Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-13
OFFICERS ELECTED
Business of the National Civil Ser
vice Reform League Today.
INTERESTING REPORTS SUBMITTED
Work Accomplished by the District
Reform Association.
THIS AFTERNOONS PROGRAM

THIS AFTERNOONS PROGRAM
The second day of the meeting cf the
Civil Service Reform League began this
| morning in the assembly hall of the Cosmos
| Club. There was a very fair attendance
| of delegates, upward of a hundred gen.
tlemen being present
Officers Elected.
The first business of the morning was
| the election of a president and nine vice
| presidents of the league. Mr.. c. J. Bona
parte of baltimore made a motion, which
| was adopted, directing the secretary to
| cast the ballot of the league for Mr.. Carl
SChurz president, and the following vice
presidents: Charles Francis Adams, Bos-
ton; Augustus r. Macdonough, New York;
Rt. Rev. Henry c. Potter, New York; J.
| Hall Peasants, Baltimore; Henry Hitch
| cock, st. Louis; Henry c. Lea, Philadel-
phia; Franklin MacVeagh, Chicago; Rt
Rev. Stephen n. Ryan, Buffalo; William
Potts, Pennington.
| the committee on audit, and Mr.. w. j.
| Schieffelin, the treasurer, read a report
which had receAed the approval of the
finance committee. authorizing budget OF
$500 to dafray the expenses of the league
| for the year 1886. 1t was adopted.
Mr.. c. J. Bonaparte then read the report
of the special committee on extension,
which was prepared by Mr.. Schurz, Mr.. r.
II. Dana of Cambridge and Mr.. Bonaparte.
The report dealt mainly with the recent
order of the President extending the civil
service rules so as to take in a large sec
ticn of the consular service. The report
went at length into a consideration of the
number of Offices that will be affected by
the order, and the extent to wh.%1 1t is
likely to prove successful. After discuss
ing the merits and defects of the order the
report of the committee said:
Step in the Right Direction.
The Secretary of State has appointed a
| commission to conduct the examination,
| which is composed of men thought to be
thorough believers in the principles and OBJ
jects of civil service reform.
''All this permits us to believe that, after
having in so unequivocal manner recog-
nized the necessity of improving the con-
sular service by promoting meritorouS Of
fcerS from lower to higher positions and
by subjecting candidates for appointment
to comprehensive examinations to their
general intelligence and their knowledge of
things which q consular officer should know,
on official recognition which is, as such, of
great value, the administration will faith
| fully endeavor to secure from the system
thus initiated the best possible results. Nor
do we doubt that strict and consistent en-
forcernent of this order would lead to Q
considerable improvement of the consular
service
But we sincerely agree with the Secre-
tary of State Mr.. Olney, when in his letter
On this subject addressed to the President
he says that the order should be considered
as in no ser Sc final or exhaustive but
rather mere step in the right direction
which will inevitably lead to a further ad-
vance,"
Mr.. Oscar Straus Of New York. ex-minis-
ter to Turkey made a brief verbal report
for the committee reform in the con-
sular service. urging that the recent or
der of the Pres dent be strengthened by
legislative enactment to the same effect.
Mr.. George McAneny of the committee on
legislation. presented an informal report of
the committee urging the introduction of
| a number of bills into Congress to secure
such reforms as the league asks for.
Reform in the District.
Mr. Charles W. Stetson OF this city read
a report for the committee civil service
reform in the District of Columbia. 1t vas
in part follows:
The First Effort.
"Our first effort was 10 induce the Presi-
dent to extend the provisions of the civil
service law 20 the District by executive
order. In this we had the cooperation of
the District Commissioners 1t was ascer-
tanned that the President was favorably in
clined II act, but doubted whether the gen.
eral civil service law gave him authority to
deal with the municipal offices of the Dis
trict. The question was referred by him to
the Attorney General, and in the course of
the winter the President Informed a COM
mttee of the associa ton that the Attorney
General held, under existing law, that the
extension could not be made, and that legis-
latiVe enactment would be necessary to ac-
compSh what was desired. The short ses-
sion of Congress was already far advanced.
but bill was thercupon introduced in to the
House Of Represen tatives by Mr.. Everett of
Massachusetts. having for its object the re-
moval of the difficulties supposed to exist in
the way of executive action, and this bill
was referred to the committee on civil serv-
ice reform. Earnest efforts We're made by
several officers and members of the associa-
ton to secure action on it, but the crowded
condition of the House calendar and the in
difference of the majority of the members
of the civil service reform committee made
it impossible to secure any action. Senator
Lodge stood ready to Introduce similar
bill in the Senate, but the fruitlessness of
our erdeavors to secure consideration of the
House bill led us to think it best to postpone
the matter to the present long session of
Congress.
During the winter the board of trade of
the District took up the matter of municipal
civil service reform. After some discussion.
a resolution of approval was passed almost
unanimously. and committee appointed to
cooperate with our association in an effort
to secure proper legislation in this Congress-
The COmmissiGners' Action
The Commissioners, however, have not
waited for Congress to act, but have them
selves taken a step in the right direction
On June It. 1895, this order was issued by
them: "All appointments to positions in
the District government shall be made un-
der civil service rules, to be adopted and
promulgated soon as practicable" The
rules for carrying this order into effect
have not yet been formula ted, for lack of
appropriation, but as declaration of pol
Icy which the Commissioners propose to
follow in filing positions at their disposal
the order is very encouraging.
A bill enlarging the scope of the Everett
bill will be introduced into the House
early IN the present session: its progress
will be carefully watched by the associa-
ton, ana effort will be spared to secure
its passage. If passed by the House and
Senate. the association has every reason
to believe it VIII receive the Presidents
signature.
Mr.. Sherman S. Rogers presented the re-
port of the committee CT resolutions Some
of the most important Recommendations
contained in the report gave rise to con-
ci6 discussion pricr tp haj