The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-05-07
THE CIVIL SERVICE RULES !
Extended to Nearly Thirty thousand
Government Employees.
PRESIDENT CLEYELAND'S ORDER
Classification of All Government Employees
Below the Rank of Those Subject to
Confirmation by the Senate and
Above the Grade of Laborers.

WASHINGTON, May 7.-Almost 10000
government employees were brought with
one sweep under the protection of the civil
service yesterday by the issuance of an or.
der by President Cleveland makinga gen
eral revision of civil service rules. The
order is the most important since the in
auguration of the system more than de-
cade ago. 1t takes effect Immediately
Its practical extent is the classification
Of all government employees below the
rank of those subject to nomination by
the president and confirmation by the
senate and above the grades of labor
ers or workmen, with few exceptions.
The order has long been in contemplation,
and Its promulgation is the result of an
immense amount of correspondence and
conference between the president the civil
service commissioners and the heads of the
various departments.
The new rules add 90, 800 positions to the
classified list, increasing the number of
classified positions from 30, ,736 to 80, 1856
The number of classified places which are
exempted from examination has been re-
duced from 2, 900 to 775, being mainly po-
sitions as cashiers in the customs, postal
and internal revenue services. Indians
employed in minor capacities in the In
dian service are necessarily put in the ex-
cepted list Almost all of the positions in
Washington which have heretofore been
excepted have been included in the COM
petitive list.
The only classified positions in Wash
ington which will be excepted from ex-
animation under the new rules will be
private secretaries or confidential clerks
(not exceeding two) to the president and
to the head of each of the eight executive
departments. No positions will hereafter
be subject to non-competitiye examina-
tion, except in the cases of Indians en-
ployed in teaching capacity in the In
| dian service.
The statement explanatory of the order
issued by the civil service commission says
the action will make the classified service
more completely subject to merit prin-
ciples and take it out of politics. Where
so large part of the service was left TO be
filled by political influences and when the
men appointed possibly were active work
ing politicians the rest of the force tended
to fall under political influences The
statement continues;
'The first civil service rules were pro-
mulgated by President Arthur in 1888. In
1888 President Cleveland adopted re-
|
force, with various succeeding amend
ments, until now. These involved repe-
tition for each of the branches of the clas-
sified service of provisions common to all.
When the classified service was small this
plan worked we'll, but now the service has
grown to large proportions and there are
seven branches. The repetition now is
avoided by putting the common provisions
into general rules.
"a large reduction is now made of the
list of excepted places, which usually are
the higher and more important places in
the classified service. This, it is claimed
will have far reaching and beneficial re
suits. The existence of any large num-
ber of excepted places in any branch oi
the classified service is a menace to and
has an evil effect upon the civil ser
vice subject to competitive examination
and does much to nullify the good effects
of the examinations. The lower grades
will now be recruited by a still better
class of men who will be invited by thu
opportunity of promotion upon merit"