Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-28
President Cleveland Has Taken $4,000
Offices Out of Politics.
SPREAD OF THE CIVIL SERVICE LAW
Some Notable Executive Ordcrs-Mr.
Mckinley Disposed to Sustain
Them-Vcry Little Patrons
ngc to Dispense.

! greet the incoming administration. Times
! have changed since March 4, 1898. The
! spoils which now belong to the victors are
! not such as to agitate the nation. During
the past four years, or since he entered
upon his second term President Cleveland
has put under the operation and protection
of the civil service law 5000 places which,
up to the time Of such action, were open for
the reward of party loyalty and party labor.
Now, these $4,000 places, as vacancies oc-
cur, must be filled from candidates who
pass examinations, and candidates poll
tics does not enter into consideration.
In general way it may be said that al
most every office worth having, which does
not require confirmation by the senate, has
been taken out or politics. The sc 900 Of
fees which President Cleveland and his
subordinates could dispose of at will are
now neid by officials who can remain so long
as they are efficient And as vacancies
occur neither the president nor the cabinet
has power to fill them.
HERE MERIT GOES
Here are some of the branches OF gov
eminent employment to which appointments
can no longer be made on political merit,
as was the condition four years ago, and
from which removals cannot now take
place to give office to partisans:
The steamboat inspection service.
The marine hospital service.
The light house service
The life saving service.
The several minis and assay offices.
The revenue cutter service.
The force employed under custodians of
public buildings
The several subtreasuries.
The engineer department at large.
The ordnance department at large.
The internal revenue service.
In Washington order has removed
what was once an attractive field for the
reward of the faithful country editor. The
great government printing office Is now
under the civil service law. Appointments
to places under the public printer are no
longer dependent upon congressional pull.
This means that places upon the printing
committees of both house and senate will
not be so desirable in the eyes of statesmen
as they have been.
That bulwark of party patriotism, the
fourth-class postofflce still remains. Vari-
Gus plans to take the country postoffce out
of politics have been considered. None of
them has been found satisfactory. The SEN
ator or representative still has the post
office candidate with him. There are $4,000
fourth-class postofilces Upon these the Of
fce-seekers must concentrate, for President
Cleveland has left very little else for the |
rank and file of party workers
1t used to be possible for a patriot who |
came to Washington seeking a mission, an |
assistant secretaryshp, or something |
as Waterman or messenger. Men of note in |
their communities have become messengers |
in department rather than go home with
out any recognition from the party for
which they had done so much. But now |
even these compromises are barred. An or
der of President Cleveland has put the places
of messengers and watchmen of the depart
ments in the classified service. There Is
any place, the compensation of
which is over $500, left out. For almost
but floor scrubbing and spittoon
cleaning an examination and non-partisan
qualifications are required
CIVIL SERVICE INFORMATION.
The latest rules of the civil service COM
mission abound in information which will
cause the heart of the ofIlce-seeker to bow
down. The president of the United States
has the appointment of mot exceeding two
private secretaries or confidential clerks"
Each member of the cabinet is similarly
limited All other places in the depart
ments, excepting, of course, those filled on
by the senate, can be given
only when vacancies occur, and to such per-
sons as pass examinations and are certified
as eligible by the commission. The spirit of
the exemptions is to give to postmasters
and collectors one or two personal appoint
nents in order that they may protect them
selves in money matters. To illustrate, the
only exemptions in these branches of the
service are announced in the new rules as
follows:
Custom house service: (a) One cashier in
zach customs district; (b) one chief or prin-
,ipal deputy or assistant collector on each
customs district, whose employees number as
many as 800
Postofice service: Ca) One assistant post
master or chief assistant to the postmaster
If whatever designation, at each postofce;
b one cashier of each first class Dostonice
when employed under the roster title of
asher only.
Int al nrKrfpn nnn ,1n,rn L.,
zach internal revenue district who shall
lct as cashier or chief deputy or assistant
collector, as may be determined by the
Treasury department.
The above are the positions which the
and collectors to be named by
Mr. Mckinley will be able to fill. All other
places under him will be held by present
ncumbents during good behavior. and, when
'acated will be filled from the civil service
eligible list.
THE INDIAN AGENCIES.
About the Indian agencies and the Indian
choOls politicians formerly found many OPP
,ortunities for taking care of needy rela-
ions. To carry on the government work of
Educating the Indians requires hundreds of
Jerks, teachers, farmers and herdsmer.
The pay is good. The work could be shirked.
\ rare field for nepotism was presented
md 1t was well cultivated by the politicians
IS often as administrations changed. That
ort of thing has been done away with. All
|
md schools are now under the civil service
aw and will remain in their places under
he merit system. The only exceptions to
his rule are the Indians themselves who
lold minor places at the schools and agen-
les. There are 2,061 Indians in such en-
'loyment. They enjoy what the white Of
icials do not, exemption from examinations
before appointment.
Previous to this administration chiefs of
divisions, heads of bureaus and certain
ther officials of that kind were not under
he law. Such Offices we're vacated and
He'd at the beginning of every administra-
ion without examinations. Many of them Z
vent to members OF the party coming into
over. There were about $500 places
'hich could be filled without examinations
hey have been withdrawn by executive
rider. and hereafter, as vacancies occur
mong them, the most desirable places In
he department, they will be filled by pro-
notions or transfers. They will be open to
hose clerks who have advanced on their
lerits through the grades OF the classified
SITS, Besides chiefs of divisions and of
ureaus, some of the scientists and experts
I various branches OF government work
ONE under the protection of this order ,
hs cutting down OF the excepted list is re
arded by the friends of civil service re- !
lrm as one OF the most significant acts OF
he administration. By II there is opened | {
D the clerks of the higher grades the pos
ibility of advancement to these desirable
.s... Il. III.