The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-12-01
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
CLERKS NOT YET EXEMPT FROM
SOLICITATION.

OOb1SIIAIlON.
The Commission Recommends that the
Law be Amended to Prohibit Re-
quests for Contributions by Any
body at Any Place-A Good Glass of
Employees Secured Under the Merit
System.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 3O.-The annual re-
port of the civil service commission, made
public to-day, says:
The portions Of the civil service law interJict
ing political assessments. while they have not
succeeded in entirely stopping the evil have
undoubtedly much abated it. However there
is one point particularly where the law is sys
tematically eyaded. The commis sgon, in the
course OF its investigations has found that
both in 1888 and 1890 there were certain
campaign committees of the dom nant
party. for the time being, which procured
full lists Of various employees in the govern
ment service and of their home residence, and
then sent letters soliciting campaign subscrip-
tons to them at their nomes. These letters
were signeI by men not in the government
service. acting for the different campaign com
mittees. In some instances these agents even
visited clerks IN person at their homes. There
allowed to solicit a clerk at his home
and be forbidden to do SO in the
government building and the commission is of
the opinion that the law should be amended so
as to forbid the solicitation of government en-
ployes by outsiders in any way. at any time or
IN any place. IL the government employees
wish to contribute to their parties, let them do
so voluntarily; but they should not be permitted
TO be harassed by outside parties, who desire to
spur them up to make contributions.
WHY THEY SHOULD DE PROTECTED
contribution from private person is al
most always, in fact, voluntary, and there is
no reason why campaign committee should
be forbidden from soliciting it; but an en-
ploye of the government is always more or less
at the mercy of an individual standing high in
influence with the dominant party
10 protect him from improner
exercise of this influence. Weak clerks, when
solicited by outsiders who are not in the gov
ernment service, but who stand high in the
ranks of the party to which the administration
for the time being belongs, often fee that they
1eopardze their places if they do not placate
people soliciting them. As matter of fact
the commission believes that there is now but
little reason for this fear but 1t also believes
tnat the fear exists in a great num-
Der OF cases, and that many clerks
are practically compelled to contribute
when they do not wish to by the solicitations Of
campaign managers. who are not in the govern
ment employ, and whom, therefore, the law
cannot at present touch. The commission, in
view of these facts feels convinced that ali con.
sderations of public policy warrant an exten-
sion OF the foTbidding political assessments so
as TO prevent government employe being
solicited by any one at any time for campaign
purposes.
PUBLICATION OF ELIGIBLE LISTS.
The comm ssion's decision to make public
the eligible lists has worked admirably, and
has given the greatest satisfaction. After
IA examination the names Of the persons
examined are not disclosed until the mark
ings are completed, the boards and indiyid.
uals doing the marking being completely
Ignorant OF whose papers they are exanin-
ing. This is done to prevent all possibility
or favoritism, but once the markings are
completed, the papers are open TO inspec-
ton by any proper person, and the whole
proceedings in the case of every indi-
vidual candidate can be followed out
from the beginning to the end. 1t is thus
almost impossible for any fraud to be- conf
mitted without imminent and immediate
rlsk of detection. There are occasionally
cases OF cheating or attempt at cheating
among candidates themselves at the ex-
animation time, but, as far as is known, dur
lag the year covered by this report. there
mas not been single accusation of fraud
against any governmental employe con-
nected 9ith the civil servica examinations
which has proved to have the slightest
foundation in fact.
GOOD CLASS OF employees.
The report concludes as follows
The commission is now doing more vyorl, than
ever before, and 1t is with great satisfaction,
warranted by complete knowledge of the facts,
aV .HaV II asserts that this work Is being done with
tne utmost efficiency and justice, aud that a
I most admirable class of public servants are
ueIus INT oduced into the government employ
Nurough the examinations, Their integrity
ttapAciJy and adaptablity have given
we greatest satisfaction. The clerks
NJ We office of the commission
ndye WIN two exceptions come in under the
oOh i service rules, the exceptions being of two
sar..a earrEs VINO were appointed before the civil
ssl'lce rules came into existence; and the men
oCtreu ttiu III tins way have given the utmost sat
S.@ctioh The merit system is long past it's
1lerimental stage. II has been subjected to
| 1seEere strain in its practical workings, and it
-a' oeen found to work admirably