Morning journal and courier., 1889-12-03
WASHINGTON NOTES.

Report of the United States Civil Ser.
 vice Commission.
 WASHINGTON, Dec. 2.-The report of the United States civil service commission says: The classified civil service, which alone comes under the jurisdiction of the civil ser- vice law, now includes about 28,000 governs mental employees, embraced in four divis- ions, viz.: Tho departmental, the postal ser- vice, the customs service and the railway mail service. It is estimated that the aggre- gate of the salaries of these 2o,OO0 employees about equals the aggregate of the salaries of all the other minor employees of the govern ment. Therefore, of those in the service of the government nearly fourth in point of numbers and about half in point of import ance are now withdrawn from the influences of the patronage system, and are appointed, not because they are adherents of this or that political loader, but because they are deemed likely to be honest and capable servants of the people at large. :.
 The commission emphasize the need of more funds to carry on the work. The clerks are overwoyked, the marking of examination papers falls behind and unfortunate appli- cants are kept for months in ignorance of the result of their examinations. During the last year ,000 applicants were examined against il 600 the proceeding year, nearly doubling the labor while the working force has remained the same. For tho efficient discharge of its present duties the eommis 0on sion ask for an appropriation of $5S. .O00 or $10,000 more than was appropriated this year.
 A most important change in the policy ot the commission was instituted by the adop- tion on June 29, 1889, of the regulation re- quiring that the lists of eligibles-that is to say, of those applicants successfully passing grade of each eligible attached. The adop- tion of this regulation has already had most beneficial effect.
 During the last summer number or ln- vestigations were conducted by the commits sion into various local offices, against which there had been charges of wron9-dolng. Whenever 1t was found that there had been cial, the dismissal of the delinquent was rec commended, or, if the case was of sufficient gravity, his prosecution by the department of justice was advised.
 The merit system of making appointments to minor governmental positions as contrast ed with the patronage system, whereby these appointments were made as the rewards of personal or political service, is no longer in the merely experimental stage. It hss been given full trial, and wherever this trial has been fair the system has worked admirably. It is net contended that the system is ideally perfect. The object of the law is to give to the average American citizen what it takes away from the professional politician. *x*
 Fourth class postmasters were day ap- pointed es follows: Lawrence Gibney, Black stone, Mass; Edward P. Bartlett. Sterling, Mass: Arthur G. Lester, Center 9roton, Ct. Dwight Corey, Westminster, Ct.; William R. Spauding, East Wallingford, Vt.; Frank B. Kingsley, North Clarendon, Vt.; Weston Marsh, Sheldon, Vt.
 *x*
 The public debt was decreased $4,S69, ,672 during the month of November past