The Portland daily press., 1888-02-04
CIVIL SERVICE RULES.
Cleveland Puts Finishing Touches
to the commissioners Work,
And Promulgates the Result of Their
Combined Labor.
Not One of the Old Rules Left In Its
Original Form.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.-The President has
approved and promulgated the revision of the
civil service rules, which makes several
important changes in the system of appoint
ments upon tests of fitness applied to appli-
cants for places in the departments at Wash
ington and in classified customs offices and
post offices. The Commission has also re-
vised the civil service regulations to conform
to the new rules. These revisions have been
under consideration by the Commission the
greater part of the year, and both have re-
ceived careful consideration by President
Cleveland. He made changes and modifca-
tions in both the matter and phraseology.
Not one of the old rules and regulations re-
mains in its original form. A few of the
most salient features of the new rules fol-
low:
They are divided into four parts: General
rules, departmental rules. customs rules and
postal rules.
The general rules, nine in number, are ap-
plicable, except In one or two particulars, to
all parts of the classified service and to some
parts of the service net yet classified under
the law or rules. BY these rules 1t Is made
an offence, punishable by. dismissal, In any
officer of the executive civil service, to use
his official authority or influence for the pur-
pose of interfering with an election, or con-
trolling the results thereof, or to dismiss or
cause to be dismissed, or use influence Of
any kind to procure the dismissal of any
person from any place in the service, be-
cause such person has refused to be coerced
in political action, or to contribute money
for any political purpose, or to render politi
cal service. 1t is especially provided that
any officer, clerk or employe of the govern
ment shall be dismissed from service for vi;
1otf rnf IL
service act. which prohibits receiving and
soliciting political assessments, discharging,
promoting, or changing the rank OF any en-
ploye, or threatening, or promising to az SO
on account of his refusal to make political
contributions. 1t is also provided that no
question in any examination shall be so
framed as to elicit the political or religious
opinions of applicants, and Tor the dlsmlssal
of any examining or nominating ofi1cer seek,
ing to ascertain those opinions, or who shall
discriminate on account OF such opinions.
Bv the general Irules, several non-competi-
tive examinations are provided for. The
compulsory examination provision as sug-
gested by the Commission, was amended by
the President, who added the following
words: "But persons in the classified SER
vice, who were honorably discharged from
the military or naval service of the United
States, and widows and orphans of deceased
soldiers fand sailors, shall be exempt from
such examination"
AUOLHtT Important ltdbuIt gives duthOlltJ
to the appointing or nominating officer to
whom the commissioners may send the names
of persons declared by them eligible to GER
tain places, to object in writing to all or any
one of the persons thus certified, stating that
for reasons to be particularly specified by him
such persons, or any of them, a re not capa-
BILE of performing the duties of the vacant
place and the commissioners are directed to
make certifcation of other names If the OBJ
jections are ascertained to be good and well
founded. The general rules also provide
that soldiers and sailors honorably dis
charged because of sickness or wounds, shall
be certified for appointment in preference to
tion, and in making any reduction in any
branch of the classified service, honorably
discharged soldiers and sailors, also the
widows and orphans of deceased soldiers and
sailors shall be retained in preference to 9TH
ers. The departmental rules authorize the
classification of commissions and independ-
ent bureaus as well as the departments at
Washington, and prescribe the examination
that must be provided to test fitness for ad-
mission to this branch of the service. They
provide that the following officers be APP
pointed without examination: one private
Secretary or confidential clerk of the head OF
each classified department and each assist
ant secretary thereof, also of each head of
bureau appointed by President by and with
the advice and consent of the Senate; direct
custodans of money for whose fidelity an
other officer is under official bond, disbursing
officers who give bonds, persons employed
exclusively in the secret service, chief clerks
and chiefs of divisions. The maximum age
of limitation of 45 years is abrogated, and
the minimum limitation raised from Is to 20.
Soldiers and sailors who have claim to
preference in civil appointments are let in at
IS per cent. In all other cases, the minimum
grade of eligibility is raised from 60 to 20 per