The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-07-28
CRUEL SURPRISE.
King Log Extends the Civil
Service Rules to All
= Custom Houses.
REMOVALS ONLY FOR CAUSE
Claimed to BE Distinct Forward
Step, But How ''the
Boys" will Wall

WASHINGTON, July Is, 1S97.-President
Mckinley has promulgated the following
important amendment to Civil Service
Rule 2:-
No removal shall be made from any
position subject to competitive examtna-
ten charges filed with the head of the
department, or other appointing officer,
and of which the accused shall have full
notice and an opportunity 10 make de-
fense.
Z He has also amended Rule SO as to in
2clude within the classified service the
employees of all customs house offices
without regard to the number of en-
ployes. Hitherto the classification eTn-
braced customs offices where the number
of employees was five or more. This order
brings into the classified service sixty
five hitherto unclassified customs offices.
The President mas also amended Ruls
VI, making exceptions to examinations.
SO as to read as follows
Custom House Seryice-One cashier in
each customs district one chief or prin-
cipal deputy or assistant collector in
each Gus stoms district. one principal depu-
ty collector at each SUPPORT or station.
Internal Revenue Service-One employe
in each internal revenue district, who
shall act as cashier or chief deputy or
assistant collector, as may be determined
by the Treasury Department; one deputy
collector in each internal revenue district
where the number of employees in the
Office of the collector exceeds four; one
deputy collector in each stamp Cor
branch) office.
Appointments to the positions named in
this rule III the Custom House service and
in the Internal Revenue service shall be
subject to an examination to be pre-
scribed by the Secretary of the Treasury
not disapproved by the Commission, equal
to the examination by the Commission
for position of like grade. Such examina-
ton shall be conducted by the Commis-
sion in accordance with its regulations
Assistant Secretary vanderlip. In speak
ing of the amendments, said.-
These amendments to the civil service
rules which the President has signed,
are the most distinct steps forward that
have been made in the civil service regu-
lations since the passage Of the original
law. Up to the present time nearly all
the regulations have been aimed at
throwing safeguards around the method
of entry into the service. There has
been almost nothing looking toward the
enforcement of the spirit Of civil ser-
vice reform within the service itself.
Many prominent civil service REFORM
ers believe that regulations enforcing
proper observance OF the spirit Of civil
service reform within the service would
be of much greater Importance than any
thing that could be formulated In regard
ito the entry into the service itseh and
it is in this direction the amendment
which has Just been signed by the PreSt-
dent is aimed.
1T has heretofore been the cause OF
much complaint that people in the SER
out any definite charges being made, and
without giving the person concerned any
opportunity to make a defence. That mas
NH
In the Post Office Department steps
were taken three years ago to remedy
master General Bissell to the effect that
there would be no dismissals from the
carrier force except upon written
an opportunity to make defence. It
has been believed that that ruling worked
the greatest good in the service, and re-
fuences more than any. other rule that
had been put in force in regard to the
Post Office Department.
'tThe civil service reformerS, notably
the National Civil Service Reform Asso-
citation, have long been contending that
while the power of removal must rest abb
solutely with the heads of the depart
ments still no more important modiflca-
ton to the present civil service rules
could be made than to throw such safe
guards around removals as would guard
against the removal of efficient persons
for partisan reasons. The new ruling by
no means lessons the control of the head
of the department over the personnel.
Suspensions. may be made to take effect,
and removals can always be made, when
ever the head of the department is satis-
fled that there is a just cause.
Another distinct step forward is taken
in. the customs service. All customs
offices are, by the. order just signed. placed
in the classified service. There were un-
der President Clevelands order sixty-five
ports where the number of employees are
five or less, left outside of the classified
service. All the employees of those sixty
five ports are by this order embraced in
the classified service, with the exception
of deputy and a cashier at the principal
ports and of one deputy at each sub-port
or station
The plan of the extension, which was
formulated by Secretary Gage and AS
sistant Secretary Vanderlip has the un-
qualified and hearty endorsement OF the
Civil Service Commission, who earnestly
recommended to the President its ap-
proyal. In speaking of the amendment,
President Proctor, of the Commission
said that the friends of civil service re-
form everywhere could congratulate them
selves on this most important advance OF
the cause. The Commission, in its last
annual report had said that Government
officers should have the power of removal