The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-05-11

The rules proposed Tor the government
of The Civil Service Commission, revised
and approved by the President, are in the
spirit Of the Act Of Congress, and framed
with a view to give Effect to that legislation.
"No person in said service shall use his
his official authority or influence either to
cNtcr the political action OF any person or
b,dv or 10 interfere with any election"
the penalty being dismissal; and mo
person in the public service shall for
tuat reason be under any obligation tocon'
tribute to any political fund or to render
any political service, and he will not be re-
moved or otherwise p~reiudiced for refusing
10 do So" These two rules secure the parti'
san independence Of the Office holder who
comes within their reach, aud protect the
public against u very offensive kind OF in
reference. The civil servant may vote as
he p%leases, and his salary is his own; and
in exchange for this he must consent not to
mix his politics with his official business.
If men Of the right stamp 6ll the offices
this protection and prohibition will go
far to make tho civil service what it should
be, a public employment MS honorable as
that Of the army or navy, and us secure in
its tenure.
There are to be three classified branches
otthe civil service. not including laborers
or workmeu or officers confirmed by the
Sruate. Those in the departments at at
Washington will constitute the Classified
Departmental Service; those under collect
ors or other customs officers in the desig-
"A .ed districts, tho Classified Custom Ser.
vice those under designated postmsters,
the Ca Sitied Postal Service. Designat-
ed customs districts and postotices are
tho 20 where the officials are as many as fifty.
Wheeling does not come within either des-
ir lalion. There arctic be open, competitive
examinations OF a practical character. to
test the fitness OF applicants for admis'
siol and for promotion. An applicant to
be considered for appointment must show
Is per cent Ct complete proficiency in
spelling, peumauship and copying; the
fundamental rules of arithmetic, fractions
and percentage, interest, discount and Sle-
nj lnts OF bookkeeping aud accounts. Be.
sides this there isto be examination in ele-
msnts OF English language, letterwriting
an | c, Instruction OF sentences; elements Il
the geography, history and government OF
the United States; and this part OF the ex
animation shall haYeits effect on the general
grading. For places where less education
is required the examination may be
limited to spelling, penmanship and the
fundamental rules OF arithmetic, but here,
too, the grading must not be less than IS
per cent on each subject. There may also
be examinations Of higher grades than
those specified where special capacity is
required. A probationary period OF six
mouths is to precede absolute appointment,
Applicants for admission to the Classi-
fed Postal Service must be between the
ages Of l6 and IS; the other branches be-
tween Is aud 10, except that in the CLASH.
fled Customs Service only clerks and mess.
enSers may be under 81 years Of age. Sol
diers and sailors OF the late war are exempt
from these limitations. Applications must
be made on blanks furnished by the branch
which it is desired to enter. The other
rules relate mostly to matters Of detail
concerning the conduct OF the Commission.
1t may be that experiences will show
some flaws in this chart, but at the begin.
ming it seems a saie one to sail BY. Almost
everything, Of course, depends upon the
spirt, in which the commission shall do its
work and the cooperation which it may
receive from the principal officers in the
service. Ii the rules be obeyed in spirit
and in letter We shall see such an improve
1nsnt in the civil service as will vindicate
the wisdom tthe experiment.