The evening times., 1897-06-19
Typographical Union on Record
as TO Civil Service.
PRESIDENT PRESOOTT'S VIEW
He Thinks the Government Printing
office should BE Managed on SEP
arate aud Distinct Iines-Auditor
Castle Bears Witness TO the Eff
cheney of the Merit System.


civil service rules in the Government Print
ing office, hut this was emphaticany denied
today ia a letter from President Prescott
of the union. laid before the investigating
committee, of which Senator Pritchard =,
chairman.
When the committee convened W. W
White, of Kentucky, continued his testi
monJ from the last session of the commit
tee. He referred to the reports of the
heads of the several departments OF rEe
Government, as made in response 10 Gen
Grosvenor's House resolution, calling for
Information as to appointments and dis
ndssals in said departments, and gave a
long array Of facts and figures compiled
therefrom
Mr.. White produced the names, and
stated the salaries of twenty-five conf
DENTAL clerks employed in the Treasury
department alone, while the appropriation
bills, which Ee produced for the last two
or three years, failed to show any au-
Ihority for any confidential clerks
Mr.. White contradicted many OF the
statements given in the reports as either
itor Howard reported, he said, that the
work Of his office was an up to date,
while the facts are that at least 80 clerks
will he required for at least three or four
months 10 even assert and arrange the
money orders alone He also reported
that the force of clerks in his office was
largely Republican, whereas, Mr. White
said. the figures by divisions show
..e = n
cans
President Proctor, Of the Civil Service
Commission, who was present, made sew
eral attempts 70 be allowed to explain
away different statements as made by Mr..
White. but Chairman Pritchard politely
but firmly declined TO hear him until he
is called to the stand TO give his own test
mOny. He was, however, allowed to ask
a few quest ions OF the witnesses. as was
also Commissioner Harlow.
Henry A. Castle, the new auditor Of the
Treasury Department for the Postoffice
Department, was the next witness He
served about five years as postmast er at 81.
Paul, Minn., one under Postmaster Gen
eral Nanamaker, two under Nj BiSsell
and two under Mr.. Wilson. The civil sery-
ice rules, he said, were faithfully and
fairly executed under all thoSa gentlemen.
except in one ease where he recommended
the dismissal of clerk for sufficient rea
sOns.
Because Of a letter the clerk secured
from the Minnesota member of the Demo-
cratic national committee, he was aIle
Co retain his place and have the charges
dropped Mr.. Castles term having ex-
pired neany year before, his successor
was soon after appointed, and then the
clerk boasted that he had pIll cnorgh TO
not only retain his own place, but 10 Sc
cure the removal Of the postmaster, Mr..
Castle.
Mr.. Castle personally visited a dozcn Cf
the largest cities, and found that whatever
the politics or former opinions Of the
postmaster, they had all become enthu-
Eiastic civil service reformerS. and con
vmCed that the system was a benefit
to the postal service.
Having only been in his present posi-
tion one month, Mr.. Castle had not had
time TO personally know much Of the
workings OF the civts service in the va
rious departments; but if what he has
been told il true, the law has not been
fairly CT Justly enforced. He thinks. how
ever, the fault is not with the commits
sion, but rather with the artificial and
false system that allows the Government
employees to Relieve political influence can
help them either to retain their places or
secure promotions without regard 10 eff
cheney. Already in the one month ne has
received more than l 90 letters from Sen
ators and Representatives urging the pro-
motion or reinstatement Of their friends
and constituents.
Senator Elkins asked if such recomnpn-
dations should count or be given any con
sidcratiCn, or if these officials are not
in position to help their friends
well, / haven't done what they asked
me TO do, so far at least" replied Auditor
Castle. More Of the letters,'' he con
tinued, TASK for reiDSta teme ntS Of old
soldiers than Tor promotions; but there are
many Of the latter Glass;
Mr.. Castle said he was irving to devise
some plan for curing some of the evils be
complains OF in the enforcement of the
law, but has not yet Int upon a asatisfactory
one.
c. P. Rhodes, who served five years in
the Government Printing Office. mostly |
under Mr.. Palmer's former administra- |
tion, hut now on the laborers' roll. while |
v
animation taken last March, was the |
next witness. Mr Rhodes gave many in
stances TO show how thoroughly impracti- /
'al the Printing Office examinations are:
how theconmiSsion violates some ofitS rules
ana neglects to enforce others; and how
eX-Ciov Campbell Of Ohio, and the late
Senator voorhees, had been able, in spite
OF the rules, to railroad a man into
good place in the Pension Office
MI Rhodes "-ould have Public Printer
Palmer, Foreman Bnan and CHIEF Clarl,
Collins, all Of whom re practical printers.
formulate n set Of practical rules that |
should determine whether an apuIicant
was good printer, rather than a good
mathematician
Tire committee then adjumed until next
Saturday.
Joint letter, addressed to Chairman |
Pntchard by the auditors of the Interior.
state and Treasury Departments. relative
TO The exclusion Of confidential clerks from |
the provisions Of the civil service laws. was
laid before the committee: The letter
says:
IT rs important that private secretaries
VINO bear the relation of confidential clerks
should be left entirely to the choosing oe
those who use or need such clerks Under
Che law as it is now, the clerks for an
ditors for the various bureaus in the Treas
ury Department must be taken by detail
from the classified clerks in the yarious
bureaus.
1--WE hope you and the Committee ON
Civil Service viii make provision TO ex-
empt one az the olerksin each bureau from
pre ration Of said law aud allow o.,oh -, |