The Evening critic., 1885-03-27
FRWRR MEssENGERs.
The Veterans in she Departments 10
He RepIRced.

MtB hhtBhtAttus
Tho Treasury Investigating Commission
commenced its formal sessions to-day. Thu
general review of tho methods Of transact
ing business, etc. will precede any con-
sideration Of reduction of force or changes
in personnel. 1t has been shown that the
changes in tho chiefs of bureaus arc TO be
made without reference to the commission.
but this will not be tho case with the chiefs
Of divisions.
1t Is understood that tho President has
taken the position that tho chiefs of divi-
sions who have risen from clerkships aud
attained their positions purely by merit
and experience are exempt from displace-
ment.
In the Treasury Department there arc
more than seventy chiefs of division of
whom all but about three attained their
places by gradual promotion and long ex-
perienCe. These officers in many instances
entered the Treasury service in young man
hood soon after the Republican party camo
into power, and are still iD the prime of life
after fifteen or twenty years Of Government
service. The positions arc Of great re-
sponsibility and requiring an immense
amount of knowledge Of tue routine and
detail work of the Department.
IL is believed that the retention of nearly
all these officers has been determined upon.
In tho Navy Department Secretary Whit
ney is carefully considering the subject of
possible retrenobment and reform. He has
called upon each of his chiefs of bureaus
and heads of offices TO suggest possible re-
ductions of force which will not interfere
with the efficiency of the service.
One Of the most interesting questions
raised is as to tho retention of the old mes
sengers and watchmen employed in tue
various Departments, Several of the Sec.
retaries incline to the opinion that re-
tfenchment and reform principles require
the employment of more efficient meu and
smaller numbers In making appointments
of this class the preference has usually been
given to worn out or wounded soldiers or
sailors whose infrmity or want of educa-
tion incapacitated them for employment Of
other kinds, and whose past services enti-
tied them to the fostering caro- of thoir
country. So general has beon this practice
that tho hoary headed men who doze in
arm chairs in the corridors Of the Depart
ments include many veterans of remarkable
careers
No class of Government employees en-
brace so many remarkable old men as the
venerable messengers and watchmen. Many
of them are the proteges of leading military
and naval officers who were cognizant of the
faithful service rendered More than one
| of these old fellows have seen half century
| of service. 1t Is asserted that in some OF
the Departments the forces are unnecessa-
| rily large. That an active man capable OF
more severe duty could perform the service
| of two of these old men.
The messengers and watchmen are not
protected by the Civil-Service law, but a
general change would cause incalculable
hardship and suffering, and would be doing
| Injustice to many who are well.entitled tO
| the little recognition thus accorded them
| AS far as can be learned, none of the heads
| of the Departments are willing to yield tc
the pressure for the removal of the vete
| rams, but as vacancies occur younger and
more active men will be appointed, and the
forces will be eventually reduced. Ar
effort has been made to reduce the watch
mems force Of the "state, War and Navl
building, but the Secretaries are unwilling
to take the risk which would thus be in
CURED, !" remarked an official to a CRITIC
reporter.
''They think that the necessity for al
adequate force of watchmen in that build
ing is fully as great as at the Treasury
where the force Is much Larger. At tn,
latter the vaults are so secure aud the sys
TEN Of protection by locks, safes, etc., 81
complete that the watchmen could rela,
their vigilance and throw the corridor
| Optu With ~ iClutiC
eral hours work or q eau of dynamite &
reach the treasure At the State, War anC
Navy building tho case is very different
The efficiency OF the watchmen must be dc
pended upon solely for the protection o.
records of great value.
"a vandal, an autograph hunter, or 8
revolutonist could do an amount of dam
age in some of the file rooms Of the Stat
Department that could never be repaired
and which would rob the Government o
many of its most valuable historic records
"Depredations among the War Depart
ment records would be equally easy ant
disastrous. The Justification of records tina
could be accomplished in an hour would b.
of immense value to applicants for pen
sions."
One of the most important contemplated
reforms and one which emanates from tn,
White House, is q determination to restor
to the duties for which they were actual,
appointed all Government employees VIII
have been transferred and detailed to othe
kinds of work.
1t has long been the practice to supple
menb inadequate forces by details fron
others that were unnecessarily large. Thu
| persons on laborers' rolls have been detaile
as copyists, copyists have worked as clerk
labOrers .as watchmep, etc, etc. In th
opinion of the new Administration thi
practice is perversion of law.
When the law provides for copylst, it
thought that copyist should be employed
and copyists duties performed. When th
services of this appointee are not needed i
the work for which he was selected, it
claimed that he should be dispensed wit
and not transferred to another class wher
the number of employees authorized by la
has already been appointed. The enforc
ment of this rule will cause numeror
| changes