The Progress. [volume] (White Earth, Minn.) 1886-1889, 1888-04-14
NEEDS or THE CIVIL SERVICE.

NEEDS OF THE CIVIL SERVICE.
Fssidont Cleveland Writes q Letter on
tho Subject and Urges Extension Of
Tho limits Of the Classified Service,
WARRINGTON, March 31.--The President
bis sent the following letter to the CIVIL
srvlce Commission recommending an ex-
Hnsion OF the limits Of the classified
Ervice,
4" EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, D, O.,
March 81, 1870 ths L11itfd States Cieil-
SlTice NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.; I desire to
| make suggestion regarding Subdivision, gen.
| cal rule 3, Of the amended CKil-Service rules
Promulgated February 2, 1888. 1t pro-
Vhes for the promotion OF an
enploye in q department who is below or
outside Of the classified service, to a place
within said classified service in the same
department upon the request OF the appointing
officer upon the recomnendation OF the COM
MISSION and the approval Of the President,
sfter i. non-competitve examination, in case
| such person has sFved continuously for two
| years in the place rom which it is proposed to
| promote him AMI because OF his fathfulness
| and efficiency in the position occupied by him
| and because othis qualifications for the place
| to which the appointing officer desires his pro-
notion IL 81
1T has occurred to me that this provision
| must be executed with caution, to avoid the
| application of it to cases not intended and the
| undue resxation of the general purposes and
restrictions of the Civil-Service law. Non-com-
pet,tiVe examinations are the exceptions to
| tbs plal of the act and the rules permit
| ting the same should be strictly
| construed. The cases arising under the excep-
| tonabove recited should be very few, and when
presented they should precisely meet all the re-
Iuirements specified and should be supported
tby facts which will develop the basis and reason
The application of the appointing officer, and
Which will commend them TO the Judgment of
the commission and the President. The sole
purpose of the provision is to benefit
the public service. and it should never be per.
mitted to operate as al evasion of the main
feature Of the law which is competitive exam
inations. AS these cases will first be pre-
sented to the commission for recommen-
dation, I have to request that you will
formulate q plan by which their mer-
its can be tested This will naturally
involved a statement of all the facts deemed
necessary for the determination Of such appli-
cations including the kind of work which has
been done by the person proposed for promo
ton, and the considerations upon which the al
legations OF the faithfulness, efficacy and quail.
itications mentioned in the rules are predicted.
What has already been written naturally
suggests another very important subject, to
= y
of the rule which I have commented upon
would be nearly, ii not entirely removed,
and other dtficulties1 which now embar-
rass thel execution Of the Civil-Service
law would be obyiated if there was a
better and uniform classification OF the
employees in the different departments. The
Importance of this is entirely obvious. The
present imperfect classifcations hastily made,
apparently with but little care for uniformity,
and promulgated after the last Presidential
election. and prior to the installation of the
present Administration should not have been
permitted to continue TIL this time. 1t appears
that in the War Department the employees were
divided on the 18th day of November 1884, into
eight classes and sub-classcs embracing those
earning annual salaries of from 5000 to -, 900
The Navy Department was classified Novem
Der %, 1884, and its employees were divided in
to seven classes and sub-classes embracing
those who received annual salaries of from
800 to $500. In the Interior Department
the Classification was made on the 9th day Of
December, 1884. 1t consists of eight classes
and sub-classes, and embraces employees re
ceiving annual salaries of from S72O to S., OO0
On the I'd day OF January, 1885, classified
ton OF employees in the Treasury Department
was made, consisting OF six classes and sub
classes, including those earning annual salarie.
of from 5000 to $500.
TN the Post-ofice Department the employee.
classes and sub-classes, embracing persons
earning annual salaries Of from $40 to 81 600.
ION the 10Th of December, 1856, the Bureau
OF Agriculture was classified in a manner diff
ferent from all other departments, and present
ing features peculiar to itself.
"It appears that the only classification il
the Department Of State and Department O.
JUSTICES that provided for by section 1853 OF the
Revised Statutes, which directs that employc!
in the several departments shall be divided int
| four classes. 1t appears that no more definite
classification has been made in these depar.
ments.
II wish the commission would revise thesi
classitications and submit to me plan which
will as far as possible make them uniform an(
which will especially remedy the present con
| dition which permits persons to enter q grade
| in the service in the one department withou
any examination, which in mother depart
ment can only be entered after passing sucl
| examination. This I think could be done b,
| extending the limits of the classified service
rather than by contracting them
E.. .@~. ''GROvER CLEVELAND"
One of the Commissioners said yesterda,
| that the views OF the Commissioners are il
full accord with those Of the President