Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-04
COMMISSIONERS ROOSEVELT TALKS

JNDAX, AUGUST 4. IL
COMMISSIONERS ROOSEVELT TALKS
An Underlined and Boundless Examine
ton Of the Civil Service System.
But TWO MEMOIRS OF TIE HOUSE COMMITTEE on
Reform IN THE CIVIL SERVICE FIND TINE TO
ATTEND THE OPENING sEssIoS-THE coxn1s-
SION READY TO BE INvEsrIaATEp.
The second portion of the investigation into
the civil service commission commenced this
morning in the committee room, down in the
basement Of the Capitol, that has been given
up TO the committee on reform IN the civil
service. The first Investigation on specific
charges resulted In vindicatiou of
the commission and the committee met today
prepared to look into the general workings of
the commission. Members of the committee
have already made personal investigation at
might inform themselves as to Just how
the business end Of the civil service
was conducted, where the papers were kept
and Who has charge Of them. No stenographer
had been taken on these trips, however, which
we're merely for personal information, to be
used later on.
The present investigation will be wide in its
scope, taking in the workings Of the commits
sion in q thorough and general a manner as
possible. Many witnesses will be called.
commencing with the commissioners them
selves and including several heads Of depart
ments, chiefs Of bureaus, chief clerks and many
Others
The investigation did not get very far this
morning. In fact it can hardly be said to have
fairly started. It was necessary to get three
members Of the committee in order
to take testimony. BY 1880 Chairman Lehl-
bach was on hand with the official stenograph-
or ready to 60 to work. but his colleagues
did not materialize. The three civil service
commissioners turned up in good season and all
waited, with more or less patience, for
two other members of the committed. Gov.
Thompson kept the party in a boisterous con-
dition with a number Of inimitably told stories
until Mr.. Hopkins Of the committee sauntered
in with file Of papers under his arm. This
was gain, but 1t did not make up the requisite
number.
THEY COMMENCED WORK, ANYHOW.
At IL O'Clock all hope Of obtaining a quorum
was given up, but in order to get started Mr..
Roosevelt asked permission to make a short
statement and have it taken down, giving an
idea OF certain things which the Commissioners
thought should be touched on in the investiga-
ton.
Mr.. Roosevelt thereupon started in on his
corning the commission, which had been made
not only outside of the House Of Representa-
called called for for % thorough in nSss on
of the questions which were asked in the ex-
aminations. He wished a number Of sets
as to see if the Questions were
in any way irregular or irrelevant. Naturally.
continued Mr.. Roosevelt, out of the many thou
sand questions asked some were unwise but
on the whole, taking into consideration the
material with which the commission had to
ba in fion fail in
1t must be remembered, said he, that the OK
aminations had to be carried on in the most in
expensive manner.
COMPARISONS CALLED FOR.
Mr.. Roosevelt said he would also suggest that
some Office be taken where it was known that the
service was conducted in a proper manner-as
he post offices at Brooklyn Boston or Chicago
and see if, after examination, a gain is not
found IN these offices. Then one of them
might be compared with some smaller office
where the system was not in force.
MIR. Roosevelt said it was often impossible to
contradict statements attacking the COM
mission In general way. and these
statements, going uncontradicted, some
times did harm to the system. He would
some of the charges recently made in debate
on the floor of the House.
ON MR. oRosvENoR's coRNs.
"Mr. Grosvenor," continued Mr. Roosevelt.
chad charged that appointments were made
in an unfair manner, stating that in the de-
partments his district had been en-
tirely neglected. In this respect Mr.
Grosvenor was entirely mistaken as have just
sent him list of eight men in the depart
ments from his district, whereas he really is
entitled to only seven and O fraction"
Mr.. Roosevelt thought this charge Of Mr..
Grosvenor's was really a compliment to the
commission. as it showed that these eight ap-
pointments had been made entirely without
political influence.
oughly," he went on, ''in the departments at
Washington, and 1t has been now for six
years"
REyERsINa MR. wAsHINGToN's FIGURES
Mr.. Roosevelt then took up the statement
made by Mr.. Washington, that IS per cent of
the Cleveland clerks had been removed during
this administration.
This, he said, was very far from being cor
rect. AS a fact 90 per cent have been retained
and consequently only per cent removed, this
being about the same per cent removed
at the beginning of both the Cleveland and
Arthur administrations.
Mr.. Roosevelt REQUIRED to the question of
appointments, saying they were made by
states, as it would be a physical i'm
possibility to apportion by congressional
districts on account of the great expense of
holding examinations in the several districts.
The commission endeavored to do the fair
thing among the different sections of The
states.
The younger commissioner then took up Mr..
Evans statement that q tremendous number Of
appointments were given to
THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
Mr.. Hopkins, he thought had fully answered
this charge at the time by the state
ment that most OF these appoint
ments had been made before the
present law. An examination of the figures
would show that only one appointment had
been made from the District in the last few
years.
Formerly about half the clerks were from the
District or its immediate neighborhood. Now
only small proportion get there.
Mr.. Cheadle had said that IS per cent
reau were from the District, and Mr.
Roosevelt remarked that this was an
argument for the commission, as the census
Office was not under the control OF the civil
service commission.
In regard to the charge that the near states
get the most appointments Mr.. Roosevelt said
that Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Florida and
several other distant states were at the head of
the list. In these states the population was
scattering. In many, especially the southern
states, it was almost impossible to get appli-
cants.
In the big states the apportionment could be
kept about even, as there were plenty of appli-
cants in every branch. In Louisiana, for in
stance,
APPLICANTS COULD NOT BE OBTAINED
even by personal supplication. In order to
eyox thu oaufbarn nuota Of tho QnO Il man,