Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-23
THE CIVIL SERVICE LAW.


THE CIVIL SERVICE LAW.
An Interesting Talk ~ to It's Operations by
Commissioner Roosevelt.
THREE OF PRESIDENT HARRIsoS's CABINET HAVE
ISDoRsED RI HEARTuY-Ir HAS BECOME AN
ABSOLUTE NECESSITY AND WILL EXTEND To
EVERY DEPARTMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT.
The civil service commission il feeling very
well Just now. For while there was but little
IN its existence that could be regarded as
really pleasant, but thing have changed mate
rally Of late. Instead Of remaining on the
defensive the commission is moving out in
growing sentiment
Il have been particularly pleased - said Com
missioner Roosevelt to q STAR reporter. who
attacked him for news, with the unsolicited
testimony to the excellent working OF the re-
form law in the departments here which has
been offered within the past four months
by three members of President Harrison 8
cabinet. Secretary Window, in his last report,
repeated what he had said in a preceding re-
port - to the excellent material furnished him
by the civil service commission and as to the
immense difference in his personal comfort
worked by the lava law which absolutely re-
heved him from political pressure.
Mr. WINDOW HAD HAD EXPERIENCE.
'Mr. Window had been Secretary of the
Treasury before and after the law went into
effect-under Presidents Garfield and Harri-
son-and he was able. therefore, to speak as an
expert. He not only bore public and
private testimony to the great improve
ment the law had worked in the department
but he was emphatic as to the still greater
service it had rendered the cause Of political
blow all political influence in procuring APP
pointments and dismissals and leaving all APP
plicauts for positionsin the government service
10 stand o. fall on their own inertia
He especially dwelt upon the enormous
benefit it was to the appointing officer to be
released from his thraldom to the politicians.
Shortly before his untimely death Secretary
Window stated to me that he could not posi-
bly, have done the work he performed during
1880 il he had had to act as q patronage dispen-
ser for politicians the civil service law, he said,
allowed him to devote ut least one-haK as much
time again to his proper duties in the service
of the public as was possible under the old
way, besides allowing him to make appoint
ments for merit only. All civil service re-
formers should feel peculiar gratitude to Mr..
least of the many services which he rendered
to the nation was the stout stand he took in
behalf of the civil service law.
SECRETARY TRAcY's TESTIMONY.
SIN his Boston speech Secretary Tracy bore
testimony to the excellence Of the men fur
nished his department by our commission, es-
pecially noting their superiority to those OBJ
tanned under the old spoils system. 1t must be
borne in mind that though we do
undoubtedly obtain better men this il
not the most important feature of our work
The civil service law does most good in the fact
that it takes the offices out of politics: that it
prevents the public service from being used as
II was under the spoils system as a most effect
i've machine for degrading and democrat
izing public life. ! do not believe
that any other one influence during the
past sixty years has been so potent in demoral-
izing American public life, or at least in tend
ing toward its decentralization, and l do not
believe that any other reform of the present
day approaches civil service reform in import
sion of the laws and system now in vogue as
regards immigration.
SECRETARY NOBLE ENDORSES IT.
''Stilf more recently Secretary Noble in speak
ing of the extension Of the classified service to
Indian Bureau has announced his cordial adj
herence to the President policy of applying the
civil service rules wherever possible. in order
to benefit the service and give relief to the APP
pointing officers, and went on to say The De-
partment Of the Interior could not be run six
months if the great body Of the employees we're
not under the civil service law
I'm fact the civil service law ia an absolute
necessity in the departmental service at Wash
ington- The merit system. must event.
ually be applied to every bureau and de-
partment of the federal goyernment-from
| the navy yard employees to the fourth-class
postmasters, including every employee at an
Indian agency and every employe in the gov
eminent printing office.
THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.
"Can You apply your system to the govern
ment printing Officer queried the reporter.
Without definitely outlining any plan"
replied Mr.. Roosevelt, Il may say that we
could apply the system of competitive
examinations to the printing office. An appli-
cant could have a frame and cases allotted him
and he could there set up the test job. The
proofs of that work would be examination pa
pers; all the faults would be self-recorded A
time-test would also be applied. or course the
thing is practicable and IFS coming before
long.
NOTHING CAN PREVENT ITS TRIUMPH.
''The crowd of politicians, big and little,
whose interest it is to keep politics debased,
and who, therefore. naturally regard the civil
service law and those who execute it with
bitter hatred. may delay, but cannot prevent
the triumph Of the merit system.
They are fighting against the winning side.
They occupy the unenviable position of not
only being engaged in a contest in which they
play most discreditable part, but one in which
they are foredoomed to be defeated.
WORD ABOUT THE OPPONENTS.