The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-02-09
18th ANNUAL REPORT,
Civil Service Commission Recommend
Needed Changes.
Incompetent Men at Heads of
Departments.
Increase In Number Of Presidential Appoln
uents Growing Evil

covering the past fiscal year. has been
submitted TO the president. 1t reviews
the growth Of the governments civil
service. the efforts Of the commission TO
eradicate partisanship In federal offices
and important civil service reforms and
extensions contemplated.
During the year the commission con-
Quoted Investigations into charges of
political assessments. political or relig-
ious determinations, illegal appoint
ments and alleged fraud or unfairness In
connection with examinations and APP
pointments. In a number OF cases of
charges OF political assessments, 1t was
found that there had been no technical
violations of the law. The promulga-
tion of the law on this subject and the
commissioners warning to employees
during the campaign. that they could
not be forced to contribute 10 political
funds, the report says, had most salu-
tatory effect.
One investigation was made at the CO.
lumbus. o., postofiice over year ago.
1t developed the fact that for years II
was the practice Of many employees,
without regard to their party affiliations,
to contribute to the campaign fund
Of whatever party was In power In all
cases where there was the slightest evil
dence Of fraud or unfairness the com
mission required the re-examinatton OF
the competitors. The most serious case
OF violation Of the civil service law, the
report says, was at Erie. Pa, where the
secretary Of the postal board was found
to have opened a package containing
the examination papers and furnished
the questions to a competitor. an en-
ploye Of the office, In advance of ex-
animation. Both were removed from the
service and are now held for trial. At
the Toledo postoffice an employe was
shown to have made false representa-
tions to injure the prospects Of appoint
ment of certain other eligibles. Action
in this case is still pending.
During the last four years the remov-
ais from competitive positions In the
classified departmental service at Wash
ington have been less than 2 per cent for
all causes, not including such removals
as resulted from necessary reductions in
the force. In the unclassified and, except
service at Washington, the removals are
believed to have aggregated in the four
years at least so per cent.
The conclusion drawn is that either the
persons brought in through examina-
tions are far more efficient than the
others, or the removals from the unclas-
sified positions have been made for other
causes than the good of the service.
The total approximate number of po-
sItions in the civil branch of the govern
ment is 1877. or these, S7,107 are In
the classified service, and 81, ,610 unclassi-
fed. OF these not yet classified, 66, 72s
are postmasters of the fourth class. OF
IL, a.lN l<,.t
unclassified group, many will be trans
ferred to the classified service by the ac-
tion Of the rules.
The aggregate compensation paid in
the executive civil service of the United
States during the last fiscal year was
approximately $100, 100000.
The new civil service rules. the report
says, give the commission sufficient au-
thority to regulate promotions as We'll
as to investigate cases where discrimina.
tion is charged in making removals or
reductions. Within short time, salts
factory regulations are expected to be in
operation in all the departments so that
promotions may be made wholly on
merit and removals and reductions
made only for satisfactory causes, with
out regarding personal, political or re-
ton to increase the number Of employees
or to retain employees when there is nc
work for them to do, which was such a
characteristic feature Of the spoils sys-
tern. has entirely disappeared under the
new civil service system.
The pressure for office having been re.
moved, decreases Of force have been
made from time to time in the classified
service of the departments, during the
last II years as the work was completed,
because there was no object In keepins
unemployed persons on the pay rolls.
As to tenure of Office, the report says
our administrative system now pre-
sents the anomaly Of filling certain in
ferior positions by the test of merit and
changing every four years the higher
positions, like collectors Of customs and
internal revenue, postmasters and chiefs
Of bureaus. in which the largest ca
pacity and longest experience are re-
quired, and thus frequently subjected
subordinates to inexperienced and in
competent superiors, to the demoraliza-
ton of the public service. The gradual
increase In the number Of presidential
Offices, 1t Is asserted is bound to force
a change In the method Of filling them.
There are now nearly 10000 persons In
the public service commissioned by the
president, and this number Is growing
every year. At this rate Of increase, says
the report. In a few years IL will be ply
sically impossible for the president and
cabinet officers to examine the papers
and hear arguments and complaints re.
lating To- the large number Of persons 20
be commissioned, and the repeal OF the
four years tenure law will be necessary.
The commission is OF the opinion that
the fourth-class postofiices may be in
cluded In the classification by execu-
tive order. When these extensions OF
the classification have been made, and
the four years tenure OF Office acts are
repealed, and regulations I'm successful
operation In all the departments. requir.
Ing promotions to be based on the effl.
cheney OF employees. the reforms I'm ex-
ecutive civil service. II is said, will be
practically complete.
Try Grain-O! Try Grain-O!
Ask your Grocer today TO show you pack