Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-01-10
THE CIVIL SERVICE.
Full Text of the PendIeton Bill as it
Passed Both Houses of
Congress-
PREFERMENT THE REWARD OF MERIT

The civil service reform bill, as it
finally passed both houses of congress is,
In its full text, as follows:
A BILL to regulate and improve the civil serv-
ice of the United States:
WHEREAS, Common justice requires that, SO
far as practicable, all citizens duly qualified
shall be allowed equal opportunities on the
ground of personal fitness for securing appoint
ment, employment, and promotion in the sub
ordinate civil service of the United States; and
WHEREAS, Justice to the public likewise re-
quires that the government shall have the
largest choice among those likely TO answer the
requirements of the public service; and
WHEREAS, Justice, as well as economy,
efficiency, and integrity in the public service,
will be promoted by substituting open and uni
form competitive examinations for the exami-
nations heretofore held in pursuance of the
statutes of 1853 and 1856; therefore,
Be ii enacted bg the senate and house Of rep
reSesstdtiues of the United States of America,
IN congress assembled:
That the President is authorized to appoint,
by and with the consent of the senate, three
persons, not more than two Of whom shall be
the adherents of the same party, as civil ser
vice commissioners, and said three commits
siOners shall constitute the United civil service
commission. Said commissioners shall hold
no other official place under the United States.
The President may remove any commission er,
and any vacancy in the position OF commits
sioner shall be so filled by the President. by
and With the consent OF the senate, as to CON
form to the conditions for the first selection of
the commissioners. The commissioners shall
each receive q salary Of $4,000 per year, and
each of said commissioners shall be paid his
necessary travelling expenses incurred III the
discharge Of his duty as commissioner.
SEC. 2. That it shall be the duty of said
commissioners to aid the president, as he may
Snit9hlp v
ing this act into effect; and when SAID rules
shall have been promulgated it shall be the
duty of all officers of the United States ia the
departments and Offices to which any such
rules may relate to aid in all proper ways in
carrying said rules and any modification there
of into effect. And among other things said
rules shall provide and declare as nearly as the
conditions of good administration will warrant
as follows:
1. For open, competitive examinations for
testing the fitness Of the applicants for the
pubic service now classified or to be classified
hereunder; such examinations shall be practi-
cal IN their character, and SO far as may be,
shall relate to those matters which will fairly
test the relative capacity and fitness of the
persons examined to discharge the duties Of
that service into which they seek to be APP
| pointed
2. That all offices, places aud employments
SO arranged or to be arranged in classes shall
| be filled by selections according to grade from
among those graded highest as the result of
such competition.
! 3. Appointments to public service aforesaid
| in the departments at Washington shall be APP
| portloned among the several states and terri
! tories and the District of Columbia upon the
| basis Of population, as ascertained at the last
| preceding census. Every application for eX-
| animation shall contain, among other things,
| a statement Hnder oath stating his, her,
| actual bona tide residence at the time of max
| ing application, as well as how long he, or She
| has been a resident Of said place.
| 4. That there shall be period of probation
| before any absolute appointment or employ
ment aforesaid.
5. That promotions shall be made from the
lower grades to the higher on the basis of
merit and competition.
6. That no person in the public service is for
| that reason under any obligation to contribute
to any political fund Or render any political
! service, and that he Will not be removed or
| otherwise prejudlced for refusing to do so.
| z. That no person in said service has any
| right to use his official authority or influence
to coerce the political action of any person or
anybody.
8. There shall be non-competitive exam
nation In all proper cases before the commits
sion when competent persons do not compete
after notice has been given of the existence of
a vacancy, under such rules may be pre-
scribed by the commissioners as to the manner
OF giving notice, and competition may not be
found practicable.
2. That notice shall be given in writing by
the appointing power to the said commission
| of the persons selected for appointment or en-
ployment from among those vino have been ex-
ahmed, of the place of residence of such per-
SONS after probation, of the transfers, resig-
nations, and removals. and of the date thereof,
and record of the same shall be kept bv the
said commission.
Any necessary exceptions from said nine
fundamental provisions of the rules shall be
set forth IN connection with such rules, and
reasons therefore shall be stated in the annual
report Of the commission. The said commits
| sion shall be subject to the rules that may be
made by the President, make regulations for
and have control of such examinations, and
through Its members or examiners it shall
supervise and preserve the records of the same,
and the said commission shall keep minutes of
It's own proceedings. 1t, the said commission,
may make Investigations concerning facts, and
may report all matters touching the enforce
ment and etfects of said rules and regulations,
and concerning the actlen of any examiner or
| board of examiners hereinafter provided for
| It's own subordinates and those IN the public
service III respect to the execution of this act.
SAID commission shall make an annual report
to the President for transmission to congress,
showing its own action, rules and regulations,
and the exceptions thereto in force the practi-
cal effects thereof, and any suggestions it may
approve for the more effectual Accomplishment
Of the purposes of this act.
SEC 3. That said commission is authorized
to employ chief examiner, part of whose
duty it shall be under it's direction to act with
the examining boards, so far as practicable,
whether at Washington or elsewhere, and to
secure accuracy, uniformity, and justice in all
their proceedings, which shall be at alls times
open to him. The chief examiner shall be en-
titled to receive salary at the rate OF $4,000 q
year, and he shall be paid his necessary travel
ing expenses incurred in the discharge of his
duty. The commission shall have a secretary,
to be appointed by the President, who shall
receive salary OF 1900 per annum. 1t may,
when necessary, employ a Stenographer and
messenger, who shall be paid when employed,
the former at the rate of 81, 500 year, the
1 after at the rate OF $500 year. The COM
mission shall, at Washington and in one or
more places IN each state and territory where
examinations are to take place, designate and
select suitable number of persons, not less
than three, in the official service of the United
States, residing III said state territory, after
consulting said department or Office in which
such persons serve, to be members of the
board Of examiners, and may at any time sub
stltute any other person III said service living
in such territory IN place of any one so Sc
cd Y1al, ~