The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-03-26
A Startling Discovery.

WASHINGTON. March l9.-The South.
ern spoils hunters have discovered novel
point in their examination of the civil
service regulations, and it is one which
they intend to emphasize to fire the
Southern heart" against the civil service
system. The regulations which have
been adopted by the Civil Service Com.
missioners provide that no person shall
be permitted to make application for q
clerical position iu the Post Office De.
partment who is oyer IS, and that no
person shall be permitted to make appi-
cation ror Il position in the Treasury
Department who is over As, unless in
either. case the applicant may chance to
have been an honurably discharged Un on
soldier or sailor. A strict Interpretation
of this rule would exclude any person
who was in the Confederate army from
clerical position in the Post Office De.
partment if he WAS mure than IL years
of age in 1860, or trnm service under the
Treasury il he was more than 81 years Of
age when the war began. The discovery
of this fact has created very marked
excitement among the Southern men.
Mr.. E. A. Burke, of the New Orleans
Times Democrat and manager of the great
Exposition, who il here, is credited with
this discovery. He says:
why, the civil service regulations
disfrancbise every ex Confederate. The
average age of enlistment in the Confed-
crate army was from fifteen 10 twenty
wears. There certainly must have been
very few enlistments under fifteen years,
but you will see by these regulations
that, as twenty -four years have elapsed
since the war began, and the period
within which person can become an
applicant for position in the Post Office
Department is fixed at thirty Eve years
of age, unless he is discharged Union
soldier, no one who was III the C0nfeder
ate army can come within these regula.
,ions if he WAS more than IL years of age
when he enlisted, ana it is under the
Post Office Department that the vast
majority of the appointments are 10 be
made in the Southern States; aud no
one who was in the Confederate army. in
like manner, could secure an appoint.
ment under the Treasury under the civil
service rules who WAS over 81 when the
war begr Such proposition would
make terrible havoc in the ranks of
the Southern Office seekers. 1t would
bar our people pretty nearly all out.
The elect within such limitations would
be rare exception p
"What are you going to do about it 2"
"That's the point. If these rules are
to be rigidIy enforced we shall demand
a re-examination under the civil service
system of al the Federal officials who
hold Office in the South. If you take
even basty glance at the civil service
requirement. ,ou will see that very fen
of.the persol , now holding Office coule
be re.appointed under any such condl.
tions. There is probably net onetwen.
tieth part Of those in Office who could
pass an examination under the civil
service system. We shall bring this
question prominently to public notice,
and 1 do mol know of any other way a
which we can make The demand known.
Should that be refused. our only remedy
would be either to insist upon modif
cation of the regulations or reorgani.
zation of the Bpard of Civil Service
Commissioners. 1t is pretty vital
question for the people of our section,
and do not believe that the people of
the country are quite ready to admit that
a man is to be deprived of service under
the Government because ne served III tho
Confederate army"