Wichita eagle., 1888-07-18
CAPITAL BUDGET.

CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION REPORT
WASHINGTON, July 17.-The fourth re
port of the civil service commission snow:
that between January 16, 1856 and June
so, 1887. 436 examinations were helC
in various parts of the country for the
whole classified services. Thirteen thous
and nine hundred and sixty-fye men and
1887 women were examined, and 9,21(
men and 1,536 women were successfully
passed. The total percentage OF failures
was 81 per cent of the men, 1876 of the
women. OF the successful applicants
1862 men and 40 women received appoint
ments. 1t is a notable fact that since the
enactment of the civil service law, nc
women have been appointed from the fol
| lowing named states and territories
Arizona, Colorado, Idaho. Kansas, Min
nesota. Montana, New Jersey, Oregon,
! Utah. Washington and Wyoming From
each of the following named states and
territories but one woman has been ap-
pointed: Delaware, Maine, Nevada, New
Hampshire, New Mexico and Rhode
Island OF the total number of persons
appointed to the classified depart
mental service since the approval of
the civil service law in 1888, only
fifty-two have been permanently removed.
OF the seveaty-six designations, four were
reinstated.
From January l6, 1884, to June 80, 1887,
16S special pension examiners were ap-
| pointed upon certificates of the commits
sion, ninety of whom were appointed be-
| fore March 4, 1885. The total number of
special pension examiners removed since
March 4 1885, was thirteen, and the num-
Der resigned nine The number of sep
arations" from the classified customs SER
vice from January 1, 1856, to June 80, 1887,
! was sixty nine, Of which number forty-six
were removed, eighteen by resignation and
| five by death The number OF ''separa-
tions" from the classified postal service
during the same period was 343, Of which
number $50 were by removal, 469 by res
! ignation and twenty-three by death. Of the
appointments made during the period COW
cred by this report, twenty We're claimants
of the right of preference in civil appoint
ments accorded to honorably discharged
| soldiers and sailors, and this is about the
| total number OF such claimants, whO dur
! ing the period referred to- passed eXami
nations for the classified departmental SER
| vice Six of the twenty were appointed IN
the interior department. The report dis
| cusses the subject of apportlonment and
makes an argument against the suggest
| ion that appointment should be apportlOn-
ed among congressional districts, recon-
mends the extension Of the classified ser
vice to EN- brace employees OF the railway
mail service, the field employees of the In
dian and labor bureau, the Indian school
service, the graded clerks in the several
departments of the quartermaster generals
office IN the war department and certain
other positions in the civil service.
Schemes Of uniform departmental Gus
toms and postal classiicatiOns are sub
mtted, which have in view the bringing
of all the employees of the several branches
of the civil service under the operation of
the civil service law and rules. Many OF
these suggestions have lately been adopted
hy the president ana put into operation
The report concludes with statement OF
the practical effects of the civil service act
and rules The conditions existing in the
civil service before the approval of the act
and the improvement in the service under
the law AMI rules are reviewed and the OBJ
jections to the law are stated and answer
ed at some length. Among the conclud
ing paragraphs of the report are the fol-
lowing: ~ he act entitled, an act to regu-
late and improve the civil service of the
United States" has been in force now
nearly four years and hall, a part OF
that time under the administration
of one party and part under
that of another. That there has been ac-
complished in the execution OF the law,
all that its sanguine friends expected is
not claimed, but without any degree of
inexactness in statement it may be said
that in the results OF its execution is shown
the wisdom of the principle of divorcing
the subordinate officers of the govern
ment from politics and elections and
making continuance of Office dependent
not upon party service, but upon merit and
good behavior. In this respect the law has
produced results which are not eXtrava-
gantly described as surprising. The de-
morallZing methods of the patronage sys-
TEN Of appointments have been replaced,
within the classified service, by the better
methods of the :law, under which the de-
mands of common justice are complied
with, that, in so far as practicable. all citi
zens duly qualified shall be allowed
equal opportunity, on ground of
personal fitness for securing appointment
and employment IN the subordinate
civil service. The patronage system is
utterly at variance with the genius and
spirit Of our institutions. which will pro-
test against the surrender to any party of
the interests OF the nation, and refuse to
consent that this government shall ever
become what the patronage system devel-
oped into full fruitiou would make it-a
givers for Office seekers
The report was prepared by Commission
er Oberly and is signed by the three mem
bers of the commission, Mr.. Lyman dis
senting from the regulation Of 1857, re
quiring the certification to the head of an
Office of the whole list of eligibles fer pro-
motion.
The select house committee on the i'm
portation of contract and pauper labor
viii first visit New York and Boston and
later in the season viii probably proceed TO
San Francisco to inquire into the Chinese
labor question.
Mr.. y. (. Young, president of the
National Base Ball league, has written q
letter TO the executive committee request
ing authority to appoint another umpire,
making the quota five instead of four.
HIS object is to have the new umpire sta
toned at a central city where he can be
called upon when his services are needed
This action IS taken because of the insDl-
lty of some of the regular staff to officiate
at games and also TO do away with great
deal o. unnecessary contention caused by
the decision of players who are members
OF the coptending clubs.
The president today vetoed four private
pension bills. The first granted pension
10 the widow of john Herbsr, who enlisted
IN lSo2 In August, 1864, he was captured
by the enemy. After his capture he ioined
the coniederateS forces aud was yecaptured
by the union army and be explained that
be deserted to the enemy 70 escape the
hardship OF prison life, aud was released
and mustered out on October Is. 1865 The
disability for which his widow now asks
for pension, the president SAYS, were
quite likely the result of exposure in the !
confederate army and adds: The greatest
possible sympathy and consideration are
due to those who bravely fought. and be- /
ing captured. as braveiy languished in |