The morning news., 1894-11-23
EXTENDING THE CIVIL SERVICE.
All Postmasters May be Included in Its
Provisions.

Washington, Nov. 22.-From a spoil
mans point of view it will make little
difference what party gains the ascend
ancy in 1896. The spoils system is rapidly
approaching an end as far as
the distribution of federal patro-
mage is concerned. The civil service
commission. not satisfied with placing all
the departments under the civil service
rule and extending it into the internal
revenue department, is determined to urge
upon Mr.. Cleveland the extension of the
civil service system to the entire postal
service. The proposition is sweeping in
its scope. 1t is strongly backed by POST
master General Bissell, and Mr.. Cleveland
is not inimical to it. Before he leaves
the white house the civil service commits
sioners boldly assert he will place every
federal office holder in the postoffice ser
vice under the commissions cloak. If pur-
poses now maintained are carried into
effect. for example, Mr.. might retain
his position Indefinitely as postmaster of
-. In other words, the same charges to
secure his discharge would have to be
advanced and proven against him as in
the case of a departmental clerk here.
If the propositions of the civil service
commission are to he carried out there
win hardly be a limit to promotions. The
nostoffices of leading cities are 10 be gra-
ded. OF course New York will lead the
list. then will come Chicago, Philadelphia,
Boston. Baltimore, St Louis, San Fran
cisco. New Orleans, Cincinnati. Pittsburg
Louisville Cleveland, Nashville, SaVan-
49,, socfFT xHrl1fal 10 vnvO
osition is based on a determination to make
the postal service business concern
70 he operated independent Of politics
# is further given out that Mr.. Bissell
i'm his next report to congress VIII urge
tbe necessity of his department being
run on absolutely business principles. Ihe
deficit in the postal revenues for the past
fiscal year reached S925O,OOO. Mr.. Bisseu
saws the falling eff was due to business
denression. For a great many years the
/ shortage has aggregated something like
/ * OG0 600 He is determined to put this de-
nartment on a paying basis, and TO DO
/ tbis ne intends to recommend, so II IS
( said. that congressman ana the depart
/ ments nav postage on the enormous mass
/ of matter when Ihe government io"
transports free. 90,
/ I-nder the scheme mapped out II will
/ be nossible for the postmaster at chicago
/ to he promoted to be postmaster at New
/ Vork philadelphia TO Chicago, and so on
/ through the list
ro,,rth-cIass offices too will also be
/ ,iaced under this ruling and the appoint
ment of postmasters at cross roads ana
villages which now mean so much to re-
,,ossntatives, will be eliminated from
their prerogatiyes and functions 1t Is Is
even proposed to extend the ciVll serV%lee %
/ ,,rincipIes to the consular service ana the
minor departmental places not now within
he pale OF the civil service law. year
o, even two years. may elapse before
.,tt,sl erect will be- given, but before
sir cleveland retires from the White
House March T. 1881 there VIII not he many
rlares In the federal service left TO be
| doied out by the spollsmen.
senator Piatt Is in washington. lie ,,,,, out,
lined tine republican policy ioL the heAl
sessIop ss follows. THE republicans are
,.t ln a position 20 take an Affirmative
posltion ln legislation during mo n'Ai seq
/ .,op IN in fact for the ncAt two years
/ Il, ,.l,,is 4. tnVlse for them 90 formulate
s,, rollay until they have The power 10
J do -6 Their duty ncsnnf'ly r''i17 'l''f