The morning times., 1895-09-09
Public Printer Benedict and Civil
Service Commission.
THEIR RULES OBJECTED TO
No Suggestion From the Chief of
the Government Printing Office.
Chief Examiner Webster's Futile
Endeavor 10 Arrange an Interview
With Mr.. Benedict.

Printer Benedict and the Civil Service
Commission savors somewhat o the Com
edy OF Errors" There are u good many
amusing stories afluat referring 10 cor
reSpondence 10y telephone and otherwise
between the Officers of the two functions
OF the government, all growing out OF
the placing OF the 2,7OO employees of the
Government Printing Office under the
civil service rules.
The employees of the office petitioned
TO be put in the classified service, and the
Public Printer assured the committee in
charge OF the petition that he would do all
in his power to carry out their intention TO
the best of his ability He also said TO
one Of the committee that he would make
it his business To carry out the rules and
1 regulations to the very letter.
MR.. BENEDICT ATTITUDE.
Shortly after this declaration the President
| signed the order and the Civil Service Com
mission began to propose the rules, and the
subsequent proceedings were unknown to
/ Mr Benedict until lie received a copy Of the
/ rules and regulations from the Civil Service
/ Commission. IL is reported that in view
Of this fact Mr.. EeBedict sent word TO the
1 commissioners that he had nothing 10 sug-
gest, except that they must conform TO the
law which he would strictly observe.
The first objection to the rules was to the
age limit OF forty-five years. y committee
OF printers waited upon the commissioners
ana objected. They blamed the designation
OF this age on Mr.. Benedict, but he proved 10
{ - f1a
draft OF the commission.
IN order TO obviate further objections Mr..
Webster, chief examiner OF the commission,
asked Mr. Benedict for three practical men
as an advisory committee. Mr. Benedict
selected three. Mr.. Webster told. Mr..
Benedict that the committee was not salts
factory to the commission, and on being
asked to specify objections, said that one Of
the committee was a Catholic.
Mr.. Benedict did not consider this a suf-
ficieut objection. He would not make a
new selection, but Informed the commission
that they might Eelect a member in place
OF the Catholic. Strange TO say, they ap,
pointed another Catholic.
FOOLED BY THE PRINTERS.
While this was going ON a flood of
printers and presSmen and bookbinders was
deluging the city IN response to the circulars
of the commission for examination. The
typos and the X. OF L. took a hand. The.
pri nters, with their natural knack of
getting at the bottom Of things, saw just
what predicament the Commissioners We're
in, realized that they were at their wits
end ana recognized that the time was ripe
TO act and act quickly
With this end in view and the main point
being to have all temporary employees who
had worked within a year IN the office rein
stated without examination. They, ii is
said, circulated through the news agencies
stories which were intended TO preyentmem-
bsrs of the craft from abroad coming to
Washington TO try the examinations.
At the same time some one occasionally
dropped into Mr. Webster's office and filled
his. willing ears with tales OF what the
Printing Ofnce needed, and more par
uculary, what the Public Printer was
going 10 call for in the near future. With
the expectation of being called upon at
any minute to furnish an eligible list
Of 200 or 300 names, and not having any
available, the commissioners began to
pcrSpire They advertised for applicants
andSet dates fOrcXaminatiUns. Applicants
Were failures. Victory No. l for the
printers.
PRINTERS 'CLEVERPLOTTING.
The beautiful romance in regard to the
1 expected use Of typ,>,tt!uE machines at
an early date and the fact that purchase
had already been made and trial machine
I set up, dis scouraEed every out-of-town
( printer Who had ever thought OF seeking
I a comfortable government birth.
In the meantime Mr.. Benedict was saying
nothing. His advice appears TO have
been asked in nothing. The work had to
to be done in the same space and with the
same old machines, and lie had TO be more
exacting.
The printers believe that a state of af-
/ fairs has been brought about contrary
to what was expected. The reinstate-
meni-within a year limit has been eX-
tended 10 cover all who have ever worked
temporarily in the office, ard the spoils
system is rampant. The Public Printer
can appoint whom he pleases, any and every
Democrat and friends and friends friends.
There has yet been no meeting between
Mr. Benedict and the commission. Mr..
/ Webster has telephoned Mr.. Benedict sew
| eral times TO come up, but Mr. Benedict
/ has been invariably very busy. At last
note was sent him asking if it would be
4 convenient to see the commission at II
o'clock on the following day. Mr Benedict
said that it would. At II the commits
sioners did not arrive. The telephone
rang in Mr. Benedicts office Private
/ Secretary Baker went TO the phone and
received this query:
SUAIMoNING THE MOUNTAIN
Where is the Public Printer? Why
didn't be keep his engagement this morn
ing?"
Mr.. Benedict has been waiting since l.
O'Clock, sir, 10 receive the Commissioners, -
said Mr. Baker
But we expected him down here"
Tell the gentlemen" says Mr. Benedict
That it is impossible for me to come down
/ there / have no business with them; if
they have any with me they know where TO
/ mpd me"
/ When this message was delivered Mr..
/ Webster stepped up to the civil service end
/ of the phone and said:
bat there are three of US"
There are 2,70O OF us here" says Mr..
Benedict.
But we have no horse and carriage to
ride around in" replied Mr.. Webster.
IN send mine down." gallantly re-
torted the Printer, - and bring them up
We'll, / can't speak for the other two
! there is only one of US here at present, -
said Mr.. Webster
This was assumed by the other end to
mean that it was really Mr.. Webster and
not the commission who had been doing
the correspondence and so the matter