Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-04-26
CIVIL SERVICE.
To the Executive Committee of National
Civil Service Reform League.
Report Of the Special Committee Making the
observation-disclosures and Patron
age-Some New Facts.

GENTLEMEN: Your special committee
appointed to inquire into the condition
of the Federal civil. service and the
operation of the reform law would re-
speotfully report:
That on the 18th of February, $780,
your committee had its first meeting in
Philadelphia and outlined its general
plan of work.
Among other things it was determined
20 make inquiries at as early a period
as possible in regard to the
system of congressional patronage,
and to ascertain to what extent
appointments to congress were still con-
trolled by members of congress, and to
what degree this patronage interfered
with their proper legislative duties. In
regard to this branch of their Investiga-
ton, your committee Is now prepared to
make its report.
The chairman Of your committee, on
its behalf, addressed TO each of the Re-
publican members of the house of repre-
entatives the following questions:
How many Offices are there in your district or
elsewhere where the appointments depend upon
you?
How many applications for office have you re-
ceived during the past year?
What is the average amount of correspon-
dence which each of these applications requires
your part?
What amount of time, either your own or of
your secretary clerk, is required, as nearly as
you can judge, for conducting this correspon-
dence and for attending appointments
Have any elections been held in your district
TO determine who the appointees should be; and
IL so, in how many instances, where, and for
what positions?
To these questions q number of re-
ment that the writers had not the data at
hand to answer these inquiries, but some
twenty-four answers were received, Civ
ing more or less completely the informa-
tion asked for. A summary of these an
swers is as follows: To the
question, ''How many offices are
there in your district or elsewhere
where the appointments depend upon
You?" the following answers have been
received:
1. About one hundred and twenty postofices
in the district 1 represent.
2. One hundred and seventy nine postof6ces
and eight census enuperatcrs. with an endless
number of applicants. G
3. About one hundred and forty.
4. About two hundred.
3. hundred and twenty.
s. hundred and forty-six postoffces in the
district, and under the rule am expected to
recommend postmaster for each.
Z. The Federal Offices are deemed of so much
Importance that the senator and all the party
representatives from the state insist upon max
ing recommendations for appointments, and no
appointment, therefore, depends upon me alone.
s. two hundred postoffices and probably three
or four others.
g. No answer.
10. There are ESQ Offices in my district where
the appointments depend upon myself.
IL. Nearly fifty.
u. About l20.
Is. Probably 300 or $50.
4. About $50, in which the two senators often
mite.
Is. No answer.
l6. About eight hundred.
l.. Six hundred.
Is. None but the postofices; but very gen.
eral Impression prevails that can control 9TH
ers, which calls for many letters of reply.
10. About two hundred and fifty.
20 Cannot say.
II. Not given.
". Perhaps one hundred and twenty-five.
%. Ten or fifteen fouTth-class postmasters.
a. Perhaps two hundred
An average of the above (omitting
numbers z, 8, 10, Is, 20 and 81, in which
numerical estimates are not given) would
giveAbout. 250 appointments depending
upon each of these congressman.
To the question:: "How many appli-