Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-04-04
1890 Of TIC N,vIA oEnv,NL.
Frosi""nt Cleveland Writes u Lct:or
tho Subject Rnf Urges Extension OF

the Limits of tho Classified Service.
WASHINGTON, March 3L-The President
has sent the following letter to the Civil
Service Commission recommending an ex-
tension OF the limits OF the classified.
service:
"ExEcUTlvE MANSION, WASHINGTON, d. c.,
March e. 1sSs.-To the United States Cyui-
Se'pice CommissioD-Gentlemen I desire to
make u suggestion regarding subdivision, gen
promulgated February 2. 1855 It pro-
v'des for the promotion of an
employc In department who is below or
outside OF the classified service, to u place
within said classified service in the same
department upon the request OF the appointing
officer upon the recommendation OF the COM
mission and the approval of the President,
after non-competit.ve examination, in case
such person has served continuously for two
years IN the place from which it is proposed to
promote him AMI because of his faithtulness
and efficiency IN the position occupied by him
and because Of his qualifications for the place
to which the appointing officer desires his pro-
notion
at 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 relaxation OF the general purposes and
restrictions OF the Civl-Service law Non-com-
petitiye examinations are the exceptions to
Cllc pun VI GNc aCL Gnu the rules permit
ting the should be strictly
construed. The cases arising under the excep-
ton above rccited should be very few, and when
presented they should precisely meet all the re.
Quremcnts specified and should be supported
by facts which will develop the basis and reason
OF 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-
United to operate rs an evasion Of the main
feature OF the law which is competitive exam
nations AS these cases will first be pre-
scnted to the commission for rccommen-
formulate plan by which their mer-
its can be tested. This will naturally
involved 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
1hcatlons mentioned III the rules are predicted.
What has already been written naturally
suggests another very important subject, to
which invite your attention. The deslrability
of the rule which I have commented upon
would be nearly, il not entirely removed,
and other di11lculties1 which now embar-
raSS the execution of the Cvil-SerVicc
law would be obviated if there was u
better and uniform classification Of the
employees in the d ferent departments. The
Importance of this is entirely obvious The
present imperfect classitcations 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-classes embracing those
n,nS annual salaries of from $500 to $4,000
The Navy Department was classified Novem-
Der %. 1854 and its employees were divided in
to seven classes and sub-classcs embracing
those who received annual salar es of from
GOO to 1850. In the Interior D partment
the classification WAS made ON the 9th day of
December, 1854. 1t consists of e ght classes
ana sub-cia>ses, and embraces employees re-
celvlng annual salaries of from S12O to S., 600
On the I'd day OF January, 1885, 4 classifca-
ton OF employees in the Treasury Depart mcnt
was made consisting of six classes and sub
classes, including those earning annual salaries
OF from 500 to $500.
In the Post-ottice Department the employees
were classified on February 6. 1885, into n.ne
classes and sub-classes, embracing persons
earning annual salaries of from S7!O to s. co.
'On the 18th OF December, 1856, the Bureau
OF Agriculture was class fed in Z manner diff
lcrenI from all other departments, and present
ing features peculiar to itself.
IL appears mat the only Cl3SSlhcatOn in
the Department of State and Department of
just ce is that prov ded for by section 163 OF the
Revised Statutes, winch directs that employees
in the several departments shall be divided into
four classes. 1t appears that no more detinite
classification has been made in these depart
ments.
II wish the commission would revise these
classitic'tions and submit to me plan which
Will as far as possible make them uniform and
which will especially remedy the present con-
dition which permits persons to enter a grade
in the serv. ce in the department without
any examination, which in another depart
ment can only be entered after passing such
examination. This think could be done by
extending the limits of the classified service
rather than by contracting them.
"GROvER CLEVELAND"
One of the Commissioners said vest erday
that the views OF the Commissj on1rs are in
full accord with those of the President.