The Red Cloud chief., 1888-07-27
m c~IvIL.SERvlCE.

THE civIl-sERv'cE.
pS,s3aene sends . Message to Congress
Calling Atteutisa e the Report OF 0e
C~ivil-Service Comsnissaon.
WASHINGTON, July 23.-The Presidents
sent to Congress to-day the following mes
sage:
70 the Co,gress cr EAs United States:
Pursuant to the second section OF cnapsex
tventy-seyen of the laws of 1873, entitled: A
act to regulate and improve the Civff-SerSlco
Of the United States" herewith Transmit tao
fourth report Of the United States Civfl-Sersleo
Commission. cOvSfing the period between inc
10th day Of January, 1886. and the LIST day OF
July, 1885,.
While this report has especial reference to
the operations Of the Commission during tho
period above mentioned. IL contains with us
accommodating appendices, much valuable insor-
nation concerning the inception OF Civil Ser
vice reform and its growth and progress which
. IN not but be interesting and instructive 70 an
who desire improvement In Administrative
methods.
During the time covered by the report
l5.RSs persons were examined for admission IN
the classified Civil. Service Of the Government
in all Its branches, Of whom N.s49 passed the
examination and 5,lG6 failed. OF those who
pass-d the examination a.9.s were applicants
for admission to the departmental service at
Washington. 2.Es were for admission to the
customs service Ind 81: for admission 20 the
postal service. During the same period "a APP
pointments were made from the eligible lists
IT, the departmental service. OIL To the customs
service and 3 sI to the postal service,
Concerning separations from the classified
service the report only informs US 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 q full
complement OF employees, who obtained
their positions independently OF the
new Law. The Commissioner has no
record of the separations in this numer-
Gus class and the discrepancy apparent IN the
report between the number of appointments
made in the respective branches o: 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
report was made to the Commission. occurring
among those who held their places without ex-
animation and certiGca,ion, which vacancies
were filed by appointment from the eligible
lists.
In the departmental service there occurred
between the 18th day Of January, 1856, and the
3Dth day of June, 1887. among the employees ap-
pointed from the eligible list under Twill 5
rules, seventeen removals. thirty-six resigna-
tons and five deaths. This does not include
fourteen separations in the grade Of special
pension examiners, four by removal. five by
resignation and five by death.
In the classified customs and postal service,
the number of separations among those who
received absolute appointments under the
Civil Service rules are given for the period be-
tween the first day Of January. IsS6, and the
9th day OF June. 1885,. 1t appears that such
separations in the customs service for the time
mentioned embraced twenty-one removals.. five
deaths and eighteen designations. and in the
postal service 2s6 removals, twenty-threc
deaths and 453 designations.
More than a year has passed since the eX-
piration Of the period covered BY the report OF
the Commission. Within the time which has
thus elapsed many important changes have
taken place in furtberance OF a reform in our
Civil-Serviee. The rules and regulations gov
erning violations OF the law upon the subject
have been completely remodeled in such a MAN.
ner' as to render the enforcement OF the
statute more effective and greatly increase
its usefulness Among other things. the scope
of examination Of those who seek TO en-
ter the classified service has been better de-
fined and made more provincial the num-
her Of names to be certified from the
eligible lists to the appointing officers from
which i selection is made, has been reduced
" iOuN " tuICC. IL u
the age Of persons seeking entrance to the
classified service TO forty-ive years has been
changed, and reasonable provisions have been
made for the transfer Of employees from one de.
partment to another in proper cases A plan
has also been devised providing for the examin-
alton Of applicants for promotion in the ser
vice WHICH, when in full operation. viii climb
all chances Of favoritism In the adv nee
ment OF employees by making promotion n re-
ward of merit and faithful discharge OF duty.
Until within Il few weeks there W S no uni
form classification Of employees in the different
departments Of the Government. As
q result OF this condition in some of the depart
ment, the positions could be obtained without
civil examination, because they we're not with
in the classification Of such department, 1hilo
in other departments an examination and GER
were necessary TO obtain positions of
the same grade, because such positions were en-
braced in the classibcations applicable to those
The exception Of laborerS, watch
men and messengers from examination and
classification gave opportunity in the absence
of any rule guarding against II, for the employ.
ment, free from CivilService restrictions, Of
under those designations. who were inn
detailed TO do clerical work. AL this
has been obviated by the application To AN tie
departments Of an extended and uniform class
embracing grades OF employees not
included and by the adoption of . |
rule prohibiting the detail of l~abOrerA, watch
men or messengers to do clerical duty.
The path of Civil Service reform has not at
all times been pleasant or easy. the purpose Of
the reform having been much misappEehended,
aud this has not only given rise to y strong OPP
but has led to its invocation by i,S
friends to compass objects not in the lsas; re:
lated to 1t. Thus, purtisans OF the patronage
system have naturally condemned il those
don't understand its meaning. either
it, or when disappointed because
in its present state il does not apply to
every real or imaginary ill. accuse those
with its enforcement with faithless- |
ness to Civil Service reform. Its Importance
has frequently been fundercstimated ana the
OF good men has thus been lost by their
lack OF interest in its succesS. 80 "a
Besides all these difficulties those response ,
for the administration OF the Goyernmen. in
its executive branches have been. and still are. !
often annoyed AMI irritated by the dlsloy atty TO |
the service and insOlence o: employees who re- |
main in place as the benefcIaries and the relics
or reminders OF the vicious system of appoint |
which CiviiService reform was intended
to replace.
And yet. these are but the incidents of an adj !
vance which is radical and far !
reaching. The people are. Notwithstanding. to |
be congratulated upon the progress wAIch has