, 1888-02-04
The New Civil Service Rules.

The New Civil Service Rules.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.-The president
has approved and promulgated the revis-
ion OF the civil service rules which makes
several important changes in the system
OF appointments upon tests of fitness APP
piled to applicants for places in the de-
partments at Washington and in the clas-
sitied customs offices and post offices. The
commission has also revised the civil SER
vice regulations to conform to the new
rules. These revisions have been under
consideration by the commission during
the great part of the year and both have
received careful consideration by President
Cleveland. He read them at length sew
eral times and made changes and modifi-
cations, and not one of the old rules or
regulations remain in its original form. A
few of the most salient features OF the new
rules may be stated as follows
l. They are divided into four parts
general rules, departmental rules, customs
rules and postal rules.
2. The general rules are nine in num-
Der and are applicable, except in one of
two particulars, to all parts of the CLASH
fed service and to some parts of the serv-
ice not yet classified under the law or
rules. BY these rules it is made an
otfense punishable by dismissal in any
officers OF the executive civil service ID to
use his official authority or influence for
the purpose of interfering with an election
or controlling the results thereof or (2)
to dismiss or cause to be dismissed, or to
use influence of any kind to procure the
dismissal Of any person from any place in
said service because such person has re-
fused to be coerced in his political action
or has refused to contribute money for
political purposes, or to render political
service; and it is especially provided
that any officer, clerk or other
employe who Q) shall violate section eleven
of the civil service act, which prohibits
the receipt or solicitation of assessment,
subscription or contribution for any politi-
cal purpose whatever; or (2) who shall
violate section twelve, which provides
that any person who shall solicit or re-
ceive in any manner whatever contribu-
tions OF money or other things of value
for any political purpose whatever; or (3)
who shall violate section thirteen, which
provides that no officer or employee of the
United States mentioned in the civil SER
vice act shall discharge or promote, or in
any manner change the official rank of
any officer or employe, or promise or
threaten to do so for giving or refusing a
contribution; or (4) who shall violate Sec
ton fourteen, which provides that no Off
Ger, clerk, or other person in the service
of the United States, shall directly or in
directly hand over to any person money.
or other valuable thing, on account of
promotion or any political purpose what
ever, shall be dismissed from the service.
1t is also provided that no question in
any examination shall be so framed as to
elicit a political or religious opinion or
athilation of competitors for a place, and
if any appointing or nominating officer
makes inquiry concerning or in other way
attempts to ascertain the politics or relig-
ion OF any person who has passed an ex-
animation or who shall discriminate in
favor against such person, that he be dis
missed.
BY the general rules several non. com
petive examinations are provided for, and
compulsory examinations for promotion
are directed. The compulsory examina-
ton provision as suggested by the COM
mission was amended by the president,
who added the following words, but per-
sons in the classified service who were
hOnorably discharged from military or
naval service of the government, and
NluOW anu OTpIlduS Oh deceased soldiers
and sailors shall be exempt from such cx-
aminations."
Another important feature of the gen.
eral rules gives authority to the appoint
ing or nominating officer to whom the
commissioners may send the names Of
persons declared by them to be eligible to
a certain place, to object in writing to all
or any n persons thus certified, stating
that for reasons to be particularly speci-
fed such persons, or any of them, are not
capable of performing the duties of a
vacant place. and the commissioners are
directed to make c%ertiication of other
names if the objections are ascertained to
be good and well founded.
The general rules also provide that sol
diers and sailors who have been honorably
discharged because of sickness or wounds,
shall be certified for appointment IN pre-
ference to other persons of higher grade
in examination, and in making any reduc-
ton of the force in any branch of the
classified service, honorably discharged
soldiers and sailors, and also widows and
orphans of deceased soldiers and sailors,
shall be retained in preference to others.