The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-09-26
u,,p PRESIDENT HAS DECLARED
y All coNsULs UNDER CIVIL
SERVICE RULES.
HEREAFTER SPECIAL FITNESS
ONLY WILL AVAIL
Tn tho Selections-An Examination Will
Be Provided For-Annual Report
of the Postofice Depart
ment-Other Notes.

Washington, Sept. 23.-The president,
nv an executive order issued today put
dated September 20, extended the CIVIL
service system in modified form to all
consular officers whose compensation,
directly and through fees, ranges from
$1,000 to S25OO. This will include about
one-half the total amount of consuls
who receive more than $1,000. This
change has been gained by reviving in
substance an old order of 1873. Nacan-
cies in the service will be filled hereafter
by transfer or promotion, by appoint
ment of qualified persons formerly IN
the employ of the state department and
by appointment of persons selected by
the president after passing non-com-
petitive examination. The order reads:
Executive Mansion, Sept. 20, lS95.-lt
being of great Importance that the con-
suls, the commercial agents OF the United
States, shall possess the proper quallhca-
tions for their respective positions, to
he ascertained either through salts
factory record of previous actual service
under the state department of state or
. through an examination, it is hereby. Or
fdered that any vacancy in the consulate
or commercial agency now or hereafter
existing, the salary of which is not more
than S2500 or less than $1,000, or the
compensation of which is derived from
official fees exclusively of notarial and
other unofficial receipts, and does not
exceed $2500 nor fall below $1OOO, shall
be filled (a) by transfer or promotlon
from some other position under the de-
partment of state of character tending
to qualify the incumbent for the position
to be filled, or (b) by appointment OF
nerson not under the department of
state, but having previously served there
under to it's satisfaction, in capacity
Ztending to qualify him for the position to
be filed or by the appointment of per-
son who, having furnished the customary
evidence of character, responsibility ana
capacity and being thereupon selected by
the president for examination, is found
upon such examination to be quallhed
for the position.
"For the purpose of this order, notarial
and unofficial fees shall not be regarded,
4but the compensation of a consulate or
commercial agency shall be ascertained
If the office is salaried by reference to
the last preceding appropriation act, ana
IF the Office is not salaried by reference
to the returns of official fees of the last
preceding fiscal year.
'|The examination hereinbefore proVld-
ed for shall be by board of three per-
sons designated by the secretary of state,
who shall also Prescribe the subjects to
which such examination shall relate and
the general mode of conducting the same
by the board. GU,
"a vacancy in consulate will he filled
at discretion only when a suitable APP
-, 10
modes indicated in the second paragraph
" ~ "GROVER CLEvELAND.'
The president issued this order upon
the recommendation of Secretary Olney,
who has had the matter under consldera-
ton for several months. In his report
the secretary reviewed the reports that
have been frequently in the press and
commercial circles of the incOmpetency
of consuls and he holds that, IN view of
their great Importance to commerce,
consuls should, so far as practicable, be
chosen for special fitness for the particu-
lar position in which they are TO serve.
This contention is supported by the eX-
perience of Great Britain and other Euro
mean countries. The secretary lefers to
bills introduced in the last congress to
reform the consular service, but init
mates that the subject more closely con-
Germs the executive branches, and he
finds power in the unrepealed civil serv-
ice act of 1873 to make his order. If not
sufficient then it may be that the elabo-
rate machinery of the senate bill may be
necessary. He intimates that if salts
factory in it's workings the system may
be extended, but never to include consuls
of such rank as to be scarcely inferior to
ministers, who should be selected at the
personal discretion of the president.
POSTAL REPORT.
Washington. Sept. 23.-The annual re-
port of Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General Maxwell shows that the num-
Der of postoffices in operation in the
United States June 30, 1895, was
70,6O4. During the year 2422 postoffices
were established and 2163 discontinued.
The total number of appointments for
the year was 1912. During the year
the greatest increase in the number of
postoffices was in Oklahoma-69.
81, 4 CO IN