McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-12-25
Chances Of Place-Hunters Under the
New Administration.

Necessary Qualifications OF Applicants
Examining Boards and How They Are
Constituted-SpecIal Features.
Renewed interest is now taken in
the Civil Service law. A burning
question is, How many places are to
be given away under the new Admin
istrationP The Civil Service law was
framed and passed for the purpose of
operating directly on this question.
Its author was democratic Senator,
Hon. Geo. II. Pendleton, and it was
passed in January, 1888. 1t did not
go into practical operation for several
months afterwards, but is now quite
firmly established. Previous to its
passage appointments to places in the
Government service were made al
most wholly through the personal
influence of members of Congress and
others of standing in the party that
happened to be in power. The prime
object of the Civil Service law was to
free the Government service from
political influences and make it as
nearly as possible non-partisan.
THE COMMISSION AND THE LAW.
The first provision of the Pendleton
bill was that the President should APP
point, by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate, three persons,
not more than two of whom shall be
adherents of the same party, as Civil
Service Commissioners. Those were
to constitute what is known as the
United States Civil Service Commits
sion. President Arthur, before whom
the law came for the first step of its full
fillment, appointed as Commissioners,
Dorman B. Eaton, of New York, John
n. Gregory, of Illinois, and Leroy ID.
Thoman, of Ohio. The latter is
democrat, the other two republicans.
In the language of the law, the duty
of the Commissioners is:
To aid the Pres dent, rs he may re-
quest, in preparing suitable rules for
carrying this act into effect, and when
said rule shall have been promulgated
it shall be the duty of all officers of
the United States in the departments
and officers to which any such rules
may relate to aid, in all proper ways,
in carrying said rules, and any modi-
ficationS thereof, into effect.
And, among other things, said rules
shall provide and declare, as nearly
rs the conditions of good administra-
ton will warrant, as follows
First, for open, competitive exam
nations for testing the fitness of APP
plicants for the public service now
classified hereunder. Such examina-
tions shall be practical in their char
acter, and so far as may be shall re-
late to those matters which will fairly
test the relative capacity and fitness
of the persons examined to discharge
the duties of the service into which
they seek to be appointed.
I Second, that all the offices, places
and 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 competitive examina.
tions.
Third, appointments to the public
service aforesaid in the departments at
Washington shall be apportioned
among the several states and terri
tories and the District of Columbia
upon the basis of population as ascer-
tanned at the last preceding census.
Every application for an examination
shall contain, among other things, a
statement, under oath, setting forth
his or her bona tide residence at the
time of making the application, as
well as how long he or she has been a
resident of such place.
Fourth, that there shall be a period
of probation before any absolute app
pointment or employment aforesaid.
Fifth, that no person in the public
service is for that reason under any OBJ
legations to contribute to any political
fund, or to render any political SER
vice, and that he will not be removed
or otherwise prejudiced for refusing to
do so.
Sixth, that no person in said service
has any right to use his official au-
thority or influence to coerce the po-
litical action of any person or body.
Seventh. there shall be n-competi-
tive examinations in all proper cases
before the commission, when compe-
tent persons do not compete, after no.
tice has been given of the existence of
the vacancy, under such rules as may
be prescribed by the Commissioners as
to the manner of giving notice.
Eighth, that notice shall be given in
writing by the appointing power to
said commission of the persons select
ed for appointment or employment
from among those who have been ex-
amined, of the place of residence of
such persons, of the rejection of any
such persons after probation. of trans
ters, designations and removals, and of
the date thereof, and record of the
same shall be kept by said commission.
And any necessary exceptions from said
eight fundamental provisions of the
rules shall he set forth in connection
with such rules, and the reasons there
for shall be stated in the annual re-
ports of the commission.
Said commission shall, subject to the
rules that may be made by the Presi-
dent, make regulations for, and have
control of, such examinations, and,
4 l., &c, ,lDo-k l..