The Indianapolis journal., 1896-11-25
Democrat.

ployes there are to-day only three places
which will be open to Republican candi-
dates after the 4th Of March. These are the
postmaster, the assistant postmaster and
the cashier Those now in possession of
the remaining positions are secure in that
possession during good behavior. In the
office of collector of the port the situation
is the same. The patronage of the collector
of internal revenue is similarly restricted
under the executive orders issued since
Mr.. Cleveland became President the Sec
ond time. Deputies, clerks, attaches and
laborerS above the most menal grade In
all the federal offices in ST. Louis can be
removed for cause only When removed
their places must be flied from those who
pass an examination in which politics plays
Here are some of the branches of govern
ment employment to which appointments
no longer he made on political merit
as was the condition four years ago, and
from which removals cannot now take
place to give office to partisans:
The steamboat inspection service.
The marine hospital service.
The lighthouse service.
The life saving service
The several mints and assay offices.
The revenue cutter service.
The force employed Under custodians Of
puhlic buildings.
The several SubtreaSurieS.
The ordnance department. at large.
The interna! revenue service.
In Washington an order has removed
what once an attractive field for the
reward of the faithful country editor. The
great government printing office Is now
under the civil-sarvice law. Appointments
10 places under the public printer are no
longer dependent upon congressional pull.
committees of both House and Senate will
not be so desirable in the eyes of statesmen
as they have been. aH y
That bulwark of party patriotism, the
fourth-c!ass postofiice, still remains. Vari-
Gus plans to take the country postoffice
out of politics nave been considered. None
of them has been found satisfactory. The
senator or representative still mas the post
office. candidate with him: There are $1,000
fourth-class poStoffices. Upon these the Of
flee seekers must concentrate. for PreSi-
dent Cleveland has left very little else for
the rank rank ana ar IL file Of party fSr workers.
came to Washington seeking a mission. an
assistant secretaryShip. or something
equally good'' to compromise on job
as watchman or messenger. Men of note
in their communities have become messen-
/ gers in a department. rather than go home
without any recognition from the party for
which they had done so much. But now,
even these compromises are barred. An
order of President Cleveland has put the
places of mt Ssengers and watchmen of
the departments in the classified service.
| There Is scarcely any place, the compensa-
ton of which is over $500. left out For
almost everything but floor scrubbing and
spittoon cleaning an examination and nom
| partisan qualifications are required.
DEPRESSING RULES.
The latest rules of the Civil-service Com
| mission abound in information which will
| cause the heart of the office seeker to bow
| down. The President of the United States
| has the appointment of mot exceeding two
| private secretaries confidential clerks. y
! Each member of the Cabinet is similarly
| limited. All other places in the depart
ments. excepting. of course. those filled on
| confirmation by the Senate, can be given
| only when vacancies occur. ana TO such
| persons as pass examinations and are certi-
| fled as eligible by the commission The
! spirit of the exemptions Is 10 give 10 post
| masters and collectors one or two personal
appointments in order that they may pro-
| tect themselves in money matters TO IL
lustrate. the only exemptions IN tnese
/ branches of the service are announced In
the new rules as foilows:
| Custom house service: (a) One cashier in
each customs district: CD one o,adr Chief or or
each customs district, whose employees
| number as many as $50
| Postoffice service: (a) One assistant post
| master. or chief assistant TO the postmas-
fer of whatever designation, at each post
| office: (b) one cashier of each first-class
| pOstoffice, when employed unuer the IoStei
InternaI revenue service: One employe ir
each internal revenue district, who shai
act as cashier or chief deputy or assistant
collector as may be determined by the
treasury department..
| The above are the positions which the
postmasterS and collectors TO be named by
| MIR. Mckinley will be able to fill. All other
places under him will be held by present
! incumbents during good behavior. and
when vacated, Will be nIled from the CIVIL
| service eligible list.
INDIAN AGENCIES AND SCHOOLS.
| About the Indian agencies and the Indian
schools politicians formerly found many
| opportunities for taking care of needy rela-
| tions To carry on the government work OF
| educating the Indians requires hundreds OF
clerks teachers. farmers and herdsmen
| The pay is good. The work could be
shirked. rare field for nepotism was pre-.
sented, and it was well cultivated by poll
| ticians as often as administrations
changed That sort of thing has been done
! away with. All appointees in and about
| Indian agencies and schools are now under
the civil-service law and Will remain In
their places under the merit system. The
| only exceptions to the rule are the Indians
| themselves. who held minor places at the
schools and agencies. There are 2.O61 In
| dams in such employment. They enjoy
| what the white officials do not-eXemptior
| from examina tions before appointment.
| Previous to this administration chiefs O
| divisions heads of bureaus and certain
| other officials of that kind were rot unde
the law. Such offices were vacated and filles
| at the beginning OF every administrator
without examinations. Many of them wen
to members of the party coming into power
| be filled without examinations. They hav.
| been withdrawn by executive order ant
! hereafter vacancies occur among them
/ the most desirable places in the department
they will be filled by promotions or trans
| fers. They will be open to those clerks VIII,
have advanced on their merits through III,
| grades of the classified lists. Besides chief
| of divisions and of bureaus. some of tn
| scientists and experts OF various branche
| of government work come under the pro
| lection of this order. The cutting down o
| the excepted list is regarded by the friend
| of civil-service reform one of the mos
| significant acts of the administration BY !
| there is opened to tho clerks of the highe
| grades the possibility of advancement 4
| these desirable places. \ strong incentiy
is furnished for greater efficiency.
| Another order from President Cievelan,
| removes from the patronage 80 place
! which previously could be filled by non
competitive examination The superior of
| ficer had only TO select the one he wante,
!. for this class of appointments. let him pre-
| pare himself and take the examination an,
| then appoint him. Hereafter as vacancie
| occur in these $40 places they will be opel
TO competitive examination. This action o
| the President practically abolishes non
I competitive examinations in the service.
But the order OF Mr.. Cleveland which vii
| bear with most crushing force upon the or
| fice-seekers Is the one by which ne has linn