The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-09
FEW OFFICES TO GIVE OUT.
81, f0y FEDERAL PLACES ARE wow
IN THE CLASSIFIED SERVICE.

or the Oh ,oIo Not Tet Classified. ga,
Are Fourth-Cias. Postmaster .nd tho
Commission Now That
They he I.ciuded in the classification
WASHINGTON. Feb. 8.-The annual report Of
the Civil Service Commission shows that ut the
beginning of President Cleveland's last Admin
i~stration there were about $4,000 places In
| cluded In the classified service. The total APP
| proximato number OF positions In the civil
branch Of the Government Ia 1871. of which
s7.1O7 arc now in the classified service and o.
610 in the unclassl6ed service. or those in the
classified service. 81, $3.50 arc arranged in classes
by compensation and subject to examination or
registration. 80 are appointed by the President
alone. Ts1 arc exempted from examination or
registration. and 1901 arc Indians in the Indian
service. OF those In tho unclassifled service,
$3.50 are excluded from classification for
reasons doomed best for the service.
4.sl5 are appointed by the President and
confirmed by the Senate. 1854 are persons en-
ployed merely as laborers or workmen. and
(. 1911 are consid cred as classifable but are not
yet classified. or these not yet classified. 90, 725
are Postmasters OF the fourth class. or those ro-
naming In the classifnble but unclassifed group
many will be transferred to the classified SER
vice by the action Of the rules, as, for instance.
In the customs service. when the number OF
employees in a Custom House becomes as many
as Ave. and in the Post ONCE service when =
Post once becomes q free.delivcry office.
Tho aggregate compensation paid in the exoc-
utive civil service of the United States during
the year ended Juno 80. 1895. was. approxi-
matoly. 500. 600. 600.
The whole number examined for tho I'VE
branches OF tho classified service during the
year ended June 30. 1900. was 81. 27o, Of whom
20.403 passed and lO.S78 failed TO pass. Com
pared with the previous, year this shows an In
crease OF $40 in the whole number examined.
nm rFanAA Al hn - - haE ia an n a at
8oi. and n decrease In the whole number who
that during tho last four years the removals
from competitive positions In the classified de-
partnental service at Washington have been
less than 2 per cent. n year for nil Causes, not
including such removals as resulted from neces-
led and Scented services n ,e'S st was lnG gns1a ,sc
removals are believed to have aggregated In tho
four years at Least 90 per cent. From these
the persons brought IN through examinations are
far more efficient than the others; or the re-
movals from the unclasslfied positions have
service.
BY the revision OF the civil service rules. prac-
tically all Of the excepted positions were trans
ferred to the competitive list. The commission
the public service by this action, which trans
fsrred TO the competitive list many important
P Gsre.ofoire sn ehief. Of , diSisi Ga sn became %, d ,s. iooi.
ball OF politics. as those who were adherents Of
one political party had to give way TO the ad:
- NNAN b"' 'b'a '"'h NAifAHkN Va
Naturalization. Subordinate employees have
been selected for recognition on accounto OF their
fitness while previously chiefs of divisions have
often been appointed without regard TO their
qualifications. Naturally the chiefs who had
short terms of service acquired little knowledge
OF their own duties and knew practically MOTH
Ing about the work OF their subordinates. who
were supposed to carry out their instructions in
regard to the manner in which the work should
be done.
The report shows the number OF removals
from the service for violation OF rules. and
quotes from various Cabinet officers and bureau
officials. who testify to the great benefit OF the
merit system, and says II was the intention OF
the founders Of our Government that admins
trative officers should hold ofice during good
behavior. The report mentions the consolida-
tion OF small Post Offices with free-delivery
ofices. and says that fourth-class Post Offices
should he included in the classification by exec.
utive order. when these extensions OF the
classification have been made and the four-year
tenure OF ONCE acts are repealed. and when reg
ulations are In peaceful operation In all the de-
requiring that promotions be based
upon the efficiency OF employees. the reform. in |
the executive civil service will be practically
cOmDleten