The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-12-03
THE CfvrI SERVICE
Satisfactory Results of Taking the onees
Dat nf Foiffacs.


Dat of Politics.
W.sHFssTos CErx. Dec The eleventh
annual report Of the United States evil
service com n ission shows that from July
l. 1898. 20 June 80 isea. there we're 4.S72
appointments made in the classified
service. an increase OF So over the p-evions
year. The number 10 divided as follows:
Departmental service. SIS. railway service,
us; Indian service. los; customs service.
20. and postal service. 2s23 The who.e
number OF applicants examined for the
Eve branches OF the classified service was
S7.37s, Of whom p, Isl passed and IS. 20
failed 70 pass. The total number ex-
amIned IS an increase for the year of
1851. an increase of 5. III IN the number
who passed. and A Ais in the number who
failed. Figures for the different branches
are: Departmental service, S.5Ss exam
ined, of whom q 36a passed: railway mail
service. s.267 examined. Si20 PASSED: /:
Indian service, ssi examined. go passed: /:
customs service. 1872 examined. 2,oi2
passed; postal service, IS. 177 examined,
Il. .3f3 passed. The report st ates thar every
state has received substantially its due
share of appointments. any departure from
a mathematical spportionment being
caused by the need occasionally of filling
place requiring technical 90 aiitieations
with the best qualified person. without
reference to his place Of residence.
The commission claims that experience
shows that al positions in the government
service. with possibly s few exceptions.
can well be filed under the competitive
system. About oes-half of ali the en-
p!oyes of the classified service are in the
6l0 classified postofices- The law. 1t Is
said, is now better observed in the larger
Offices than ever before. The Indianapolis
and Baltimore offices are cited as having
been very badly managed from q civil
service standpoint, but now are considered
as we'll conducted As those of Boston and
Chicago. Politics are said to have been
practically eliminated in making appoint
ments and removals. in almost all of the
large postoffiees, as we'll as in most branches
ot the departmental service st Washington
City. There have been complaints from
many of the smaller offices, showing that
a large number of removals have been
made tor political reasons, although other
offenses. mostly of minor character. are
alleged as tue ground OF dismissal. In
some offices there have been practically
clean sweeps. The law has been rgidly
observed in the railway mail service. and
neither q pointments nor removals have
been made for political reasons. Crafty
ing progress Is reported In the adminisira-
ton of the civil service Law in the Indian
school service. The majority of the ap-
pointees nave been retained, aud new APP
pointments have been made without refer
ence to political considerations.
The report states that from the terms of
the law politics should have nothing to do
with continuance or order of exit from the
service, but that to some extent religious
and political reasons will influence dis
missals until there is a requirement of law
or rule that not only shall reasons for
dismissal be made matter of record and
be made known TO the person dismissed,
but that an opportunity be given for de-
fense. The postmaster reneralshas intro
duced practice in this line in the postal
service which, so far as results are known,
works we'll IN the direction of security,
stability and efficiency. and TO the COM
plese elimination of politics. Concerning
offensive partisanship the commission
says:
THE rules against offensive partisan
ship are usually construed strictly against
the opponents of The party IN power and
enientiy against their adherents. Per-
sons in the classified service, though un-
restricted as TO vote and opinions on all
political subjects, should not take any
active part in political management or
political campaigns, and should be de-
barred from turning official positions to
the benefit of either political party"
After speaking of the conviction of Post
master Loeke.. Of Newark. O., and Inter
nal Revenue Collector Raney of Eentucky
for making political assessments in the
presidential campaign of 1892, reference is
made to the case OF c. H. J. Taylor. re-
corder of deeds of the District of Column
bia, of which a report is now in the hands
of the president for action. OF .nis the
commission says:
"In investigating thl. case the commits
sion was much struck by the condition of
terrorism that obtsins IN the uncIassified
civil service. In the service there is no
security for the future. Removals are made
for purely political and personal reasons.
and there is no small amount of corrun-
ton in consequence. In the unclassified
civil service and in the excepted pisces at
Washington City the conditions are as
bad as ever. These evils will be largely
cured by the recent extension of classihca-
tion in the departmental service"
The commission reviews the attempts
made st assessment in the campaign
OF ls94. and the opinion of the attorney
general that solicitation by letter in pub
lie offices is not solicitation within the
law, and after reviewing the recent exten-
.ions cites the fact that there are few i'm
portant branches of the government ser
vice yet unelassihed.