Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-09

Even at the beginning of new administra-
ton there is seldom such an eager seeking
after minor offices under the government as is
going on at this time. The civil service law is
having severe test, and at the close of the day
the heads of the departments 90 home thanking
their stars that there is such law for their
protection. Every department of the govern
ment is being besieged and the strongest polit-
ical influence from all parts Of the country is
brought to bear upon the heads Of the depart
ments to induce them to make appointments
whether the law permits it or not. In many
cases applicants do not hesitate to urge the
officials to devise some means of evading
the law.
WHERE THE PRESSURE COMES FROM.
This all grows out Of the clearing up Of an
immense amount of the work of the census
ONCE and the consequent dismissal Of the
clerks. There are some /. 500 of these clerks
dismissed or to be dismissed, very large pro-
portion OF whom have no ether means of i've
hbood Immediately in view if the government
Will not take care of them. When the census
ONCE was organized the civil service comnlis-
sion tried to induce the President to put the
clerical force under the civil service rules, but
MIR. Porter resisted this. claiming that he could
get better force if allowed to select his own
employees In his own way. He established
system OF examinations, not competitive. and
some OF the percentages of applicants who got
appointments were high. These examinations.
however. were not In accordance with the re-
form law and did not place the employ es within
the classified service. None of them can be
transferred to other departments when their
census work is done, and. therefore, the tre-
mendons effort to break down the barrier put
up Dy the civil service law.
AN ORGANIZED EFFORT POSSIBLE.
"A ,-c1. Il, Al IL
sumption that after having been for year or
more In Mr. Porter's bureau they could easily
contrive some means of evading the law, and
now an organized effort to break down the law,
at least SO far as to let in those who passed MIR.
Porter's civil service examination" is threat
ened There being 80 many of these employees,
coming from various parts Of the country, and
ali supported by congressional influence of
some sort, many OF them entertain the hope
that if they can get their congressional ..in-
huence to work together they can break
through the lines and get into the classified
service. Some of the members Of Congress
who have always opposed the civil service law
propose to take advantage of this opportunity
and they threaten that soon as Congress
meets they will attempt to repeal or amend the
law.
Their prospects of success are not very good,
however. The heads Of the departments have
already had too well demonstrated to them
what would be the result of letting down the
bars. With the law at their backs they are
plagued almost to death with petitions and ap-
peals, touching both their sym pathies and their
political interests. Ii the law were brushed
aside 1t would be impossible for them tc with
stand the pressure.
AFTER SECRETARIES FOSTER AND RUsK.
Secretary Foster and Secretary Rusk. both
being regarded as men who believe in prac-
tical politics, with further political preferment
in mind, are the principal victims of the Office
seekers. With the Ohio campaign on hand and
a large number of Ohioans among those who
have gone or are soon to go out of the census
office, MIR. Foster is being put under a regular
thumbscrew pressure. Many of the applicants
are armed with the strongest influence that
Ohio can furnish and are importunate in their
appeals and demands to be taken care of. Some
have gone to the trouble to take civil service
examination and are using their influence to
force designations. Some Of those in this situ-
alton have got appointments substitutes at
half pay for clerks who are on leave of absence
and are expecting full appointment when the
substitute service ends, though it is not clear
how such appointments can be made without
violating the law.
The places in Mr.. Rusk's department are not
as desirable, for the most part, are those in
other departments, but there are many en-
ployed in the seed division outside the CLASH
fed service. and this fact draws fire toward
him. There are hundreds of ex-census clerks
who are ready to Use their political influence to
secure him the next presidential nomination il
he will provide for them in some way. The
civil service commissioners are importuned
with questions designed to discover if there is
any means OF evading the law.