Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-13
CHANGES IN THE RULES.
The President Approves Several Amend
ments to the Civil Service Rules.

The President Approves Several Amend
ments to the Civil Service Rules.
A CHANGE AS TO EXAMINATIONS FOR PROMO
TIoN IN THE WAR AND TREASURY DEPART
MENTs-IMPRovEMENTs IN RAILWAY MAIL SER
vICE--PRoPoRTIoN OF SUBSTITUTES TO CLERKS
The President has occupied a part of his
summer outing in examining q lot of papers
left with him by the civil service commission
just before he went away from Washington,
and the fruit of his labors was evidenced yes
terday in the receipt from Cape May of an i'm
portant document being his approval of q
number of suggestions made by the commits
SION. This was in the nature Of a surprise at
the rooms of the commission, for it was not
expected that there would be any action taken
during the hot weather.
The most important amendment is one that
has been urged by the commission for long
time. For several years there has been in
vogue in the War Department, and partially in
the Treasury, system of compulsory examina-
tlons for promotion. which. occurring at ir
regular intervals caused great deal Of COM
motion among the clerks of those departments.
In most cases the clerks did not want to be ex-
amined. They preferred to remain at their
present rates OF salary, and they went into the
so-calied competition unwillingly. 1t has long
been apparent to the commission that while
the rules termed these examinations ''competi-
tive" they were really not SO, for in every
instance the entire list of clerks who took and
passed the examination-few if any ever
failed-was certified back to the departments,
and the men selected for promotion were
taken from this list with little or no regard 10
their standing
There has been no question that has given
the present commission more thought than this
one. The three members were q unit in the
belief that some sort of an amendment should
be made SO as to make the examinations for
promotion more compulsory, and at the same
time to obviate the disadvantage of compelling
animation that gave them unnecessary trouble
and worry without any results.
THE SUBSTITUTE FOR GENERAL RULE THREE.
Accordingly an amendment was suggested to
the President and this is one Of those that he
has just approved. By means of it the former
system Of compulsory, practically non-com-
petitlve examinations in the War and Treasury
Departments is abandoned, and in its place
there is substituted regular order of examina-
tions for all clerks desiring promotion, with
provision for the selection Of the fittest for ad-
vancement. To this end the following substi-
tute for general rule is promulgated, ap-
plicable to all branches of the classified service
so far as practicable aud useful competi-
tive examinations shall be established in the
classified civil service to test the fitness for
promotion under such regulations as the COM
mission may make. Until such regulations
have been applied to any part of the classified
service promotions therein shall be made in
the manner prescribed by the rule applicable
thereto"
The commission will devote its time in the
near future to the preparation Of appropriate
regulations and 1t Is expected that they will
be ready for PRONUNCIATION in time so that the
new system can be put into effect on the 1st Of
next January 1t is probable that the commits
sion Will decide to continue the present GUS
tom OF having the examinations conducted by
a board OF promotions in each department.. and
that it will adopt the plan of certifying to the
head of the department a list of the three high
est persons on the promotion list, from which
selection will be made to fill vacancies in
higher grades. As in the of the GER
titcation of eligibles for appointment the two
who are not selected will be certified the next
time there is a vacancy to which it is desired
to promote clerk, with one additional.
Under the present system the selections are
made without reference to the standing of the
clerks in the examinations.
Great weight will be given in these examfna-
tions to the Office records Of the clerks az to
punctuality, diligence and Capacity It is
thought by the commission that appointing
officers will be relieved by the adoption Of the
new rule Of the opportunities Of clerks and
their friends, such as now form one of the
greatest hardships of the official lives of heads
OF departments
FRACTIONAL MARKS WILL BE COUNTED.
Another amendment is adopted that will
mean a good deal to those who take the first
examination for appointment TO places in the
service. Heretofore the marks of eligibles
have been made up on the plan OF giving to
each the whole number nearest to his or her
actual mark attained in the examinations No
regard was paid to fractions. and this fre-
quently made difference of several points in
the relative standing of eligibles, many of
whom have had to wait several months for
places to which, had they received their full
fractional marks they would probably have
been appointed before. The new rule is to the
effect that in future markings the full amount
OF the record will be placed to the credit of
applicants, and that fractions, instead Of being
obliterated, will be regarded in the certifca-
ton of eligibles.
Several amendments are made in the rules
applicable to the railway mail service that are
OF considerable importance to those now in the
service and these who hope to get in.
AN EXCEPTION IN THE RAILROAD NAIL SERVICE
An additional exception from examination in
the railway mail service is provided, as follows:
Transfer clerks at junction points or stations
where not more than two such clerks are en-
ployed.' Under general railway mail rule 4
the following additional proviso is inserted:
the service does not require the full time of a
clerk, and one can be employed jointly with
the railroad company, the appointment may be
made without examination and certification.
with the consent of the commission upon a
statement OF the facts by the general superin-
tendent; but no clerk sc appointed shall be
eligible for transfer or appointment to any
other place in the service"
ONE SUBSTITUTE Tc TEN CLERKS,
In the railway mail rule an amendment ia
made allowing one substitute to ten clerks in
stead of twenty, as heretofore. In the "emer-
gency clause" of the seventh section, rule 4.
railway mail service. al amendment is made 40
that extra clerks may be employed for periods
of sixty days instead Of thirty, as heretofore.
with extensions in periods of sixty davs. with
the consent OF the commission. In the same
clause the provision for previous employment
in the service as condition to extra employ-
ment is eliminated. and hereafter emergency
clerks may be employed without reference to
their previous experience. 1t has been the ex-
perience of the service that when such emer-
gency clerks are needed it is frequently impos-
sible to obtain men with previous knowledge
OF the service.
RELEASE OF SEIZED GooDs.-Acting Secretary