The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1889-06-20
CIVIL SERVICE METHODS.
A Tennesseean's Sensible Advice and
Comments on the Law.

EDITOR Posi-; For the information
Of those applying for positions in the
departments at Washington, from
Tennessee, under the civil service law,
the following observations are submit
ted touching the methods pursued and
encountered in securing an
Office: And first, it is we'll to bear In
mind that Congressman are powerless
to aid the candidate in any manner
other than to certify to his good char
acter and place OF residence. Indeed,
the tenth section of the act expressly
forbids the reception or consideration
OF any recommendation by any Sena-
tor or member OF Congress tending to
influence the appointment of an ap-
plicant, the design being to entirely
denude Senators and Representatives
of the power of appointment in all
cases coming within the purview OF
the act, and that the service shall be
supplied alone from those who, after q
competitive examination, are awarded
the highest grade, evincing fitness and
capacity, as result of such examina-
tion. This examination is conducted
in the manner following:
On day appointed by the Civil
Service Commissioners all applicants
are required to appear before them at
place designated in advance-Wash-
ington city, and two or more cities in
all the States, are resorted to for these
examinations. All the applicants are
then furnished with series of written
questions upon different subjects, en-
bracing orthography, penmanship,
arithmetic, geography, English gram
mar, the elements of bookkeeping,
and United States history. Great care
is exercised to prevent any knowledge
of the interrogatories propounded un-
til after the candidate has entered the
examination room. To each question
he is required to give written an
swer, and the accuracy Of these an
swers determines his fitness and quail
fications for the office he seeks.
Usually seven hours are accorded for
preparing these answers, but it must
be done while in the chamber where
the examination is being conducted
without any extraneous aid or consul
tation of text books. The applicant
is thrown solely on his own mental re-
sources and upon his general knowl-
edge of the topics suggested by the
questions. In grading 100 is the stand
ard, and unless the applicants stand.
ing reaches the average of seventy per
centum Except as to soldiers who
were discharged for disability in line
of duty, sixtyi per cent? his name
is not placed upon the register of those
eligible for Office. In other words, he
does not pass. And should he
just pass at the grade of seven
ty his chance OF appointment is
reduced to minimum-perhaps
not one in twenty. As the Sc
lections are made from those awarded
the highest grade, and out OF the null
titude who submit to this examina-
tion, the proficient, though but per-
haps a small proportion of the whole,
are always sufficient in number to fill
all vacancies as they occuE Mr.. Web
ster, chief examiner, is authority for
the declaration that not one-ffth who
undergo this examination, and are
certified as eligible, get an appoint
ment, A party, therefore, who con
templates seeking an office under the
civil service law should weigh and
ponder the matter we'll before incur
ring the trouble and expense Of the
venture, especially in coming to Wash
ington for examination. 1t must bt
remembered that it is only as vacan
cies occur, by death, resignation, &c.
that these places are supplied--thC
tendency being to diminish rathe
than augment the civil list, except il
emergencies. 1t should also be born,
in mind that out Of 1900 such vacan
cies Tennessee, according to its appor
tionment, is only entitled to forty-si,
-thirty-one males and fifteen fsmales
Thus a conception may be formed b,
our Tennessee friends Of the remote
ness of their chances, should the
have the temerity to undergo the OF
, deal.
1t is but just to say that so far a
: my research has extended, the mark
D ing and grading Of the applicants ar
. free from suspicion of unfairness Q
D partiality.
D The act applies to all employed i
D the governmental service at Washing
0 ton, from watehmen up to chief clerk
and heads CT divisions, to clerks in th
custom houses and postoffices in ou
large cities, to pension examiners i
I the field, postoffiee inspectors an
, railway mail clerks. Roserving fC
Y another article some observance
y touching the wisdom and policy (