The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-06-14
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
The Investigating Committee Gives
Lyman a Dig.


WASHINGTON, June 13.-The House COM
mittee OF reform in the civil service, which
during the present session of congress con-
Quoted an investigation into the charges
filed against the civil service commission,
held meeting to-day and finally agreed
upon report which will be presented To the
House 1t is said that it has been signed by
all the members of the committee except
Messrs. Stone and Anderson.
Chairman Lehlbach of the committee will
present 1t in the House at the first opportu-
nifty.
In concluding its report the committee
says: with regard to the conduct If the
civil service commissioners in the matters
submitted to your committee. we find, first,
that Commissioners Roosevelt and Thomp-
son have discharged their duties with entire
fidelity and integrity; second, that the Of
ticial conduct of Commissioner Lyman has
been characterized by laxity of discipline in
the administration Of the affairs of the COM
mission, and is therefore oensurable. Your
committee will proceed at once TO investi-
gate the workings of the system and pres Jnt
a subsequent report when said investigation
shall have been completed, together with
their conclusion" The committee recon-
mend that copy of the report and testi-
mony taken be submitted to the President.
AUD OF Ttih COMMISSIONERS.
In the body of the report the committee
says. respecting the charges against the
personal actions OF the present and former
commissioners, that IL examined twenty
four witnesses on the first charge, affecting
the conduct, retention and promotion of
Alexander 9. Campbell. The committee
concludes that it was clear that Campbell
copied the questions which were furnished
Flynn, that the questions were not obsolete.
and that an investigation properly con-
Quoted would have disclosed the fact. If the
administration of the civil service was not
to fall into dlsrepute, Campbell should
have been dismissed. His reteu ton indi-
Gated gross laxity in discipline, as showing
that the administration of the commission
was not such at that time as to receive or
merit public confidence His promotion
would not seem to have been defensible
IL is submitted that il the commission had
discharged its duty with proper vigor and
regard for the public il would have become
defe sible, and it would seem to follow that
If his retention was not proper his promo
tion was not.
ANSWERS REJECTED.
The committee cannot accept as salts
factory the answers of ex-Commissioner
Oberly, Commissioner Lyman and Secre-
tary Doyle that they believed that the
questions Campbell copied we're obsolete.
The facts convince the committee that the
omission TO ascertain the truth was as
reprehensible as to have disregarded it
after it had been ascertsined, and it is little
less culrable, and, whether they failed
through indifference or partiality TO learn
the facts, or, knowing them, failed to take
such action as the public service obviously
demanded, is not a matter of great conse-
quence. The neglect of duty in either case
is condemned. The committee does not
share the view that Commissioners Roose-
velt and Thompson are deserving of censure
for not having taken action In the Campbell
case On the contrary, there is nothing in
their conduct to challenge criticism.
NoN-AcTIoN EXCUSED.
When their attention was called to the
matter by the newspaper reports there was
concurrence of the statement to them that
the matter had been fully investigated and
Campbell punished and it being as TO them
res 0djWdicdtd, they did not take further
action in the matter, and in that we think
they were thoroughly justified. The COM
mittee is unable to find anything
to criticise In the acts of Mes,rs.
Thompson ami Roosevelt in other
matters which formed the basis of portion
of the charges under investigation, and In
regard to some Of these the committee
awards them unqualified praise.
The committee will proceed next week TO
carry out the second part Of its instructions
and investigate the present workings OF the
civil service Jaw.
It in learned that Campbell, who is re-
ferred to in the first part of the report of
the committee, has submitted his resigna-
tion as clerk to the civil service commission,
to take effect in two weeks