Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-14
WORTHY OF CENSURE.
One Civil Service Commissioner Re.
proved by the Congressional
COMMITTEE OF INVESTIGATION.
Lyman Was Guilty Of Great Negligence, at
the Very Least.
THE OTHER MEMBERS ARE ALL RIGHT

WASHINGTON, June 13.-The House
Committee on Reform in the Civil Service,
which during the present session of Con-
gress conducted an investigation into the
charges against the Civil Service Commits
sion, held meeting to-day and finally
agreed upon the report which will be pre-
sented to the House. 1t is said that II has
been signed by all the members of the COM
mittee except two-Messrs.. Stone and Alder
son.
Chairman Lehlbach, of the committee,
will present it in the House at the first OPP
portunity.. In concluding its report the
committee says:
With regard to the conduct of the Civil
Service Commissioners in the matters SUBJ
mitted to your committee, we find, first,
that Commissioners Roosevelt and Thomp-
son have discharged their duties with entire
fidelity and integrity: second, that
THE OFFICIAL CONDUCT
Of Commissioner Lyman has been character
lied by laxitv of discipline in the admins
tration of the affairs of the commission, and
is therefore censurable. Your committee
will proceed at once to investigate the work
ings of the system, and present subsequent
report when said investigation shall have
been completed, together with report of
their conclusion. We submit the following
resolution:
"Resolved, That copy of the report and
testimony taken before the Select Committee
on Reform in the Civil Service in the
investigation of charges preferred against
the United States Civil Service Commission
be forwarded to the President"
In the body of the report the committee
says, respecting the charges against the per-
sonal actions of the present and former Com
missioners, that it examined "a witnesses.
On the first charge, affecting the conduct,
retention and promotion of Alexander G..
Campbell, the brother-in-law of Commits
sioner Lyman, the committee concludes that
it was clear that Campbell
COPIED THE QUESTIONS
which were furnished to Flynn, who gave
instruction to persons desiring to take
examinations that the questions were not
obsolete, and that an investigation properly
conducted would have disclosed the fact. II
the administration of the civil service was
not to fall into disrepute, Mr.. Campbell
should have been dismissed. His retention
indicated gross laxity in discipline as show
ing that the administration of the commits
sion was not such at that time as TO receive
or merit public confidence. His promotion
would not seem to have been defensible-
1t is submitted that ii the commission
had discharged its duty with proper vigor
and regard for the public, it would have be-
come manifest that Campbell's retention was
not defensible, and it would seem to follow
that if his retention was not proper his pro-
motion was not warranted. The committee
cannot accept as satisfactory the answers of
Mesirs. Oberly, Lyman and Doyle that they
believed that the questions Campbell copied
were obsolete.
A REPREHENSIBLE OMISSION.
The facts convince the committee that the
omisson to ascertain the truth was as repre-
hensible as to have disregarded it after it
had been ascertained, and it is little less
culpable, 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 consequence. The
neglect of the duty in either case is con-
demned.
The committee does not share the view
that Commissioners Roosevelt and Thomp-
son 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. When their atten-
ton was called to the matter by newspaper
reports there was concurrence of statement
to them that the matter had been fully in
vestigated and Mr.. Campbell punished, and
they did not take any further action in the
matter, and in that We think they were
thoroughly justified.
DaI 20 he of Do,1
to the position of stenographer, and to the
appointment of Thomas Mitchell, of Con-
necticut, to a position in the Pension Office,
the committee fud that the action of the
commission in both these cases was not con-
trary to the law and rules of the commission,
and in no way are they censurable.
THE MILWAUKEE, CASE.
Respecting the course of the commission
in the case of Shidy, the employe in the Mil
waukee postoffice who was discharged by
the postmaster for exposing frauds, the COM
mittee says that it was apparent to the com
mission that Shidy was being punished for
disclosing the truth, and they felt it their
duty to aid him by their influence in secur-
ing employment, and thereupon recon-
mended him for appointment in the census
Office, and he was appointed.
The conduct of the commissioners in this
case Is not exceptional, nor does it tend to
the decentralization of the service. The COM
mittee is unable to find anything to criticise
in that behalf. The commissioners did
nothing in their official capacity to give or
secure Shidy employment. But as indi-
yiduas, in view of his efforts so aid them,
they recommended his employment to Mr..
Porter, who gave him a clerkship. 1t is
proper to say that the investigation OF the
alleged irregularities in the Milwaukee
postoffice conducted by Doyle and Webster
disclosed an utter disregard of the civil
service law in this Office. The failure to
submit the result OF that investigation to
the President, indicates either disinclina-
tion to discharge an obvious duty, or fear
that such a report would subject the COM
missioner to censure. If the former, it
argues unftness for the position; if the lat
ter. il shows the administration of the COM
mission to have been unworthy of public
confidence.
On the reorganization of the commission
by the appointment of Messrs. Roosevelt
and Thompson, the investigation into the
abuses and Irregularities in the Milwaukee
postofice was had at once and was thorough.
It is learned that Mr.. Campbell, who is re-
ferred to in the first part of the report of the
committee, has submitted his resignation as
a clerk to the Civil Service Commission, to
take effect in two weeks.