Kansas City daily journal., 1897-02-09
THIRTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF
THE COMMISSION.
MAKES A GRATIFYING SHOWING.
HALF OF ALL GOVERNMENT POSI-
TIONs NOW CLASSIFIED.
OF Those UneIassiaed, Thrce-fourths
Are Fourth Class POstmnster-
ships-IntercstinE ObScrVa-
-- tIons and RecOmmen-
dations.

Washington, Feb. S[The thirteenth an
nual report OF the civil service commits
sion, covering the past fiscal year. has
been submitted to the president. 1t re-
views the growth OF the government civil
service. the efforts of the commission 10
eradicate partisanship in federal offices,
and important civil service reforms and
extensions contemplated. During the year
The commission conducted investigations
into charges of political assessments, poll
tical or religious determinations, illegal
appointments and removals and alleged
frauds and unfairness in connection with
examinations and appointments In a
number of cases OF charges of political as
sessments it was found that there had been
10 technical violations OF the law. The pro-
mitigation OF the law on this subject and
the commissioners warning to employees
during the campaign that they could not
be forced to contribute to political funds,
tie report says, had q most salutary ef-
feet.
The most serious case Of violation of the
civil service law was ut Erie, Pa, where
the secretary OF the postal board was
found TO have opened package contain
ing the examination papers and furnished
the questions to Il competitor, an employe
Of the office, IN advance of the eXamina-
tion. Both were removed from the service
ana are :aOW held for trial
During the last four years, the removals
from competitive positions in the classified
service at Washington have been less than
per cent for All causes, not including
such removals as resulted from necessary
reductions in the force. In the uncldssifleu
and excepted service at Washington, the
removals are believed 10 have aggregated
in the last four years :t least % per cent.
The conclusion drawn Is. that either the
persons brought in through examinations
are far more efficient than the others, or
the removals from the unclassiHed posi-
lions have been made for other causes than
the good of the service. ~
The total approximate number of posi-
tions IN the civil branch of the government
Is 1917. Or these, SI,lUi are IN the CLASH
iled service and 81 90 upclassiiied. Ofthose
lot yet classified, 66.I25 are postnasters of
the fourth class. or those remaining in
the classifiable, but unelassitied group,
many will be transferred 10 the classified
service by the action of the rules.
The aggregate compensation paid in the
executive civil service during the last fiscal
year WAS, approximately, Sl01, 100000. The
new civil service rules the report says, gives
the commission sufficient authority to reg
ulate promotions as well as TO investigate
cases where discrimination is charged in
making removals or reductions. Within d
sEcrT time satisfactory regulations are ex-
pected TO be in operation IN all the depart
rlcEts so that promotions may be made
wholly on merit. and removals and reduc-
tions be made only for satisfactory causes
without regard to personal, political or re-
ligiOus considerations.
The report says the temptation 10 IN
crease the number of employees, or TO re-
tain employees when there is no work for
them TO do, which was such character
istic feature of the ''spoils' system, has
service system. The pressure for office
having been removed, decreases of force
have been made from time to time in the
classified service of the department in the
last fourteen years. as the work was com
pieted. because there was no object in
Keeping unemployed persons on pay rolls
As to the tenure of Office. the report says
our administrative system now presents
the anomaly of filling certain inferior posi-
items by the test of merit and changing
every four years the higher positions. like
collectors of customs and internal revenue,
pcstmasteTs and chiefs OF bureaus. in
which the largest capacity and longest eX.
perieEce are required. and thus frequently
suh5ecting subordinates to inexperienced
AMI incompetent superiors. TO the demoral-
iZ:tion Of the public service
The gradual increase in the number Of
presidential offices, IL is asserted. is bounc
20 force a change in the method of films
them. There are now nearly 1000 persons
in the public service commissioned by the
president, and this number is growing ev
cry year. At this rate of increase, say!
the report. in a few years 1t will be phys
ically imDossible for the president anC
cabinet officers 10 examine the papers anc
hear arguments and complaints referring
10 the large number of persons to be com
niissioned, and the repeal of the four years
TEL ure laws will be absolutely necessary
The commission is OF the opinion tina
ed In the classification by executive or
der. When these extensions Of the classi
ficaton have been made and the fou
years tenure of office acts are repealed
and regulations are in successful operation
in all the departments requiring proper
ticns TO be based on the efficiency of EN-
plOyPs. the reforms in executive civil serv
ice. II is said, will be practically complete
The commission Is now making a care
system to show certain Information re
Ear6ing every person in the executive civi
service. The whole number of persons eX
an,iIed for the five branches of the classi
fled service during the year ended June 81
1896. was 81 go, of whom 20,i9S passed an,
1886 failed TO pass. This is materia
decrease in failures. The whole number o
appointments was 50Si, an increase of %
over the previous year.
Special efforts have been made to keel
the examinations as practical as possible
and radical innovations have been made
For some of the newly classified positions
especially those included among the me
Chanical trades, new clements in eXannina
tion have been used, such as experience
character as workman. age and physica
condition. il is proposed 20 have no educa
tional test. or one with very light weight
where educational qualifications are no
required.
In reviewing the growth Of the civil serv
icc. the report says that under Presiden
Arthur there was a growth of 1.G49 classi
fled places. making a total OF 1900 at tn
close Of his administration; 1000 added b.
President Cleveland during his first term
and contrmporancous increase of abou
400 places by natural growth: 5000 addi
tiCns hV President Harrison by cxecutiY
order. and natural growth of nearly 200
places at the same time. and at the presen
time there are over 5000
VETO SEEMS CERTAIN