Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-02

TO WHICH THE OPERATIONS OF THE Law HAVE
NOT EXTENDED.
Officials connected with the civil-service COM
mission do not seem to anticipate that the
coming change in the administration will check
in any way the advance of civil-service reform.
President Harrison is regarded as friendly to
the law. Speaking Of the possible effect Of
the incoming Of an administration not entirely
friendly to the law, civil-service commissioner
said to STAR reporter that he did not think
that any administration could undo the work
already done, although it might retard the
progress of the reform. The commissioner
thought the clause of the law giving to the
President the power of revising the classifica-
ton had in view only revision for the pur-
pose OF inclusion and not exclusion.
WHEN THE Law WENT INTO EFFECT.
In January, 1888, when the civil-service law
went into effect, there were 20 post-offices hay
ing force of fifty or more employees, and
which consequently came within the operation
of the law. These post-ofices numbered $500
employees. In the classified customs service,
then embracing IL ports and 25 customs offices,
there were 2573 employees. Atthe outset there
were in the classified service about 5,672 per-
sons. which did not include the places of lower
grade or places with salaries of over 81 800 a
year. The total number of employees who came
ID, 924. Under various rulings and interpreta-
tions Of the law the number in the classified
departmental service was increased soon after
ward to about 5000. Before President Cleve-
we're added to the classified service
During the present administration 10
Offices have been added to the list,
making total of 40 offices having
fifty or more employees, and consequently COM
ing within the operation of the law. There are
in, he Cal Il
service. The extension of the law to embrace
places in the departmental service in this city
not before included has increased the number
in the classified departmental service to 5000
In the classified customs service there are
about 2,225 employees, the number having been
diminished on account of the reduction made
all through the customs service. The total
number OF clerks and other employees at the
present time protected by the law is about
22,225. To this should be added the $500
clerks OF the railway mail service, who as soon
as the rules and regulations to govern appoint
ments In that service are completed. will be
included In the classified service of the gov
eminent. So the whole number of employees
now sheltered by the law has been Just about
doubled since it went into effect by the gradual
extension OF the operations of the law.
STILL OUTSIDE OF THE LAW.
There are altogether about 10000 persons
in the civil service of the government, and SO
the civil-service reformer has considerable to
look forward to yet. This number embraces
about 55,OOO postmasters, more than 1000 in
the internal revenue bureau, a large number
In the diplomatic and consular service and in
the Indian service. the officers and clerks of
Congress, and of United States courts en-
ployes OF minis, employees of the District gov
eminent, lighthouse employees, and forces
engaged in the marine hospital service. under
the Mississippi river commission, at navy
yards, the land Offices, and at the government
printing office. A civil service official to whom
a STAR reporter talked thought the opera
ton of the law would sometime be
extended to cover post-offices and customs
offices having less than fifty employees.
Already the proposition has been made to
bring the various branches of the Indian serv-
ice under the law. He thought that the parts
OF the public service to which the law might
be extended with advantage were the District
government Offices, the consular service, the
internal revenue offices and minis, post-offices
ployes, and cadetships at the military and
naval academies.
THE DISTRICT GOVERNMENT.
Speaking of the District government serv-
ices this official said that in New York and
other cities the experiment of applying civil
service rules to municipal government had
been successful. The rules that had been put
to practical test elsewhere could be used at
once In this city. He did not think that the
rule OF apportionment among the states should
be followed in making appointments in the
District offices. He thought if the examina-
ton was open to all and there were no restric-
tons against the District the result would be
that citizens of the District would get as large,
if not larger, share of the appointments than
they enjoy at present.