Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1890-12-06
THE CIVIL SERVICE.
Annual Report of the Civil Service
Commission.
Gratifying Results Obtained Under the
Law-Removals for Partisan Reasons
Discussed, and Some Suggestions
as to How the Law Might
be Improved.

WARRINGTON, Deo 1.-The annual
report of the Civil Service Commission
was made public last night. The report
states that the classified service has
grown so rs to include at present more
than $4,000 people. Considerable space
is devoted to tho question OF removals
in the classified service for partisan
reasons, and figures are given which
show that. during the first year OF Mr..
Cleveland's administration. between
seven and eight per cent of the appoint
ments made during the previous admin
istration were removed or resigned; and
Of those who came into departmental
service through civil service examina-
tions during Mr. Cleveland's administra.
ton, little more than eight per cent
were removed or resigned during the
first year of the present administration.
Commenting on this difference OF
barely one-half Of one per cent in re-
movals during the first year of the op-
posing administration, the commission
says: "It Is so small that it may be en-
tirely disregarded, for it Is likelv to
have arisen from other than political
causes. When only eight per cent Of
the appointees of one administration
are separated from the service during
the first year of a succeeding admins
tration-the year in which, under the
old system, the greatest number of re-
movals for political reasons were made
it is safe to say that political consid-
erations have practically disappeared al
10 ,,, Ia, D., H., 81
sified service of the departments at
Washington"
In the customs and postal services the
result is less satisfactory. "Compar-
ing" the report says, 1.-THE percentages
of removals in the classified service in
each post-ofice with the number of re-
movals made in the unclassified and ex-
cepted places, the difference is astonish-
ing. In one case the percentage ranges
from to IS; in the other from 46 to
over 90; and the average is about seven
times as great among those employees
not protected by the law. 1t would be
difficult to advance any argument which
would show more conclusively the good
effect that the law has in preventing in
the classified service clean sweeps and
removals for political purposes"
The commission has worked hard to
keep the quota of the different States
even, and to induce mon to enter the
examinations without regard to party,
and with gratifying results. At present
the States have received with practical
exactness their proper quota of appoint
ments, and for the first time the com.
mission is able to assert with absolute
positiveness that in holding a number
Of examinations for we'll paid depart.
mental positions, large proportion, il
not the bulk of those examined and ap-
pointed, have been men different in po-
litical faith from the party in power.
The portions of the Civil Service law
interdicting political assessments the
report says, have not entirely stopped
the evil, but have undoubtedly much
abated it. There is one point particu-
larly where the law is systematically
evaded, by sending letters soliciting
campaign subscriptions to Government
employees at their homes. There seems
no reason, the report says Why an out
slider should be allowed to solicit
clerk at his home, and forbidden to do
so in 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. If the Govern
ment employees wish to contribute to
their parties, the com mission says, lot
them do so voluntarily, and not be
harassed by outside parties who desire
to spur them up to make contributions.
OF the general result of the operation
of the Civil Service law, the report
says: "lt can not be too often reiterated
that, while the law may not work with
ideal perfection, actual experience for
seven years has shown that it produces
on the whole better governmental ad-
ministration than docs tho patronage
system. Moreover, what is more inn
portant, it immeasurably betters the
tone of political life by making the
mass OF Government employees simply
what they purport to be, that is public
servants and not adherents of the party
in po OR organized into disciplined
bodies for its support, and straining
every effort to secure it's continuance
and supremacy. 1t is noteworthy that
the offices and bureaus which show the
best results in giving an honest, efficient
and economical administration, are pre-
cisely those in which tho law has been
most faithfully observed"
.-r-------------------------=