Connecticut western news., 1883-01-03
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
The New Bill with its Amendments as it
 Passed the United States Senate.

1 The bill provides for the appointment i by the President, with the consent of the Senate, of 8 Civil Service Commission to consist of three persons, not more than | two of whom shall be adherents of the | same party, and who shall hold no other office under the United States Their salary is to be $3, ,500, together with necessary travelling expenses. The 6t- ness of applicants for appointment in the civil service is to be tested by open, com petitive examinations of practical character. The offices and employments are to be classified and filled, according to grade, from among those graded high est in the examinations.
 ] Appointments in the departments at Washington are to be apportioned among the States and Territories and the District of Columbia upon the basis of population. There is to be period of probation before any absolute appoint l ment. Promotions are to be made from lower grades to higher ones on the basis of merit and competition. No person in the public service is to be, for that reason, under any obligation to l contribute to any political fund or to render any political service, and will not be removed, or otherwise prejudiced for refusing. No person in the civil ser vice is to have any right to use his off, cial authority or influence to coerce the political action of any person or body. l There are to be competitive exam nations in proper cases, when compe- tent persons do not compete after notice has been given of vacancy The com mission is to make regulations for and have control of the examinations, subject to rules that may be made by the Presi- dent. The Commission is authorized to employ chief examiner at salary of $3, GOO, with necessary travelling ex- penses. He is to act with the examining boards as far as practicable, and to se- cure accuracy uniformity and justice in their proceedings. The Commission is to select boards of examiners in the diff ferant States and Territories, to consist of aot less than three persons in the 1 official service of the United States, and where there are persons to be examined in any State or Territory examinations are to be held therein at least twice year.
 Any Commissioner, examiner, copyist, messenger or other person in the public service who willfully or corruptly defeats, deceives, or obstructs any person in his or her right of examination, or who makes false report upon an examination, or falsely and corruptly grades any person examined, or makes a false representa- tion concerning such person, or gives special or secret information for the purpose of improving or injuring the prospects or chances of candidate, is to be punishable by fine of not less than $100 nor more than $1 ,00O or by imprisonment for not less than 10 days nor more than one year, or by both fine and imprisonment.
 Within 60 days after the passage of the act 1t becomes the duty of the Secre- tary of the Treasury to classify, under the 163d section, Revised Statutes, the clerks and employees of the collectors, naval officers, surveyors, and appraisers in, every customs district, where the whole number of such persons is not less than fifty, and thereafter, from time to tine, on direction of the President, to similarly classify the employees in any other customs district.
 The Postmaster General is to arrange for similar classiications in his depart ment, and provision is made for classifi- cations in all the departmeHttss ts saada and otaces lrsnaassi ti0ned in the 15Sth section of the Revised Statutes. After six months from the passage of the act no officer or clerk is to be appointed, and no person to be employed or promoted in any of the classes until he has passed an examine tion, or is shown to be specially exempted from such examination.
 Nothing therein, however, is to be construed to take from those honorably discharged from the army or navy any preference conferred by section 1,754 Revised Statutes, or to take from the President any authority not inconsistent with this act conferred by the 1,753d
 section of the Revised Statutes. No of
 ficer not in the executive branch of the
 Government, and no person employed
 merely as 8 laborer or workman, is to be
 required to be classified, and, unless by
 direction of the Senate, no person nomi.
 mated for confirmation by the Senate is
 to be classified or required to pass an ex
 animation.
 Whenever there are two or more mem
 bers of 8 family in the public service il
 the grades covered by the act, no other
 members of such family are to be eligible
 to appointment in them. No recon mendation of any applicant given by Senator or member of the House, except | , applicant, is to be received or considered by any person concerned in making any
 examination or appointment. No person habitually using intoxicating beverages in excess is to be appointed or retained : in any office, business or employment te
 which the provisions of the act are appli I cable.
 It is further provided that no Senator, Do- >4o4 .1 sentative in Congress, or Delegate elect 3 or any officer or employee of either House s and no executive, judicial, military o. ! naval officer of the United States, and nt N clerk or employee of any department t cial, or military or naval service O r the United States shall, directly O. l indirectly, solicit or receive, or be in an,
 manner concerned in soliciting or re , ceiving, any assessment, subscription, O contribution for any political purpos y whatever, from any officer, clerk, or em t ployee of the United States, or any de l. partment, branch or bureau thereof, O from any person receiving any salary O compensation from moneys derived iron . the Treasury of the United States. e No person shall, in any room or build 1t ing occupied in the discharge of officia ,- duties by any person or employe e of the United States mentioned in thi act, solicit in any manner whatever, o
 receive any contribution of money o e any other thing of value for any politics IS purpose whatever.
 of No officer or employee of the Unite n States mentioned in the act shall dis 70 charge or promote or degrade or in an N manner change the official rank or con It pensation of any other officer or en d ployee, or promise or threaten so to de k for giving or withholding or neglectin