Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-11


NESr AMONG srArEs-A LkrrKR FROM TIE
President cALLEp FOR.
The investigation Of the civil service reform
methods was resumed by the House committee
this morning. Mr.. Lyman was on the stand
He Was asked by Mr.. Hopkins, acting chair
man, what had led to the post Office inspectors
being put in the classified service
Witness said that would have TO be asked Of
the Postmaster General. The change had been
made by Postmaster General Dickinson with
out any suggestion from the commission Mr..
Lyman described the character of the exam
ination for post Office inspectors. Among other
things in which their sptness was tested was in
the description Of persons. Persons were
brought into the room with the
candidates being examined. and after
the persons had gone ont candidates we're
required to write dispatches describing the per-
sons, SO that they might be identified. They
were tested also in writing reports and letters
and arithmetic. When this branch of the serv-
Ice was put under the civil service law q care
ful study WIS made of the necessities Of the
service and the organizations of the experts 81
the department were made the basis of the ex-
aminat,ons by the commission.
The examinations in this service were actually
Tor promotions and were not competitive.
THE DUTIES OF THE COMMISSIONERS
Mr.. Lyman was asked what the daily duties
OF the commissioners we're. The three COM
missioners smiled at this. They are mutifarl-
GUS, Mr. Roosevelt said "And" said Mr.
Lyman, "as St. Paul says. besides all this,
the daily care of all the churches" Witness
then went into detail, showing that the COM
mlssloners had great deal of work 20 do. lie
said that the work of the commission was not
classited-one class OF work going to one COM
MISSIONER and one class to another. This,
he thought. could not well be done. 1t would
give one man much more work TO do perhaps.
than the rest had. and besides II was desirable
to have the whole commission act upon certain
questions Certain work Was referred TO one
commissioner by his colleagues. Mr.. Roose-
Welt, besides examining reports coming from
engaged IN going over and revising the civil
service rules.
ONE COMMISSIONER OR THREE2
In answer to question by Mr.. Hopkins Mr..
Lyman said that he thought it would be better
| to have one commissioner with the entire re-
sponsibiity than to have . commission Of three
or any other number.
He WAS asked il, under any of the former
commissions, the business had ever been re-
tarded by having three commissioners.
He said there had been times in the past
when want OF agreement or the absence of
members had retarded the business.
In 1888 between 5000 and 1000 of the Is, 600
employees now in the classified service were in
the departments at Washington. During Mr.
Clevelands administration the civil service was
SO extended as to include about 800 employees
| at Washington not before within the operation
OF the law. There were now S.2l2 employees
under the classified service in the DEPARTMENTS
at Washington. He thought about 60 per cent
OF the employees in this service were there be-
fore the law went into effect.
THE APPoRrIoSMEST OF CLERKS.
In the apportionment of appointments under
the civil service law no account was taken OF
the apportionment in the departments already
when the law went into effect Mr. Lyman did
| not think it would be wise to attempt to make
appointments with the view OF evening up the
old apportionment.
An attempt to make. say, New York wait I'M
IT, Illinois caught up before giving New York
any more appointments would, he feared, lead
to pressure being brought to secure the equal
iZatlon by dlsmissals
Mr.. Lyman said, in answer to question, that
there was no limi; to the power 10 dismiss and
the only protection to those already in the Of
fees was incidental, arising from the removal
| of the motive for dismissal by restricting the
power Of appointment
CLERKS IN CLOVER
He drew sort of pigs in clover" diagram.
the clerks being in the inner circle and the
great public being outside. With but two
openings to the clover pasture, one for going
IN and one for going out, he pointed out that
| the entrance being guarded to prevent people
getting in except under certain conditions,
| those inside were saved from the pressure to
crowd them out, though the exit was not
| guarded
REASONS FOR REMOVALS.
He said that there was no requirement that
the reasons for removals should be stated. He
thought that written statement of the reasons
for each removal should be furnished to the
commission with the announcement OF the re-
moval
In 1883 such rule was proposed to the Pres
ident, but was not approved by him, for reasons
which he gave in letter to the commission
Dir. Hopkins asked if this letter could be fur
nished to the committee. Witness said it could,
and he was directed to furnish it,
CALLING FOR INFORMATION
Mr.. Greenhalge offered a resolution, which
went over, asking the departments for the
number and apportonment among the several
states of clerks in the departments before the
| civil service law went into effect, and also for
| a list of removals since the law went into
| operation and the reasons TOR such removals
The committee adjourned until 10 O'Clock
tomorrow.