The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-12-02
CIVIL SERVICE RECORD.
M'kiNL EYs STRONG ADVOCACY
OF MERIT SYSTEM.
Wananaker Blamed by President Proc
tor For Violating CleVeIand's Rail-
way Service Order of 1889.
(Chicago Record

Chicago kec0rd)
Washington. Dec. President Proc
tor Of tbe civil service commission is con-
6dent that Mai. Mckinley viii take no
step backward in the reform of the civil
service He says that Mai. Mckinley
has boen one of the strongest and most
consistent advocates Of the merit system
and the fest of efficiency in appointments
and promotions, and while in Congress
ten or twelve years ago made speech
in which he used this expression: The
sooner politicians learn fhat cVll-ser-
vice reform has come to stay, the better
for them and the country
s"Tbere could not be a better record
in this respect than Maj. Mckinney s.
said Prof. Proctor yesterday, and the
country may be assured that ne VIII take
no step backward. Every president from
Arthur to Cleveland has carried out the
shirt and the letter of the law. Ihere
has been no wavering and no evasion
and from man like President Mckinney,
who has been a consistent and sincere
advocate and believer in the merit sys-
fem. what else could be expectedF
called President Proctor's afternoon
TO the popular impression that President
Harrison revoked, or at least suspended,
a eiyil-service order Of his predecessor.
"That is a mistake" he replied. One
president cannot revoke what another
president has done. Gen. Harrison could
moi revoke what President Cleveland dld
in extending the classified service any
more than he could revoke his approval
Of the legislation Of Congress. Mr.. CleYe-
land could not revoke it himself. What
is done under the civil-seryce law is done
finally. and even If Mr.. Bryan had been
elected he would have been poweriess.
Congress- alone can suspend or revoke
the law. Furthermore, President Harrl-
CON never tried to do so. Reports to the
contrary are due TO a misrepresentation,
and do him an injustice. The circum-
stances are these:
"During the winter Of 1889 President
Cleveland issued an order extending the
civil-service rules to include the railway
mail service. intending that it should go
into effect on the LIST of February, before
the close of his term. BY an inadver-
fence. however, the date was fixed the LIST
of April, nearly thirty days after his sue
cessor came into office, which was the
subiect of some criticism. But 1t was a
clerical error. There was only one COM
| missioner of the eiyil-seryice at the time,
and q large amount Of work TO be done,
owing to the spring examinations MT
LYMAN. the single commissioner, told
President Harrison that it would be I'M
nossible for the clerical force OF the com
mission to get the registers and other
naners ready in time for the order to go
| into effect on the LIST of April. Pfesl-
dent Harrison inquired how much time
was necessary. Lyman replied that he
must have at least thirty days,and oaght
ia have six weeks 1t was then the middle
of March. and President Harrison,at the
suggestion of Commissioner Lyman,
postponed the date for President Cleve-
and's order to 90 into effect from the
a eff April to the LIST Of May. lie could
90 sis without violation Of law, because
! the order had not gone into effect, but if
| it had become operative on the LIST Of
! February according to President Cleve-
| lands intentions, he could not have
| changed it.
Postmaster General Wanamaker took
| advantage of this interval" continued
| Prof. Proctor, 'and made 1000 changes
| in the railway mail service for the bene-
| fit Of politicians, which | think was a
| great mistake, and the records of the
! service leave no doubt on that question.
| The reports from the railway mail SER
vice show that during the year 1889 be-
fore these 1900 changes took place the
| ratio of errors by railway mail clerks
was one to 1854 pieces Of mail handled.
| In 1890 the year following, the ratio in
| creased to one error for 1924 pieces
| OF mail handled. Since then under the
merit system and promotion for efficien-
| cy the ratio has decreased until it is now
only one mistake for 10000 pieces of mail
matter."-Wm. e. Curtis.