The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1888-02-04
THE RULES CAREFULLY REVISED.
APPROVED AND PROMULGATED
BY THE PRESIDENT.
Several Important Changes in the system
OF Appointments Upon Tests of
Fitness for Places.

W ASHiNGfON, February 3.-"he PreSi-
dent has approved and promulgated the
revision of the civil service rules. which
makes several important changes in the
system of appointments upon tests of fit
ness applied to applicants for places in
the departments at Washington, and in
the classified custom offices and post
offices. The commission has also re-
vised the civil service regulations to
conform to the new rules. These reyi-
sions have been under consideration bv
the commission during the greater 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 modi-
fications, both of matter and phraseology.
Not one of the old rules of the regula-
tions remains in it's 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, gen
eral rules, department rules, customs
rules, and postal rules. The general
rules are nine in number, and are appli-
cable, except in one or two particulars,
to all parts of the classified service, and
to some parts of the service not yet class
itied under the law or rules By these
rules it is made an offense, punishable
by dismissal, in any officer of the execu-
tive civil service to use his official
authority or influence for the pur-
pose OF interfering with an cleo
ton or controlling the result
thereof, or 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 refused to be
coerced IN his political action, or has re-
fused to contribute money for any politi-
cal purpose or to render political service:
and it is especially provided that any
officer, clerk, or other employee who
shall violate section II, of the Civil Ser
vice act, which prohibits any such
officer, clerk or other employe from re-
ceiving, or being in any manner con-
cerned in soliciting or receiving, any as
sessment, subscription or contribution
for any political purpose whatever from
any officer, clerk, or other employee of
any department, branch or bureau of the
public service, or from any person re-
ceiving any salary or compensation from
moneys derived from the Treasury of
the United States: or who shall violate
section 10, which provides that any per-
son who shall, in any room or building
occupied by any officer or em-
ployee of the Government, or in any
navy yard, fort or arsenal, solicit
in any manner whatever, or receive any
contribution of money or other thing of
value for any political purpose what
ever, or who shall violate section 13,
which provides that no officer or en-
ployee of the United States, mentioned
in the Civil Service act shall discharge
or promote, or in any manner change the
Official rank of any officer or employee,
or promise or threaten to do so, for Civ
ing or refusing or Withholding or neg
lecting to make any contribution of
money or other valuable thing for any
political purpose, or who shall violate
section IA, which provides that no Off
GER, clerk OF other person in the service
of the United States, shall, directly or in
directly, hand over to any other officer,
clerk or person in said service, or to any
Senator or member of the House of Rep
resentatives, or Territorial delegate, any
money or other valuable thing, on ac-
count of or to be applied to the promo
| ton of any political purpose whatever,
shall be dismissed from the service.
If is also provided that no question in
any examination shall be so framed as
to elicit political or religious opinion ol
affiliation of competitors for place, and
that if any appointing or nominal
ing officer shall make inquiry concern
| ing, or in any other way attempt to as
tertain, the politics or religion of any
person who has passed an examination
or who shall discriminate in favor of o
against such person, shall be dismisse,
as an officer.
BY the general rules several non-cOm
petitive examinations are provided for
and compulsory examinations for pro
motion are directed.
The compulsory examination provision
as suggested by the commission, wa
amended by the President, who adde
the following words: but persons il
the classified service who were honol
ably discharged from the military or ma
val service of the United States, an
widows and orphans of deceased soldier
and sailors, shall be exempt from sue
examination.
Another important feature of tine ger
eral rules gives authority to an appoin
ing or nominating officer, to whom con
missioners may send the names {
persons declared by them to be eligib
to certain places, to object in writing |
all or any one of the persons thus cert
: fed that such persons, or any of then
are not capable of performing the duti
of the vacant place, and the commissiol
ers are directed to make certifications
other names if the objections are acce
tanned to be good and well founded.
The general rules also provide tn
: soldiers and sailors who have been no
: orably discharged because of sickness
I wounds shall be certified for appoir
ment in preference to other persons of
higher grade in examination, and th
in making any reduction of force in a
V branch of the classified service honoraf
v discharged soldiers and sailors, and a
= = widows and orphans of deceased soldi,
IA and sailors, shall be retained in pref
4. ence to others.