Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-02-10
CIVIL SERVICE RULES.
The Revision of the Civil Service
Rules Has Been Approved by
the President.
Officers and Clerks Must Stop Dabbling
in Political affairs.
THE CIVIL SERVICE.

bltNtlitUu wives tIAf IStlleS Il GENERAL
| Overhauling and Greatly Improves Them.
| WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.-The president
| has approved and promulgated revision
of the civil service rules, which makes
several very important changes il the
| system of appointments upou the tests
of fitness applied to applicants for places
in departments at Washington, and in
classified customs Offices and postoffices
The commission has alsJ revised the civil
service regulations TO conform to the new
rules. THESE revisions have been under
consideration by the commission during
the greater part of the year, and both
have received careful consideration By
President Cleveland. He read them at
length several times ana made changes
and notifications. Not one OF the old
rules OF regulations remains in its Origi
nal form.
4 few of the most salient features of
the new rules may be stated as follows:
First-They are divided into four parts,
general rules, department rules, customs
rules and postal rules.
Second-General rules are nine in
number, and arc applicable, except in
one or two particulars, to all parts of
classified service and TO some parts of the
service not yet C assified under the law or
rules. By these rules il is made an Of
fense punishable by dismissal of any
officer of the executive civil service,
(1) 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 influences of any kind
TO procure the dismissal of aEy person
from any place III said service because
such person has refused to contribute
money for any political purpose or to
render political service, and it is espec-
tally provided that any officer, clerk OF
other empIoye who 1) shall violate sec
tion II of the civil service act which pro-
hIbits the receipt or solicitation, assess
ment, subscri ption or contribution for
any political purpose whatever; or (2)
who shall violate section II, which pro-
vides that any person who shall solicit or
rt ceive in any manner whatever contri-
button Of money or other thing of value
for any political purpose whatever; or (3)
who shall violate section l3, which pro
vides that no officer or employe of the
United States mentioned in the civil ser
vice act shall discharge or promote
or in any way change the official
rank of any officer or employe.
or promise or threaten to do
SO, for giving or refusing contributions;
or az who shall violate section II which
provides that no officer, clerk, or other
person in the service of the United States
shall directly or indirectly hand over to
any person money or other valuable thing
on account of the promotion of any po-
litical purpose whatever, shall be dis
T.
that no question in any examination be
so framed as to elicit political or religious
opinion or affiliation of com petitors for
place; and If any appointing or uomina-
ting officer make inquiry concerning, or
in any other way attempt to ascertain
the politics or religion of any person
who has passed examination or who shall
discriminate in favor of or against such
person he shall be dismissed. By the
general rules several non com petive ex-
aminations are provided for, and com
pulsory examinations for promotion di
recGed. The compulsory examination
provision as suggested by the commission
was amended by the president, who add
ed the following words: But persons in
the classified service who were honOrably
discharged from the military service of
the government and widows and orphans
of deceased soldiers aid sailors shall be
exempt from such examinations"
Another important feature of the
general rules gives authority to the
appointing or nominating officer to
whom the commissioners may send the
names of persons declared by them to be
eligible to certain place, to
object in writing to all
or any one of such persons thus
certified. stating that for reasons to be
particularly specified such persons, or
any of them, are not capable of perform
ing the duties of the vacant place, and
the commissioners are directed to make
certifcation of others names if the bjec-
tions are ascertained to be good and well
founded. The general rules also provide
that soldiers and sailors who have been
honOrably discharged because Of sickness
or wounds, shall be certified for appoint
ment in preference to other persons of
higher grade in examination, and in
making any reduction in the force in any
branch or classified service, honorably
discharged soldiers and sailors, and also
the widows and orphans of deceased SOL
diers and sailors, shall be retained in
preference to others.