should be made strictly upon merit determined
by competitive examination. decision, however,
has not yet been reached upon this point.
Dorman B. Eaton said to a reporter this evening
that one of the clauses Of the Civil Service law
provides that appointments shall be distributed
among the States and Territories in proportion to
population as far as practicable but that as this
clause comes under head of provisions which arc
to be carried out only far the good sdministra-
tion OF the law will permit, he did not think it
would prove source of much difficulty. He had
not been advised, he said. Of the action of the
Ax.t< ,acff f,al laxv
thought would be complied with by making tho ap-
pointments during a given period Of q year
or two years approximate the quota allowed
to the States aud Territories accord
ing TO population. He said hat the law
had nothing TO say with regard the proportion In
which the several States aud Territories are repre-
sented in the appointments already mades and tnas
the present representation OF States and
would not be taken into consideration in deternin-
ing future appointments
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