Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-27


THE IERKs IN HIS offrcE-rHErR TRASsfE
TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS WOULD IN nEREi
An ACT OF ypsr1cx-
c.,..
70 a roonas. nv, ha s rof'er. IN rospons
fues' rom senator Allison asking hi
views In regard to the effect Of the amendmen
proposed by Senator Plumb 10 the legislative
executive and iudicial .nrro,,;.,,ov I'm n.
transmitted - 60 -, '
men, ,,,,,;s.. .,'I. o' iiumos ameho
'natempioyes OF the census offc
than q xaor "a - ~
proficiency frop, ,h. .rr.-;.,...,~. -,
ELIGIBLE 20 .,,,.;-. si".i
:; O. ppo'"en'' "i.hout examination
An 'ne ciassihed departmental service. VIVA
senator Allison. who is chairman Of the appro
Prianon committee, wanted 10 know was no,
many clerks now in the census Office won,'
come within the provisions OF this amendment
ana other facts.
HOW MANY vorrn M rrr
Mr.. Porter sta,es ,hs, an.
make eligible Gov a.. ,,...;s., ,N e".'
the government e4o .r,,,,o,.s- l-.iN-,'-
chiefs of divisions. clerks coDr,s,s sns ~,
pnters) OF the census Office, that is. presumins
al tnese persons had served one year in the cen
sns ONCE. Asamatter offact Of this number opl,
, roo nave oeen employed for that length O
Ilent would apply TO exactly 465 clerks. A,
TINS ofice is discharging people every day il /
nardiy probable that the amendment coulf
possibly apply to more than, in round figure
i'o0 persons.
,oo vi the total number. however. I find tina
oIo passed the civil service examination AM
werc on the eligible list at the time Of appoint
ment to the census office. Others. I am in.
formed, have passed the civil service examina
uon since, so that the amendment, as il stands
would probably not apply to more than So,
persons who had not either before appointment
OF subsequently passed the civil service exam.
iiaaon.
vi this probable number there are eighty.
.nree persons who received their appointment,
because OF efficient service in the tenth census.
As a rule these clerks rank among the very
pest many OF them having resigned their
i1'ces IN the CLASSIFIED service TO give the
census Office the benefit of their experience in
,ne tenth census. Manifestly it would be un.
Just not TO put these clerks after wears of faith
iui service. on footing with those who have
SIMPLY passed a civil service examination.
STATE ArroRrroSmkS1s
eth. .,,,o;. -. =,
baen .n,nr.;aIs " '"e census once nave
"pPoi uoneo as lar as possible among
s!a.ss ana nave not been made from one poll
,icai party large number OF appointments
nave peen made for sixty and ninety DAYS and
t Mese were necessarily drawn largely from
i IpaIsino' virginia, West Virginia and the
cistrlct OF Columbia, and cut no
me- IN the Plumb amendment In De
eeinper last, when the Office force had reached
Z,fl. L found the appointments absolutely
eqIilaDie In the following twenty-three states
aua terri'ories; Arizona. Connecticut, Della
E e, Pioriaa, idaho, Indian territory. Iowa.
T N Michlgan, Montana. Nevada, New
nam nan Eipshire. New Jersey, New Mexico, New
island. South Dakota, Vermont, Washing
soh, Wisconsin and Wyoming BY this
one to Ten 81 H. ,isd ei.ner WITHIN from
entitled to under an exart onnor,;a,,'',u
that the number of clerks ASSIGNED tbese STAT
did not exceed by more ihnn ten the nro,'sr
quota. The states and territories where The an
portionment was not equitable. that is where il
or fell below the ouota nv NOR. tba,,
ten, were at that time as follows: Alshan,a
Arkansas California Color,1o caorr; M
lois, Indiana. Kentucky, Louisiana. Maine
Maryland. Massachusetts. Minnesota Niss;s'
'ippi, Missouri. Nebraska, North Carolina
Ohio. Pennsylvania. South Carolina, Tennessee
Texas. Virginia, West Virginia and the District
of Columbia.
Dividing northern and southern states I find
hat III fifteen southern states, including the
District OF Columbia the aggregate apportion-
nens was, upon the whole fair. these state,
'eing entitled to S3i appointments and the
ctual number being 7s6. The deficiency in
n Virginia. West Virginia, MARYLAND and District
II Columbia Relatively speaking there are
'ut Few applications from some of the SOUTH
I'm states. For example, the whole number of
ppiications of all kinds-clerks. laborers,
messengers. watchmen &c.-fron, Texas flai
'as only fifty-one. considerably less than it,
Iuota. The same is true in a more marked de-
rec OF Arkansas and in a less degree of Geor-
Ia, kentucky, Louisiana. Mississippi and Mis-
curl
QUALIFICATIONS CONSIDERED.
cit is therefore a mistake IN assp,n. for
,ent in nass;pg ON tho ,,,or;,. 20 a. ~,
P"o's on 'ne niefi's Oh tne flumb
~ huIneht that In the appointments in this
nice que regard has not been given, first, To
le quaIncaiohs, character and experience of
ppiicants' second, to equitable apportionment
hons states SO lar as practicable, and third.
une eAaniina''on Oh the civii service COM
llsslon:
!, a,a.,,. ing WIN ,ne ,neoiy that would accept
nm mission for s,;Iar ara ed ~ tne sHn service
ensus office. subsequently found that this
st was not satisfactory and that civil service
copyists would not ALWAYS make
God census computers. With the approval OF |
he honorable Secretary of the Interior a rule
as adopted making only those applicants eligi- |
lie for appointment in the census Office Who |
nd passed the c,erkship civil service eysmina.
on, and the clerks thus appointed b.ye h.,
a rule. very satisfac,oryl n is also 3 not no,a.
orthy fact that all changes in the rnles snd
.gulations. approved August 2, 1880 hy H.
1norable Secretary of the Interior have hesn
it'll a view to tightenirp- rather thar loos.,,A
&, the tests required of applicants for en-
oyment in the ceusus Office
with an amendment Iin,;,;no H.. -
onraent in accordance with tn SonnI. ~
80. the bill, in NV opinion. ia WIS., and ;ns,
simply gives an opportunitv for fnrthar' M
oyment by the government 70. at the outside