The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-08-30
WAsHINGTON. Aug. 20


m EFORE leaving Washington to-
w day to investigate charges
IIO against the postmaster at Ian.
~ caster, Civil Service Commis-
sioner Roosevelt expressed some char
acteristiCally vigorous views respect
ing the work of the commission, the
practices pursued in the departments
and the construction of the laws relat-
ing to the commission. After irving
credit to Senators Cockrell and Lodge
for securing the provision in the ap-
preparation bill which gives TO the com
mission the right to select its own
clerks, which the house struck ont Of
the bill. Mr.. Roosevelt said:
81 want to call attention to the By
num bill in the house to reipstate the
Democratic railway clerks who were
turned out prior to the classification of
the railway mail service in 1899
1t ia thoroughly vicious partisan
measure, aud | cannot but express
my establishment and regret that not
one single Democrat in the house voted
against it. Ii it should become a law
it would be precedent for the enact
ment of similar measures whenever a
change of administration took place.
1t is introduced purely IN the interests
OF the spoils monger, and is thor
oughly vicious bill in every way.
SOLICITATION is ILLEGAL
Then there is something else," he
went on. "The recent decision of the
attorney general. which permits solicit
tstion for political purposes by letter
in government buildings. If this opin-
ion holds the commission must imme-
diately request the passage of n law to
prohibit such solicitation. The COM
mission has always insisted that solicit
tation for political purposes was il
legal, whether done in person or by
letter in government building.
1t was owing to this Interpretation
that we were able to very nearly break
up the practice during the last presi.
Dental campaign. and as the after.
math OF that campaign we have pro-
cured the conviction Of two govern.
ment officials, one postmaster in OHIO
and the other deputy internal reve-
nue. officer Of Kentucky. hut we have
never had q case tried in the courts,
where the accusation was that the so.
licitation was by letter.
"Nine-tenths of the good done by the
law will vanish if solicitation by letter
is allowed, and although tho commits
sion will. of course, do all it can to
protect employees if they are moested
in any way for refusing to contribute,
it is imperative that We should bs given
power to prosecute any attempt at p0.
litical assessment in government t
building, either by letter or otherwise
BETTER CONDITION HOPED FOR.
THE commission sincerely hopes
that there will be great extension OF
the classified service. and that the
number of positions now excepted from
examination will be materially re-
duced, both in the departments and in
the postoftices and custom houses
throughout the country. A great
many places are excepted from examin-
alton on the theory that they must be
filled by people having confidential re.
latious to the head of the department {
or that they require special qualifica-
tions not to be tested by examination.
This is the theory. In practice these
excepted positions are filed almost
wholly ON political grounds ami are
filled as a rule with men much inferior
to those whom we get through our
competitive examinations,
They are places better remunerated
than others in the same office, and by
the filling of these in this way pre-
MUM is put upon pernicious partisan
activity, as against faithful perform
ance Of their work by clerks actually
in the eervice. Moreover, the existence
of these places is constant temptation
to officials to change the titles of them
80 as TO make them excepted. Several
striking illustrations of this have oc-
Cured in the treasury department.