Omaha daily bee., 1888-02-04
NEW. CIVIL SERVICE RULES.
The President Approves and Pro-
mulgates Their Revision.
ne MAKES A FEW CHANGES.
Not One Of the Old Regulations
Escapes AItcration-The Chestnut
About Political Contributions
Soldiers Recognized.


the civil service rules, Wnlcn makes several
very important changes in the system of ap-
pointments upon tests of fitness applied to
applicants for places IN the departments at
Washington and in classified custom offices
and postoffices. The commission has also re-
vised the civil service regulations to conform
with 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 and made changes and
notifications. Not one of the old rules or
regulations remains in its original. A few of
the most salient features of the new rules
may be stated as follows:
/. They are divided into four parts-gen-
eral rules, departmental rules, custom rules
and postal rules.
2. The general rules are nine in number
and are applicable, except in one or two par
ticulars, to all parts of the classified service
and to some parts of the service not yet clas-
sified and to some parts OF the service not yet
classified under the law or rules.
BY these rules it Is made an offense pun
ishabe by dismissal in any Office OF the exec
utive civil service 1) TO use his official au-
thority or influence for the purpose of inter
fering with an election or controlling the re-
suits 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 i'm said service because such person has
refused to be coerced in his political action,
or has refused to contribute money for any
political purpose or to render political ser
vice And it is especially provided that any
officer, clerk or other employe who W
shall violate section IL of the civil
service act which prohibits the receipt or So
licltation Of an assessment, subscription or
contribution for any political purpose what
ever, or (2) who shall violate section IL,
which provides that any pers who shall so
licit or receive in any manner whatever
contribution of money or other things. OF
value for any political purpose whatever, or
(3) who shall violate section 13, which pro-
vides that no officer or cmploye 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 en-
ploye, or threaten to do so, for giving or re-
fusing a contribution, or az who shall vio-
late section IA, which provides that no officer,
clerk or other person in the service shall di-
rectly or indirectly hand over to any person
- money or other valuable thing on account of
promotion for any political purpose whatever
shall be dismissed from the service.
Also provided that no question in any
examination be so framed as to elicit a polit-
iCal or religious opinion or affiliation of COM
petitors for place, and if any appointing
or nominating officer make inquiry concern
ing 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 shall be
dismissed.
BY the general rules several non-competi-
tive examinations are provided for and COM
pulsory examinations for promotion directed.
The compulsory examination provision, as
suggested by the commission, was amended
by the president, who added the following
words ''But persons in classified service
who were honorably discharged from the
military or naval service of the government
and widows and orphans of deceased soldiers
and sailors shall be exempt from such exam
nation"
Another important feature of the general
rules gives authority to the appointing or
nominating officer, to whom the commission
ers may send the names OF persons declared
all or any of the persons thus
certified, stating that for reasons to be par
ticuarly specified such persons, or any of
duties Of the vacant place, and the commits
si0nerS are directed to make certitication of
other names if the objections are ascertained
to be good and well founded.
The general rules also provide that soldiers
and sailors who have been honOrably DIS
charged because of sickness or wounds shall
be certified for appointment in preference to
other persons of higher grade in examination,
and in making any reduction of force in any
branch of the classified service honorably dis
and orphans of deceased soldiers and sailors
shall be retained in preference to others.
The departmental rules are eleven in num-
her. These rules authorize the classification
of various commissions and independent bu-
reaus as well as departments at Washington
and prescribe the examination that must be
provided to test candidates for admission to
this branch Of the servich. They provide that
the following officers may be appointed without
examinations: One private secretary or one
COntitputlut clerk classified
department and of each assistant secretary
thereof and also each head of bureau ap-
pointed by the president; direct custOdians
of money for whose fidelity another officer is
under official bonds; dsbursing officers who
= give bonds persons employed exclusively il
tho secret service of the government; chief
clerks and chiefs of divisions. The maxi
mum age limitation of forty-fivc years is alb
rogated and the minimum limitation is raised
from eighteen to twenty years Soldiers ant
sailors who have claim of preference in
civil appointments are let in ut % per cent
but in all other cases the minimum grade OF
eligibility has been raised from IS to 40 pei
cent. The number of names to be certified
TO an appointing officer from which to select
for an appointment has been reduced from
to 3. Transfers are allowed as follows
From one department to another; from bu
rcau of the treasury department in which
business relating to customs is transacted u
any classified custom house, and vice versa
from the postoffice department to any classi
fled Office, and vice versa.
L. The customs rules are eight in number
The following examinations for the custom
service are prescribed in addition to othe
competitive and non-compstitive examina
tions For clerk, day inspector, inspectress
night Inspector, messenger, assistan
weigher, opener and packer, gauger, exam
iner and sampler. The minimum age limi
,tation Of forty five years is abrogated an,
the minimum raised to twenty-one years. ex
cept as to clerk and messenger, which i
raised to twenty. Only three names may b
certified to the nominating officer tn
following officers may be appointed withou
examination Deputy collectors, who do no
also act as inspectors, examiners or clerks
cashier, assistant cashier and auditor or col
lector; chief assistant disbursing officer
deputy naval officers; deputy surveyors; on
private secretary or one confidential cler
for each nominating officer. Soldiers an
sailors are given the same advantages aC
corded in examinations for departmental sci
vice. The manner in which promotion ma
be made in the custom house to which tn
commissioners have not applied the promotio
regulations is specifically defined and tran.
fers are authorized as follows From on
Office to another in a custom house; from on
custom house TO another; from the treasur
department to the custom house and vic
versa.
8. The postal rules are eight in number.
addition 10 special and non-competitve exam
nations, the following are prescribed: +,