The record-union., 1894-12-03
CIVIL SERVICE.
The Law Better Observed in Lart er
Postoffices Than Ever Before.

SOSCOUceS Than Ever Before.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2.-The eleventh
annual report Of the Civil Service Com
mission shows that from July l, 1898. TO
June 30, 1894, there were 1872 appoint
ments made in the classified service, an
increase of 50 over the previous year. The
number is divided as follows: Depart
mental service. 3S5; railway service. u.s.;
Indian service. l06; Customs service, $50;
post service, =, S23
The whole number OF applicants exam
lned for the five branches OF the classified
service was 81 ,379 of whom -, l3l passed
and 10, 40 failed to pass. The total num-
Der examined is an increase on the year
OF 2,94l, an increase of 1851 in the num-
Der who passed, and 4, Ais III the mum ber
who tailed. The figures for the different
branches are: Departmental service,
3.353 examined. OF whom 1896 passed;
railway mail service, 4,Z61 examined
J, l,lZ0 passed; Indian service, 43l exam
ined, go passed; Customs service, 3,372
examined. 2,0l2 passed; postal service,
25,5U examined, u .357 passed.
The report states that every State has
received substantially its due share of the
appointments, any departure from a
mathematical apportionment being
passed by the need occasionally of filling
IA place requiring his technical qualitica-
tions with the best qualified person with
out reference TO his place OF residence.
The commission claims that experience
shows that al positions IN the service,
with possibly a few exceptions, can be
tiIied under the com petitive system.
About One-half OF the employees in the
classified service are in 6I0 classified
PostoIices. The law, it is said, is now
better observed in the large offices than
ever before. The Baltimore office is
cited as having been very badly managed,
but is now we'll conducted, as are also
Boston and Chicago. Politics is said to
De practically eliminated from the Post
Office i'll making appointments. There
have been complaints rom many of the
smaller offices, showing that a large
number of removals have been made tor
political reasons, although other offenses,
generally of a minor character, are al
legged as the ground of the dismissal. In
some Offices there have been practically
clean sweeps.
The law has been rigidly observed in
the railway mail service, and no ap-
polntmenLS or removals have been made
Tor political reasons. Appointments
have been made withouC reference to
political considerations.
Concerning offensive partisanship, the
commission says: "Ihe rules against Of
tensive partisanship are usually con-
strued strictly against the opponents of
the party IN power, and leniently
against their adherents. Persons in the
CLASSIFIED service, though unrestricted as
to vote and opinions on all political sub
jects. should not take any active part in
political management or political cam
paigns, and should be debarred from
turning official positions to the benefit OF
either political party"
Alter speaking of the conviction of Post
master LockeS of Newark. Ohio and In
ternal Revenue Collector Raney OF Ken
lucky, for making political assessments
in the Presidential campaign OF 1892, ref
erence is made to the case of c. Ii. J. Tay-
lor, Recorder Of Deeds for the District of
Columbia. Of which a report is now in
the hands of the President for action. OF
this the commission says: "1n investi-
eating this case, the commission was
much struck by the condition of terror
ism that obtains in the unclaSsified civil
service. There is no security for the fu-
ture. Removals are made for purely
political and personal reasons, and there
is any amount of corruptness in conse-
quence. In the unclassifed civil service
and in the excepted places at Washing
ton the conditions are as bad as ever.
These evils VIII be largely cured by the
recent extension of classification in the
departmental service"
The commission reviews the attempts
made at assessment in the campaign Of
1894, and the opinion of the Attorney
General that solicitation by letter in pub
lie offices is not solicitation within the
law. and alter reviewing recent exten-
sions, cites the fact that there are few i'm
portant branches of the Government
service vet unclaSSified.