Evening star., 1896-04-11
How Civil Service is Administered
at the Government Office.
SENATE COMMITTEES INVESTIGATION
Differences Between Mr.. Benedict
and the Commissioners.
THE TESTIMONY TAKEN

ployes who were the temporary roll
August last, when that office was placed
under the operations of the civil service
law, was thoroughly ventilated this morn
ing in d hearing on the question before the
Senate committee civil service and re-
trenchment, in accordance with resolu-
tion of the-Senate recently adopted. In the
absence of Chairman Pritchard, Senator
Lodge presided, and with him sat Senators
Walthall. Dubois and Chiffon. The first
one to be heard was Mr.. Theodore Hodes
one of the thirty-six employees who read a
long statement of the case. detailing the
various conversations between himself and
Mr.. auckland. who associated with
him in the effort to secure reinstatement
for these employees, and the civil service
commission. through which the question of
their eligibility fer retention in the classi-
fled service was submitted before the 1st
Of August.
The gist of the statement of Mr.. Hodes
and that of Mr. Bucklend which followed
was that the civil service commission ruled
that they were entitled to classification If
they should be employed in the office on the
1st of August and that the public printer
erred in not sending their names to the
commission in the list submitted by him in
accordance with the law governing the ex-
tension of the civil service The various
members of the commission, it appeared,
had endeavored to use all means within
their power to bring Mr. Benedict around
to this way of thinking. but utterly failed
to do so, and 1t was impossible to secure
an audience with him. According to Mr.
Buckland member of Congress, after hav-
ing first ascertained from President Proc
tor of the commission that, in his opinion,
the thirty-six employees were eligible called
on Mr. Benedict and asked for Mr.. Buck
lands reinstatement, with the result that
Mr. Benedict replied: Il don't care wha,
those - wet nurses say; Buckiand is not
eligible"
Mr. Benedict's Statement.
After these statements had been read the
public printer addressed the committee at
some length, and Stated his side of the
case He took the position that the tempo
rary employees are Eot eligible for classifi-
cation, and to maintain this contention he
indicated the various differences in the
law and the administration Of the office
between the regular and the temporary
employees. the former having the right of
leave of absence, pay on holidays, a place
in the biennial blue book, and various
other privileges not enjoyed by the tenn
porary employees. He detailed the circum-
stances leaulng up 10 the employment In
June last of nearly two hundred extras, in
cluding the thirty-six persons under con-
sideration. These people were transferred
in July to other work. and so were re-
tanned until the 1st of August.
MIR. Benedict disclamed any personal
Feeling against Messrs. Hodes and Buck
land, or others in the same position, and
denied that they had been dropped as tenn
porary employees because of their CORE
spCndence with the civil service commits
sion.
senator Lodges Questions.
1t was at this pc!nt that Senator Lodge
interrupted Mr.. Benedict's flow of Ian
guege to ask him a most important ques-
ton. He read from the Presidents or
der extending the civil service law to the
government printing office this definition
of those entitled to classification: "An per-
sons employed in the Office ION the 1st of
AugusO. except those appointed by and
with the advice and consent OF the Sen
ate, and all unskilled laborers.'
These men fall under that classification,
do they not?' asked Mr.. Lodge.
They DO not, answered Mr.. Benedict.
"Under which exception do they fall?'
asked Mr.. Lodge.
Mr. Benedict undertook to answer by re-
ferring to the various statutes relating to
the leaves of absence and other privileges
granted to regular men, but Mr.. Lodge was
not satisfied with that explanation, and
thf temporary employment of men after
August 1, which, as he sail, seemed 10
place such employees entirely under the
view of the civil service commission.
The Issue Defined.
1t was then that the issue was clearly
defined. Mr.. Benedict took the ground en-
phatically that he. and he alone, had the
right to decide as to who should fall under
the classification rule, and that this was
not within the power of the civil service
commission. Mr.. Lodge did not share this
opinion. There was some question raised
as to just how far tho civil service COM
mission had called upon Mr.. Benedict for
names but the only clear fact that re-
manned apparent was that Mr.. Benedict
had interpreted the law himself; had paid
no attention 20 the protests of the COM
mission in the case OF these men, believ-
ing that the commission had acted on
misinformation, and had ignored the COM
mission entirely N the matter of it's ruling
on the eligibility of the temporary en-
ployes who were In the office August l.
Mr.. Benedict protested that he was anil
still is anxious to administer the civil
service law both in spirit and in letter.
Commissioner PrOcter's Testimony.
Civil Service Commissioner Proctor was
the next witness, who said that the differ
ence between the commission and Mr. Ben
pretation of language. If the public printer
had stated at the outset that ne did not
want to appoint any one on the temporary
TCn without an examination the commission
would probably have sustained him, but
he made the mistake, believing that he had
the sole power Of decision as to eligibility
whereas il is the universal custom to leave
such matters to the commission
The commission had held that eyery per-
son employed in the office August l should
be eligible without an examination. He and
mis- colleagues felt an interest in the case of
these men because they had advised them
that they need not take an examination,
and they were concerned lest the men
should suffer on account Of that advice.
A Breezy COllOquy.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Procter's testi-
mony Mr.. Benedict stated that the an
nouncement of the commissions power and
Of its ruling was practically all new to him;
he knew Of no law to govern the commits
sion. and no law had been quoted.
There was a breezy colloquy between
Mr.. Benedict and Mr.. Buckland on the
charge preferred by Mr.. Benedict that
Buckland and Hodes had tried to persuade
the other thirty-four employees not to take
An examination subsequently. Some Of