The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1893-12-17
HIS DISSENTING VIEWS
JOHNSTON HAS NOTHING TO ADD TO
THE MINORITY REPORT.
The ss<-e,Smn,isutoner Pint In n DIFF
fcrent Light Than That Gained
From Heading his statements
as Given for Puhiication.


washington Post
Ex-Civll Service Commissioner Johnston
whoae criticism Of his late colleagues, ~
empcdied IN his dissenting report to theii
Views on the extension Of the civil service
has caused wide comment said yesterday
that the abstract OF his report which ap-
peared In the Post and other papers did
not. IN his opinion. do him full justice
one or two statements which he deems OF
vital Importance TO a thorough under
standing OF his position were omitted alto
I gether. and In another instance the word.
ing was changed In such way as 70
I deepen the impression that he Is open 10
the charge OF partisan bias m his official
acts. as has been maintained In certain
Z quarters. while true reading OF the text
would, he believed, absoiys him from such
( lmputation.
Mr.. Johnston further said that II was
his desire to stand or fell by his report
! He had no wish 10 add anything TO tho
criticisms which have appeared Ia the
press bearing on the controversy that re-
suited IN his retirement from the civil
service board he would simply rest his
case on his report. And In view OF this
determination. and In order that the read
ers OF the Post may have opportunity to
dcyour and digest one OF the meauest or
recent state papers, the report u the e1-
ciyn service commissioner is herewith
presented in full.
The President;
United states Civii Service Commission,
Washington, November 81, ls9'i.--sir; I
regret 20 have to Withhold my approval
from a part OF the annual report submit
led by uiy coliedeues. and especially 80 as
4 fer compelled 10 enter a dlssent TO their
last report am aware that BY - ooine
/ expose myself 10 MEASUREMENT and criti-
Clsfn. but with my convictions of duty
do not feel at liberty 10 adopt different
AS my colleagues know can not give
sanction 10 that portion Of their report
which comm ends the extension OF the clas-
sthed service. ordered January ., lS5S, 20
ineluns tne free delivery post0nlces. OBJ
lected 10 this extension At the time 1t WAS
proposed, After the order was issued and
u became the law ! endeayorcd, ~ III
duty bound, to enforce H. but my opinion
OF the measure has never changed.
Thought then, and think now, that under
the attending circumstances ana coudi-
tons IL wdH lli-BdYlsed, unfair and harnl-
ful To the cause OF civil service reform
When this order was issued the. com
MISSIONS Office force was barely sufficient
10 DO the work Il had IN hand, the govern
mentS finances We're embarrassed, ana
congress was more disposed to reduce
than to increase Its appropriations Under
these conditions IL looked 10 me very I'M
wise for the commission TO undertake, In
addition to what it was doing, a work
which required a force more than twice
as large as the force 1t had The effect
OF this extension has been such congestion
Of NE commissions work as 10 occasion
an extraordinary delay of months In the
review and marking of It's examination
papers. 10 the great annoyance OF appli-
cants and 70 the prejudice OF the COM
mission Had not your excsency and your
cabinet officers interviewed 10 relieve the
situation by sending details OF clerks from
the departments TO assist the commission
It's aftnirg by this time would have been
IN almost hopeless confusion
The civil service reform movement. like
ali other great moral reform movements.
must have the respect and confidence OF
the people II " Is 70 succeed. To command
this respect ana confidence its extension,
and lust and pure. Organized by the law
OF 1883, upou q strictly non-phrtiaan basis,
i can not be Faithfully nor successfully
enforced except n non-paflSat way.
Tho American people realize that tile eX-
tension oI the classified service does not
NECESSARILY mean civil service reform,
When ihat extension increases BY th0u-
sandH the Representatives In office OF n
party whose members niready N classified
places outnunlber the members OF the other
party in classified places IN The proportion
% probably three or four TO one, md wren
sum extension a. ordered by an admins
tratlon anG goes into effect shortly before
the government So turned over 20 another
Of different political faith
and party aIiliation known TO be friendly
10 the cause OF eva service Itkplint u ~
difficult 70 recqncle II % fair-minded men
of nll parties as a nOn-parusan measure.
and aa linicnlt 10 reconcile u 10 believers
iu genuine civil service reform as a hcip-
cause
II Is not surprising that such civil SER
vice reform should be d.stRsteful 70 the
o. the non-heneheiary party, and
ID mgy account At least In part for the
hitter prejudice against the system which
exists IA certain quarterg today
InH ntnliE service mas unuHDEtlunNhlf
been greatly Improved through the agency
" what il lSnOVn as "clNil service reform"
prove It's usefulness, but IL win certainly
Tx itself In the respect and confidence Of
the people j ought not g be handicapped
by suen handling as VIII excite dlstrust
and arouse prejudice.
Under a popular government IKE ours
the peaple are gulek 70 resent radical
advancement of measures OF acltnowi-
edged merit. Civil service reform needs
he employment q no sneh measpres IN It's
hehaif Cousrryauvely developed and con-
seFYRtlteiS administered, enforcing the
aw and respecting ana oheying the law, |
last 10 others and especially just 20 Itself, |
Z Is hound sooner or later TO work out lta |
,wn fu1nllment 20 the satisfaction Of the |
lepple and the good ot the govarnment.
Places should 10 excepted from the force |
y Nhe eiyu service rules upon q common !
md ipgariabe principle The test should |
e whether or not the position Involves |
80 exercae ~ coniidental dutles--the de- I
iHipu q important matters Of discretion |
nd whether M examination test can be
ppled that VIII measure the Illness OF the
pplicant for the service required.
Fcfa1ps holding places IN the CLASSIFIED |
oivlce ehould' Of course, never he. removed
rom office except Tor cause, but can not
gree with my colleagues "tbat the cause
or removal should be always stated IN
srltltg, and that whenever the Accused
! r,i,i ,,sa m ln fnlI| Sh,s pr5p5sItio1 h
ased upon principles that are ~ variance