Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-25

| the salary he receives as compared with
other clerks in the Office, I shall recon-
mcnj 10 the Treasury Department such re-
duction as is deemeo just, in order that
| other more efficient and more experienced
clerks who were arbitrarily reduced that
these persons might be arbitrarily promot-
Cd snail lhave restored TO them portion.
az least, OF the salaries they have lost
There is little danger that Injustice will
be done in this process. for my decision
must he Endorsed and approved by a care
iul committee at the Treasury Department
before IL will go into effect. and the whole
transaction will be made a matter of record
In the files of the department. My desire
is by correcting these cases of apparent
injustice. leveling up and down the salaries
IN the Office Oh basis of present efficiency
10 prepare the way for a future consis: ent
enforcement of the letter and spirit of the
civil service law. 1 shall hope TO devise
some fair system of efficiency record un.-
form in results throughout the bureau and
thereafter base all promotions or re,uc-
lions on merit alone. 1 shall Try to make
the clerks understand that they do not
reed the influence of senators ard repre-
tauSes to secure Justice, and that no such
influence will avail them to secure promo
ton or prevent reductions when they are
justly earned"
.Are there special reasons for enforcing
the merit system In your bureau?"
Perhaps there are. AS already stated
this Is me largest accounting Office in the
world. The probable adoption during the
present administration of the postal saw
lr gs bank system or the postal telegrap
system, or both. will vastly increase its
labors and responsibilities. If both these
additions should be made the force of this
Office VIII within five years be increased to
one thousand clerks.
The absolute necessity of condu- citing its
affairs on the basis of purely business
methods and arranging the salaries OF its
employees on the ground CT merit only will
be more and more apparent, Its labors
ard the number of employees increase If
am TO be held responsible for its efficiency
L shall most strenuous.y insist that ii be
placed upon this basis and kept there"
rs il practicable to apply civil service
methods TO promotions as well as TO orig
mai 2ppointments?"
Promotions Based ON Merit.
There was no trouble about IL in the ST.
Paul post Office with two hundred en-
ployes. Not only that, it is obligatory.
The letter of the civil service law makes
| II penal offense for the appointing officer
10 inquire as to the politics religion OF
an original appcintee The spirit of the
law reaches equally to promotions and re-
auctions, since each of these involves on
the record a removal and a new anp,,nt
ment TO the higher or lower grade. A sem
ator or congressman has, legally no more
excuse for asking me to promote his friend
because ne Is good republican than be-
ciiGse he is a good hardsholl Baptist"
You claim, then. that your current pro-
ceeaings with the clerks in your office are
| justified on civil service prihciples?'
Most emphaticalIy, yes, IL il is true as
alleged, that any promotions and reduc-
ttoEs were MADE by my Predecessor ON
Grounds OF pure craftsmanship. they were in
clear violation of law. IL the clerks 81
promoted are less efficient than the clerks
reduced, the wrong can be legally riehted
under the provisions of the following rertI-
iatlon Of the Treasury Department which
viii be invoked for that purpose: IN ali
cases where clerks having higher salaries
are less efficient than those having less
salaTes, the fact shall be reported that
the salaries RAY be arranged on ~
ground of merit only'"