Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1888-02-08
Important Changes in the Tests Of Ap.
plfcants for Public Service.
Severe Penalties for Attempting to
Collect Assessments From Clerks.
Fitness of the Candidate for Position
Alone Absolutely Requisite.
Soldiers and Sailors Shown Excep.
ti0nal Exemption From the Rules.

OF the civil service rules which makes sew
eral very important changes in the system
Of appointments upon tests OF fitness up
piled to applicants for places in the de
partments at Washington and in the class
commission has also revised the civil serv
ice regulations to conform to the new rules
These revisions have been under considera
ton by the commission during o great
part of the year, and both have received
careful consideration by President Cleve
times, and made changes and modifca'
tions. Not one OF the old rules or. regula'
| tions remains in it's original form. A few
| OF the most salient features OF the new
rules may be stated as follows:
First. They are divided into four parts:
| General rules, departmental rules. customs
rules and postal rules.
Second. The general rules are nine in
number and are applicable, except in one
or two particulars, to all parts of the
| service not yet classified under law or
rules. By these rules it is made an offense
punishable by dismissal in any officer oil
| the executive civil service ~ to use his
official authority Or influence for the
purpose of interfering with any election or
controlling the results 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 in
said service, because such person has re-
fused to be coerced in his political action.
or has refused to contribute money for any
political purpose, or to render political
service, and it is especially provided that
any officer, clerk or other employe who
shall violate section IL OF the civil service
act which prohibits the receipt or ~solicita-
button for any political purpose whatever,
or l2) who shall violate section IL.
which provides that any person
who shall solicit or receive
in any ann whatever
contributions OF money or other things OF
value for any political purpose whatever,
or (3) who shall violate section 10,
which provides that no officer or employe
of the United States mentioned in the civil
service act, shall discharge or promote or
in any change the official rank OF
any officer or employe, or promise or
threaten to do so for giving or refusing a
contribution, or ~ who shall violate Sec
ton IA, which provides that no officer,
ClSTA OT OCuST pcIoOu III WIG " Y
of the United States shall directly or in
directly hand over to any person money or
other valuable thing On account of promo
ton or for any political purpose whatever,
shall be dismissed from the service; also
provided no question in any examination
shall be so framed as to elicit the political
or religious opinion or utilization OF Compel
itors for place, and If any appointing or
nominating officer makes inquiry concern.
ing or in any other way attempts to ascer.
tain the politics or religion of any person
who has passed an examination, or who
shall discriminate in favor OF or against
such person, he shall be dismissed.
By the general rules several non.compet-
tive examine tions are provided for, and
compulsory examination for promotion di.
rected. The neutrality-suspicious. pro-.
was amended 165 BY tie President, who added
the following words:
But persons in the classified service who
were h%onorably discharged from the mill
tary or naval service OF the Government,
and widows and orphans of deceased SOL
diers and sailors, shall be exempt from
such examination"
Another important feature of the general
rules gives authority to The appointing or
nominating officer to whom the commits.
~ A4N 0SAN VAAO nNA1Co vi RVASOuo uV'
clared by them to be eligible to a certain
place, to object in writing to all or any
persons thus certified, stating that for
reasons to be particularly specified such
persons. or any OF them are not capable of
performing the duties OF the vacant place,
and the commissioners are directed to
make a certification of other names if the
objections are ascertaiaed to he good and
well founded.
The general rules provide that soldiers
and sailors who have been honorably dis
charged because of sickness or wounds,
be certified for appointment in pref
erence to other persons OF a higher grade in
and in making a reduction of
the force in any branch of the classified
honorably discharged soldiers and
and also the widows and orphans
of deceased soldiers and sailors shall be re-
tanned in preference to others.
Third. The department rules are eleven
in number. These rules authorize the
CT various commissions and
independent bureaus, as well as depart
ments at Washington, and prescribe the
that must be provided to
test the fitness for admission to this
branch OF the service. They provided that
the following officers may be appointed
without examinations: One private secre-
tary or one confidential clerk OF zach class
fled department., and one of zach assist
ant secretary. and also each head of a
bureau appointed by the President;
whose fidelity another officer
is under official bond; dis
bursting officers who give bond; persons
employed exclusively in the secret service
the Government; chief clerks and chiefs
OF divisions. The maximum age OF limita-
ton OF As years is a%brogated and the
limitation is raised from Is to
years. Soldiers and sailors who havea
claim of preference in civil appointments
are let in at IS per cent, but in all other
cases the minimum grade OF eligibility is
raised from 65 to 70 per cent. The num-.
Der OF names to be certified an
appointing officer from which to
select for an appointment has been reduced
from four to three. Transfers are allowed
as follows: From one department to an.
other; from a bureau Of the Treasury De-
partment in which business relating to GUS
toms Is transacted to any classified custom
rouse and wise versa; from the Postofice
department to any classified postofice and
wise versa.
Fourth. The customs rules are eight in
The maximum age of limitation
40 years is abrogated and the maximum
'alsed to II years, except as to clerk and
messenger, which is raised to 20 years.
)nly three names will be confined to the
dominating officer. The following officers
nay be appointed without examinations:
Deputy collectors who do not also act as
Inspectors, examiners or clerks. cashier,
assistant cashier and auditors of collector.
hief acting disbursing officer, deputy
laval officers, deputy surveyors, one
secretary or one confidential clerk
o each nominating officer. Soldiers and
ailors are given the same advantage &C.
orded them in examinations for depart.
mental service. The manner in which
may be made in the custom !
ouse to which the commission has not vet !
pplied promotion regulations is specif-
ally defined and transfers are authorized
8 follows: From one Office to another in
he custom house, from one custom house
o another from the Treasury department
o the custom house and vice versa.
The postal rules are eight in number, In
EDITION to special and non-competitive
the following are prescribed:
or clerk, carrier and messenger. The
Messenger examination is to be used for
esting fitness for the positions of piler.
junior clerk or other places. the
uties oil which are chiefly manual. Only
hree names may be certified to a postmas.
er. The following officers may be an.
without examination: Assistant