Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-29
doing good work for the public ct al il more
capable after than before having had four years
experience

doing good work for the public ct al II more
capable after than before having had four years
experience.
RETURN TO THE srons SYSTEM.
''Mr. Porter himself, on page 40, seems to
completely give away his case and to furnish
an unanswerable argument in favor Of the whole
| system which he 10 opposing. He states that
he believes in system Of examinations and in
comparing the clerks of the tenth and the
| eleventh censuses he states that the examine
| tions bring in better class OF employees, and
| he further says, 4 think my experience ia, as
the head Of the bureau, that those who pass the
best examinations, as q rule, make the best
1 clerks This is precisely the assumption upon
| which the civil service commission acts. We
throw open the examinations to all corners and
certify for appointment those who pass best
Mr.. Porter throws open the examinations only
TO those who can get sufficient political or per-
| sonal influence rs prerequisite and then ap-
points them whether they pass i'll or well SO
long as they pass Mt all. 1t is therefore certain.
on Mr.. Porters own statement, that the
| clerks supplied by the civil service commission
must be better than the clerks supplied accord
ing to his methods. Yet Mr.. Porter advocates the
employment OF his methods in the different de-
partments; that is, the erection Of separate bu-
rcaus in each department to examine those ap-
plcants who might be able to gain sufficient po-
htical influence to be allowed to enter the
examinations. He therefore advocates q re-
turn to the old spoils system in its worst form,
shown that the system Of examinations which
ne Endorses will not az q rule give such good
clerks as the system now used by the civil
| service commission. The Congressman who
introduce bills to provide for these depart
mental pass-examinations are Of course merely
trying to reintroduce the spols system into the
departmental service"
THE CHARACTER OF THE PLANTATIONS
Mr.. Roosevelt then took up and contradicted
statements made concerning applicants who
came before him after having passed the civil
service examinations, saying that Mr.. Porter
had unintentionally stated what is not
q fact and had taken an examination meant for
| applicants DESTROYS Of performing one set Of
duties and thoughtlessly used it as a test for
| applicants DESTROYS of performing an entirely
different set of duties. In reference to the num-
Der OF eligibles on the lists of the civil service
| commission Mr.. Roosevelt said that during the
year 1880 the total number entered on the clerk
and copyist lists was 1,15S Of whom 667 have
been appointed. He said the outcry raised
over the alleged excessive number of eligibles
Is In most cases simple clap-trap. In order to
secure the best results the commission ought
| to have about three times as many eligibles as
there are appointments to be made. whereas,
actually taking all the lists together, the COM
mission has only about two and q half
times as many. The quotas of states are now,
he said, nearly even. He gives tables to show
that nearly even justice to all the states had
been done in the distribution Of appointments
under the civil service system, while under the
old patronage system there was great irregu-
larity In this respect.
SOME LIVELY TILTs.
During the reading Of this statement there
were a number Of clever psssages-at-arms be-
tween the civil service commissioner and the
Superintendent of the census bureau, who was
present to uphold his theory and practice of
departmental examinations During the read
Ing Messrs. Stephenson and Greenhalge made
| their appearance, making five members Of the
committee present.
At one point in the statement Mr. Roosevelt
was interrupted by question from Mr.. Green
haige, and in answering it said, with con-
| siderable emphasis, that he made it point
never to make an attack upon another depart
| ment or official, but that whenever an attack
| would continue to answer it publicly, whether
1t were made by the Postmaster General O: by
Mr.. Porter.
| As TO CHOICE BETWEEN THE THREE HIGHEST.
| At the conclusion of the reading Mr.. Boatner
asked Mr.. Roosevelt whether when the three
highest names on the eligible list were certified
to fer appointment, the two highest. for in
stance, being democrats, it was not the case
| that the two highest passed over and the
third man appointed Mr.. Roosevelt said that
that was question which he was not in posi-
pretty sure that in ninety-fve cases out of one
hundred the highest on the lists are the
ones to receive appointment In not one case
out OF fifty would the appointing powe,
know Of the political tendencies
OF the aspirant When asked whether the civil
service law was operating in a purely non.
partisan manner Mr.. Roosevelt said that the
fact that the quotas of the southern states were
full answered the question, and the fact tina,
the vast majority Of the appointments from
Mr.. Boatner's own state. Louisiana, were demo
Gratis would certainly show that the law WA.
being carried out in a perfectly non-partisar
manner. In his opinion the law is beins
properly administered in the departmental
service at Washington. He would question
whether one-half of per cent Of the removal.
made in the past eighteen months had beer
made for reasons connected with political bias
THE LAW PROPERLY ADMINISTERED.
In a discussion that arose about the conduc
Of the census bureau Mr.. Porter said that il
the field work of the bureau, the most import
ant branch, and one that would cost the gov
eminent about "a, 600. 900, there had been NJ
appointments made for political reasons
Mr.. Eoatner said that he sure that there
were many gross violations of the law and thai
disrnissals for political reasons were made sur
reptitiously under the law, and Mr.. Roosevelt
said that that simply went to show
thai there should be law making
it necessary that the reasons fol
removal should be certified to and made know
to the clerk who was being removed. The fac
that out OF the .109 appointments made unde,
President Cleveands administration there hat
been but ninety-twO removals or resignation,
during the first year of President Harrison
administration would certainly show that tn.
law was being properly administered. Thi
| closed the hearing for the d,y