The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-05-21
CIVIL SERVICE RULES.
Extended 10 Nearly Thirty thousand Govern
ment Employees.


Almost 10000 government en-
ployes were brought with one sweep
under the protection Of the civil ser
vice by the issuance Of an order by
President Cleveland making a general
revision of civil service rules. The
order is the most important since the
Inauguration of the system, more than
decade ago. 1t takes effect imme-
diately,
Its practical extent is the classical
ton of all government employees below
the rank Of those subject to nomna.
ton by the President and continuation
by the Senate and above the grades
of laborcrs or workmcn, with a few
exceptions. The order has long been
in contemplation, and its promulga-
ton is the result of an immense
amount Of correspondence and con
ference between the president, the
civil service commissioners and the
heads of the various departments.
The new rules add 10000 positions
to the classified list, increasing the
number Of classified positions from
$3.50 to 85I35 The number of
classified places which are exempted
from examination has been reduced
from 1000 to rs, being mainly po-
sltions as cashiers in the customs,
postal and internal revenue services.
Indians employed in minor capacities
in the Indian service are necessarily
put IN the excepted list. Almost all
of the positions in Washington which
have heretofore been excepted have
been included in the competitive list.
The only classified positions in
Washington which will be excepted
from examination under the new rules
will be private secretaries or conf
dental clerks mot exceeding two) to
the president and to the head of each
of the eight executive departments.
No positions will hereafter be subject
to non-competitive examination,
except in the cases OF Indians EN-.
ployed in a teaching capacity in the
Indian service.
The statement explanatory of the
order issued by the civil service COM
mission says the action will make the
classified service more completely
subject to merit principles and take
it out of politics. Where so large a
part of the service was left to be filled
by political influences and when the
men appointed possibly were active
working politicians the rest of the
force tended to fall under political
influences. The statement continues
"The first civil service rules were
promulgated by President Arthur in
1883. In 1888 President Cleveland
adopted arevision Of them, which was
continued in force, with various sue
ceeding amendments, until now.
These involved repetition for each
of the branches of the classified SER
vice of provisions common to all
When the classified service was small
this plan worked well, but now the
service has grown to large proportions,
and there are seven branches. The
repetition now is avoided by putting
the common provision into general
rules.
"A large reduction is now made of
the list of excepted places, which
usually are the higher and more i'm
portant places in the classified service.
This, it is claimed, will have far reach
ing and beneficial results. The exist
ence of any large number Of excepted
places in any branch of the classified
service is menace to and has an evil
effect upon the civil service subject
to competitive examination, and
does much to nullify the good effects
of the examinations. The lower
grades will now be recuited by still
better class of men who will be invited
by the opportunity of promotion upon
merit"