Evening star., 1896-11-27
QUESTION OF APPOINTMENT
Civil Service Commission May claim Many
Places.
Even Places Under the Librarian of
COngress-Interpretfn the Presf-
dents Recent Order.

The civil Service commission Is looking
over a number of positions that have not
yet been placed under the civil service law,
but which, it is believed at the civil service
rooms, rightfully belong there. and will
shortly be so decided by the proper author
tiles.
These places include all the employees Of
the Library Of Congress, from the librarian
down. and the only question to be consid-
cred regarding them is whether the force
of the library belongs to the executive CT
legislative branch of the government. The
commission claims that they belong to the
executive branch. and If that is the case
Mr.. Spofford and his assistants are under
the protection of the civil service law. II
is not generally known that the librarian is
appointed by tn. President, without the
confirmation Of the Senate, section 50 OF
the Revised Statutes reading as follows:
The President, solely. shall appoint
from time to time librarian to take charge
of the Library of Congress" Section 3l
provides that THE librarian is authorized
to employ from time to time the following
assistants" etc. The last executive order
placed under the civil service law al! places
IL the executive departments except those
appointed by the President and confirmed
by the Senate, or such persons who do
mere manual labor.
If this view of the manner in which
places in the library should be filled is up
held it will be disappointment to num-
Der of people who have been marshaling
their influence" in order to get the coveted
positions. The library now has thirty-nine
employees. including the librarian, and as
soon as the new library building is occu-
pied this number will be at least doubled
During the meetings of the joint commit
tee on the library Mr.. Quigg inquired of
Mr.. Spofford whether he did not think ii a
good plan to have the additional employees
of the library appointed by the joint COM
mitteG the recommendation nf he 1jbra-
rian, and many members of the committee
believe that they will have a good deal to
say regarding the men who are to be
placed in positions in the library Doubt
less the effort to be made by the civil SER
vice commission to have the employees of
the great library nominated by 1t will meet
With much opposition, but ii is believed the
law is so clear that 1t can readily be seen
that the Presidents order covers the H.
brary.
The architect of the Capitol and all en-
ployes Of his Office with the exception of
laborers are under the civil service law.
and 1t is claimed that every argument
which can be used to place ii there can be
applied TO the librarian and his assistants
The fact that the control of the library is
under q joint commission of both houses
of Congress is not believed by the civil
service commission to affect the character
OF the library as part of the executive
branch Of the government.
There are other places which the COM
mission thinks should be filled through eN-
aminations held by it, but which have
not yet been turned over to 1t in ac-
cordance with the Presidents order. The
employees of the offices of the recorder of
deeds. register Of wills and inspector of gas
meters for the District of Columbia are all
so regarded. 1t is contended that the Of
flee of the United States marshal for the
District Of Columbia Should be placed under
the civil service law. Under the marshal
are eighteen employees.
The commission is reaching after some
other very high places under the govern
Hent, to which appointments are male
with the confirmation of the Senate
Among these are the five directors of the
Union Pacific railroad, and they will prob
ably be surprised to find that when their
places are to be filled in the future the
civil service commission will contend for
the right to name the men for them
through competitive examination.