Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1888-08-02
THE CIVIL SERVICE.
The President Informs Congress Of the
Work Accomplished by the
Commission.
Sixteen Thousand Persons Examined Last
Year, Two Thirds Of Whom Were
Competent
President Cleveland sent the following
masaana To Connraas ON the 23d of LnlH.

President Cleveland sent the following
message to Congress on the 23d of July:
Pursuant to the second section Of Chapter "a
OF the laws OF 1888, entitled An act to regulate
ard improve the civil service OF the United
States" hereW ith transmit the fourth report
Of the United States Civil Service Commission,
covering that period between the 10th day Of
January 1886, and the 1st day OF July, 1887.
While this report has special reference to the
operations Of the commission during the period
above mentioned, 1t contains, with its accom-
panying appendices, much valuable information
concerning the inception OF civil service reform
and its growth and progre which cannot fail to
be interesting and instructive to all who desire
improvement in administrative methods. Dur
ing the time covered by the report, 1882
persons were examined for admission in
all its branches OF whom 0,746 passed the ex-
animation and .2O6 failed. OF those who passed
sion to the departmental service at Washington,
2547 wero examined for admis sion to the GUS
toms service, and 222 for admission to the post
al servic1. During the same period SAT appoint
ments were made from the eligible lists TO the
department service, Gal to the customs service
and 254 to the postal service.
Concerning separations from the classified
service the report only informs OF such as
have occurred among employees In the public
service who had been appointed from eligible
lists under civil-service rules. When these
rules took effect they did not apply to the per-
sons then In the service, comprising full COM
plement OF employees, who obtained their
|
The commission has no record OF
the separations in this numerous class.
and the discrepancy apparent in the
report between the number of appoint
ments made in the respective branches OF the
service from the lists OF the commission and
the small number OF separations mentioned, is.
TO a great extent, accounted for by vacancies,
of which no rtpcrt was made to the commits
sicn, occurring among those who held their
places without examination and certifcation,
which vacancies were filled by appointment
from the eligible lists.
In the departmental service there occurred
between the 10th day of January, 1886, and the
s0th day OF June, 1881, among the employees APP
pointed from tho eligible lists under civil servicJ
rules II removals, c6 designations and deaths.
This does not include IA separations in the
grade OF special pension examiners, by reno
val by resignation and by death.
In the classified customs and postal service
| the number OF separations among those who re-
| ceived absolute appointments under the civil
service rules are given for the period between
the first day Of January, 1881, and the 3Oth day
OF June, 1887. 1t appears that such separations
! in the customs service for the time mentioned.
! embraced twenty-one removals, five deaths and
eighteen resignations and In tho postal service
! 256 removals, % deaths and AGO designations.
! More than year has passed since the expira-
tion Of the period covered by the report of the
! commission. Within the time which has thus
! elapsed many important changes Rave taken
/ place in the furtherance OF reform in our civil
service. The rule and regulations go, erning the
have been completely remodeled in such
manner as TO render the en-
! forcement Of the statute more effective
and greatly increase its usefulness. Among
other things the scope of examinations pre-
scribed for those who seek to enter the classi-
! fed SO vice has been better defined and made
more practi al the number OF names TO be GER
/ tined from the eligible lis TO the appoin ing
officers from which selection is made has been
reduced from four to three the maximum
thy AttihNVRunSe 70 Aes oI persons see
ice to As years has been changed,
and reasonable provision has been made for the
transfer OF employees from one department to
another in proper cases. plan has also been
devised providing for the examination OF appli-
cants for promotion in the service, which, when
in full operation, will eliminate all chance Of
favoritism in the advancement Of emp Dyes, by
making promotion reward OF merit and faith
ful discharge of duty.
Until within a few weeks there was no uni
form classification Of employees in the different
executive departments of the Government. As
result Of this condition, in some of the depart
ments positions could be obtained without civil
service ShSmnstiSns una because they were
partment while in other departments
an examination and certlhcation were
necessary TO obtain positions of the same grade,
because such positions were embraced in the
classihcations applicable to those departme ents.
The exception Of laborers, watchmen and mes
sengers from examination and classification
gave opportunity, in the absence Of any
1 rule guarding against IL, for the employ
ment, free from civil vice restrictions,
of persons under these designations, who were
Immediately de tailed TO do clerical work All
this has been oh waited by the application TO all
the departments OF an extended ana uniform
classification, embracing grades OF employees
not heretofore included, and by the adoption OF
a rule prohibiting tho detail Of laborers, watch
men, or messengers to clerical duty.
The path Of civil-serVice reform has not at all
times been pleasant For easy, the scope and
purpose OF the reform having been much mis-
apprehended; and this has not only given rise
TO strong opposition, but has lei to its invoca-
not not in in the least related to it. Thus
NATURALLY ~ dS IT, Those y'S MSe
do rot understand its meaning either mistrust
1t, or when disappointed, because, in ite present
II IS tSs charged TE
enforcement with faithlessness to civil-service
reform. Its Importance has frequently been
men men has thus been lost BY their lack
of interest in its success. Besides all
these diffculties, those responsible for the ad-
ministration of the Government in its executive
branches have been, and still are, often annoy cd
by the disloyaty to the service and the insolence
Of employees who remain in places as the bene-
ficiaries and the relics or reminders OF the VIC
ious system Of appointment which civil service
reform was intended TO displace.
And yet these are but the incidents Of an ad.
vance movement which is radical and far-reach
ing. The people are, Notwithstanding, 70 ba
congratulated upon the progress which has
been made, and upon the Arm. practical and
sensible foundation upon which tLis re- orm now
rests.
With continuance Of the intelligent fidelity
which has hitherto characterized the work OF
the commission, with a continuation and in
crease of the favor and hberality which have
lately been evinced by the Congress In the
proper equipment Of the commission for iti
work, with firm but conservative anC
reasonable support OF the reform by all iti
friends and with the disappe trance of op
| position which must inevitably follow its better
understanding, the execution Of the civil servic,
! law cannot fail to ultimately answer the hopei
in which IL had its origin.
GROVER CLEVELAND.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, July ", 1888.
N...s Mn