Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-01-06
THE CIVIL SERVICE BILL.
Full Text Of the Hill as Il Passed both
Houses OF Congress.


Houses OF Congress.
The full text Of the bill "to regulate and i'm
prove the civil service" more generally known
as the civil service reform bill. as passed by
both houses OF Congress, isas follows:
Whereas common justice requires that, so far as
Practicable, all citizens duly qualified shall be
allowed equal opportunities, on grounds OF per-
ment. and pyomouen in the subordinate civil ser
vice OF the uniten States: and
that the government shall have the largest choice
among those likely to answer the requirements OF
the public service; and
Whereas justice, as we'll as economy, efficiency,
ana integrity In the public service. will be pro-
NOTED oy substituting open and uniform competi-
tive examinations for the examinations heretofore
held In pursuance OF the statutes OF 1883 and 1855
therefore.
Be it enacted DC, That the President is author
lZed TO appoint, by and with the consent OF the
Senate, three persons, not more than two OF whom
Shall De adherents OF the same party, as civil SER
vice commissioners, and said three commissioners
shall constitute the United States civil service
commission. Said commissioners shall hold no
other official place under the United States.
| The President may remove any commissioner:
ana any ny IN IN the position Of
consent or the Senate as to conform to said con-
| dltlonS for the first selection OF commissioners.
The commissioners shall each receive a salary of
three thousand five hundred dollars year, and
each OF said commissioners shall be paid his
necessary travelling expenses incurred In the dis
CnafKe OF MS duty cOmnl1 sStOner.
| Sec. l. That it shall be the duty OF said COM
mission:
l. To aid the President. as he may request,
in preparing suitable rules for carrying this
act into effect; and when said rules Shall have
been promulgated II shall be the duty of all off,
cers OF the United States in the departments and
offices to which any such rules may relate, to aid
In all proper ways in carrying said rules and any
! modification thereof into effect.
! IL And, among other things. said rules shall
PROVIDE and declare, as nearly as the conditions OF
good administration Will warrant, follows:
| For open, competitive examinations for testing
the fitness of apple nts fer the puoc service now
classified or to be classified hereunder; such ex-
aninations shall be practical In their character.
| which will fairly test the relative capacity and
| ntneSS or the persons examined to discharge the
/ appointed.
2. That all the Offices, places, and cmployments
SO arranged or to be arranged In classes, shall be
filled by selections according to grade from among
those graded highest rs the results OF such COM
! pettlve examinations.
IN the departments at Washington shall be aHpor-
| toned among the several states and territories
and the District of Columbia upon the basis of
census.
| Every application for m examination shall con-
TAIN, among other things, q statement under oath.
SettlnS lortn his OF her actual bona fite residence
at the time OF making the application as we'll as
how long he or she has been resident OF said
4. That there shall be a period Of probation be-
lore any absolute appointment or employment
5. That promotions shall be from the lower
grades to the higher on the basis Of merit and
6. That no person In the public service isfor that
reason under any obligation to contribute To any
pontlcal fund. or to render any political service;
and that he viii not be removed otherwise preju
| diced for refusing to do so.
z. That no person in said service has any right
10 use his Official authority influence to coerce
| the political action OF any person or body.
| y. There shall be nOn-cOmpetitive examinations
in all proper cases before the commission when
To lft nnt t,sn
| has been given of the existence Of the vacancy
under SUCH rules asmay BE- prescribed by the COM
lnlSSOherS as to the manner OF giving notice, COM
petition may not lie found pract1c lbIe.
! g. That notice shall be given In writing by the
sons selected for APPOINTMENT or emooyinent from
among those who have been examined OF the place
OF residence OF suei persons, OF the rejection Of
any such persons after probation OF transfers.
! designations and removals, and OF the date
thereof, and record OF the shall be kept by
And any necessary exceptions from said nine
fundamental provisions of the rules shall be set
| 1ofth In connection with such rules anu the rea-
sons therefor shall be stated In the annual reports
or the commission.
III. Said commission shall, subject to the rules
tons for and have control OF such examination,
ana, through its members or the examiners, ii
shaN supervise and preserve the records OF the
It's own proceedings.
". Said commission may make Investigations
concerning the facts land may report uoon all mat
tiers touching the enforcement and effects OF said
rules ana regulations and concerning the action
OF any examiner or board OF examiners hereinar-
ter provided for, and its own subordinates. and
tiOn OF this act.
port to the President for Transmission to Congress-
showing It's own action, the rules ana regulations
ana the exceptions thereto in force, the practical
effects the;eoi. and any suggestions 1t may APP
prove for the more effectu.I accomplishment OF
the purposes OF this act
Sec. 2. That said commission Is authorized to
employ a chlef examiner, a part OF whose duty II
Shall he, under its direction to act with the ex-
amining 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 al times open to him. The
chlef examiner shall be entitled TO receive salary
at the rate or 5000 year, and he shall be paid
his necessary travelling expenses incurred In the
The commission shall have a secretary, to be
appointed oy ehe Pr ssident, who shall receive
Salary OF 81 600 per anEum 1t may, when neces-
sary, employ a stenographer and messenger.
VINO shaIl be paid. when employed, the former at
the rate OF Sl,tOO year. the latter at the OF
5000 a year The commission shall at Washing
| TON aEu in one or more places in each state and
territory where examinations are to take place,
designate and select a suitable number of persons
not less than three the official service or the
United States. residing In said state or territory
AFTER consulting the head OF the department or
once IN which such persons serve, to be members
or boards OF examiners, and may at any time sub
siifute any other rerson in said service living
Such territory In the place OF any so selected
Such boards Of examiners shall be so located as to
make it reasonably convenient and inexpensive
IOT appllCaEtS 10 attend before them; and where
| there are persons to be examined in any state or
territory. examinations Shall be held therein at
least twice In each year. 1t shall be the duty of
the collector, postmaster and other officers of the
United States, at any place outside the District OF
Columbia, where examinations are directed by the
President or by said board to be he Id to allow the
reasonable use Of the public buildings for holding
such examinations, and in all proper ways to fac1l-
1tate the same.
Sec. 8. That 1t shall be the duty OF the Secre-
cary OF the Interior TO cause suitable and conven-
lent rooms and accommodations to be assigned or
provided. and to be furnished heated and
lighted, at the city of Washington for carrying on
the work OF said commission and said eXamina-
lions, and to cause the necessary stationery and
other articles to be supplied, and the necessary
printing to be done for said commission.
Sec. 4. That any said commissioner, examiner
copytSt. or messenger or any person In the public
service who shall Wilfully and corruptly by him
self or in cooperation with or more other per
sons, defeat, deceive, or Obstruct any person in
respect OF his or her right OF examination accord
Ing to any such rules or regulations or who shall
wtlfully, corruptly, and falsely mark, grade est-
mate, or report upon the examination OF prOper
| standing OF any person examined hereunder. or
AID in SO doing, or who shall wilfully and cor
rupty make any false representations concerning
the same, or concerning the person examined. OF
who shall wilfully and corrul,tly furnish to any
| person any special or secret Information for the
purpose or improving or injuring the prospects or
| Chances OF any person so examined, or to be ex-
amined being appointed, employed or promoted.