The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-02
CIVIL SERVICE LAW
IN OPERATION
Political lufluence Controls Many Fewer
Offices Than Formerly.
GOOD ADVICE TO OFFIcE.sEEKERs
Congressman Feel the Pressure of
the Myriads Of Requests for Office,
but Are Unable to Respond Because
Of Removal Of PatrOnagc..Some Of
the Places That Have Gone Under
the Civil Service Rules.
Washington Letter, Philadelphia Press.

washington Letter, Philadelphla fress'
congressman, politicians and others
supposed to have influence with the in
coming Republican administration are
already feeling the pressure of large
army Of office seekers. The demands
for reward for services are as geat as
In former years, but the list of posi-
tions within the gift of President Nc
Kinley and his subordinates has been
reduced by about 10000 since the Re
publicans last had control of the gov
ernment.
When the Democratic administration
came In in 1893 no time was lost In
making reductions and dismissals IN
the ranks of Republican office holders.
Every position not covered by the civil
service rules was filled by Democrat,
and whenever an excuse could be dis
covered fer action Republican clerks in
the classified service were reduced in
salary and Democrats promoted. Az
ter the changes had been completed as
far as the Democratic officials could go
orders were issued placing various de-
partments and grades of employees and
clerks under the operation of the civil
service law.
The first orders issued by President
Cleveland upon the recommendation OF
the civil service commission applied to
the Indian service and various posi-
tions In the agricultural department
and in the customs and internal reve-
nue. service. Then followed other orr
ders, covering chiefs of divisions; depu-
ty auditors and other officials in the
departments at Washington, together
with further extensions in the customs
and internal revenue service; also posi-
tions in the consular service when the
compensation Is less than $500 year.
These extensions took out of the list OF
political appointments something ike
10000 positions.
APPOINTIVE POSITIONS.
There are, in round numbers. 1900
government positions that are appoin-
tive. According to the report OF the
Civil Service commission for 1895 $4,000
of these were at that time in the un-
classified service. Since then the ex-
tension OF the civil service rules has
reduced that number by 10000, so that
the new administration will find about
1a2, 900 positions of all kinds to which
appointments can be made without first
passing a civil service examination
and securing the recommendation Of
the board of commissioners.
OF this number $4,000 are fOurth-class
postmasters, in the appointment Of
which congressman are especially in
terested.
The above facts should be borne in
mind by the ofIice-seekers and those
who desire to enter the government
service should lose no time In taking
the civil service examination and get
ting their names on the lists recon-
mended by the civil service commits
siOners.
There has always been the strongest
kind of pressure brought to bear upon
congressman to secure places for their
constituents In Washington.
There We're w. to the present ad-
minstratiOn some very desirable
from $4,000 to $500; deputy auditor
ships, chief clerkships and other places
of petty authority and comfortable
emolument which could be secured for
those who had aided the party and
were capable of filling the positions.
There were thousands of applications
for these places, and congressman were
kept busy haunting the departments
and besieging the appointive persons
for recognition of their candidates. An
end has come to all this. Outside of
the assistant secretaries and heads Of
important bureaus there are but two
clerical positions exempted from the
operation of the civil service rules, and
these are private secretary and steno-
grapher to the head of a department.
CONSULAR APPOINTMENTS.
Heretofore there has been a wild
scramble for consular appointments.
The bulk of the patronage in that line
has been removed by the placing of all
positions paying less than $500 year
under the civil service law. The class
ification leaves comparatively small
v1Iu,1nr nf cyrla nfIirpo no fila6
by the appointment of the president
and the recommendations of senators
and representatives will not have as
wide a sweep as formerly.
Positions in this service paying
above $500 are of great Importance,
and as great care Is exercised In the
selection of an incumbent as in the ap-
pointment of a minister In this class
are consul generals. whose functions
are often Of diplomatic character
and who should be men Of high char
actel and ability.
Another source of annoyance to con-
gressmen that will now be removed is
that of demands for appointment to
places under customs and revenue col
lectors. The subordinate places in the
postOffice service for some years, but
now, according to the extension of the
civil service rules ordered by President
Cleveland, all the positions in the GUS
toms and revenue service and addition
al ones in the postoffice service have
been classified.
PLACES YET OPEN.
For the guidance of those who desire
to enter the government service and
have some notion of doing so through
the medium of appointment upon the
recommendation of their congressman
or through the virtue of political back
ing. the following list of exemptions