Evening star., 1897-03-02
Some Of the Places That the Presi.
dent Can Give.
WHAT CIVIL SERVICE REFORM Has DONE
Nearly Ninety Thousand Places
Now Under Protection.
CHANGES BY CLEVELAND


the government ard begins to take ac-
count of stock in the form of fat federal
offices in order to distribute them among
loyal followers. he will soon discover that
In order to make them go around the
miracle of the loaves and fishes will
have to be duplicated or many ambitious
politicians will be obliged to take the will
for the deed.
President Mckinley will find that OF the
1917 positions in the civil branch of the
government. 81, 1O1 are i'm the classified
service, and 81 $40 are in the unclassifed
service. Of those in the unclassified serv-
Ice S,S54 are persons employed merely as
laborers or workmen, 800 are excluded
from classification for reasons deemed best
Tor the service, 1915 are appointed by the
President and confirmed by the Senate
and 12,3I1 are considered as classifiable
but are not yet classified.
But OF 91,6lo places in the unciassified
service, the only ones that can be filled
directly by Mr.. Mckinley and the mem
bers of his cabinet. 66725 are postmasters
OF the fourth class. Beside fourth-class
postmasters and persons employed merely
as iaDorerS or Workmen there will be at
the disposition of the new administratio ton
16,u31 places Many of these places are
such as would be coveted by the average
politician, who is ambitious for political
not specially desirable to one who wants
a salary that will provide more than a
mere living.
OF these places 4S15 are appointed by the
president and confirmed by the Senate
and those are the best Offices within the
git OF Mr. Mckinley. But appointments
are made for term of four years and very
few Of them VIII be available for annoint
merits March 4. Indeed, 1t now looks as
II the thousands Of people who seek Wash
hs'on With an ambition to serve their
country In some pleasant position with A
Fat salary attached thereto will find Mr.
MchlEley in position that will cause
them to have fellow feeling with the poor
ooggie when II sought Mother Hubbard
and her cupboard.
President Mckinley will probably refresh
the memory of his callers by showing them
now the see-sawing of republican and dem
ocratlc administrations has resulted in a
constant enlargement of the classified serv-
Ice each administration, protecting thous-
ands of good men politically in symnatbv
with the President by pulling the civil
service coverlet over them after they had
been tucked away in nice berths He will
that thousands of good republicans as well
be able to console them by showing them
as less worthy democrats from their noint
VI view, nave been taken in permanently
out OF the storm by these methods, and
perhaps to persuade them that civil service
reform has its benefits after all
resident Mckinley might remind the am
pltlous ones that the civil service act was
aPfiH teu 'diidry TO- lSSi, providing for
the classification for purposes of omen com,
peutlVe examination of certain places in the
departmental service, and in custom houses
and post offices having as many as fifty
ein.pioyes, en- and giving the President au-
'nority 10 extend from time to time this
classification until all positions in the civil
service should be made subject 10 the civil
service rules, except those persons appoint
eu by the President and confirmed hy the
senate and persons employed merely as
laporers and workmen.
How the Changes Have Been Made
Under President Arthur there was
growth of 1649 classified places. which
added to the number originally classified
made the total over 1900 at the close of his
administration. President Cleveland .ddaa
more than 1000 by executive order during
his first administration. and the Increase h,,
natural growth during the same time v.s
aoou1 4,oD places. In 1893 President Har
rison included in the classified postal serv-
ise an Iree delivery post Offices BY this
eAtension there We're added to the classified
service :'o1 post offices. with a total of : SEQ
eHpioyes. Ihere was natural growth of
leariy i,ooD places during Mr. Harrison's
a;,iiiilistration. s;ti SO 1t was that at the be-
siihiiiS OF the present administration there
were approximately $1,000 places incImSad
Wl'hln the classified service. and 50 ener-
getlcaiiy has President Cleveland nronotad
tni ttn service service reform that he nearly doubled
that protection and has made the grand
1olai OF men and women in the CLASSIFIED
service today 81 1O7 u
,oade, ana this .1 is the way he did it. He ex-
.enueo the classified service May 11,1S94. 10
assistant teachers in the Indian service
anu May % meat inspectors in the bureau
OF animal industry were SO included. ON
,o .eiipeI 1874, messengers and watch
Heh III the departments at WASHINGTON
were included, as well as employees In cus-
toIi houses having as many as twel " en-
pioyes, and at the same time the entire
eustons ciasslncatlon was extended so as
10 pring within 1t all employees, except
mere iaborers, without regard to compens
atlon, and large number In the nostal
service was added to the competitive list
November IL steamboat clerks and trans
brought under the rules and December
~ the classification was extended over
the internal revenue. The superintendents
OF post Office stations at which carriers are
January 3, 1895. and March of the same
year the classification was extended to
the census division of the Interior Depart-
ment and the 24th of the following May
all places in the Department Of Agricui-
ture not previously classified were so in
cluded. Employees of the government print
Ing office were taken under the wing of the
classified service June 13. and July Is the
clerical force in the various pension
agencies were likewise favored, Indian
agencies and school employees were in
cluded March 20. 1896. and by the sweep
ing orders Of May 6, 1895. the classification
was extended to practically the entire ex-1
ecutive civil service. This order may be
said to include every place to which the
act Of 1883 applied, excepting fourth-class
postmasters and minor positions specifical-
ly excluded.
About all President Mckinley could do
would be to fill the fourth-class post offices
with fellow-republicans and follow the ex-
ample Of his three predecessors by then
drawing the civil service coverlet over
them. There is no use crying over spilled
milk. What the Presidents have done cam
rot be- undone. Their acts were under au-
thority Of the law of 1888 and will have to
stand unless that law is repealed, which It
will not be unless there is a wonderful
change of public sentiment
But there are some places left, and, as a
rule, they are the best ones the Presidents
have ever had within their gift.
Good Places.
Here are the good places In Washington
that can be filled by Mr.. Mckinley without
the trouble Of any examination:
Interstate commerce commissioners
(nve). each......... $500
Solicitor general. l.................. 1000
Commissioner Of internal revenue. 5000
treasurer .......s.................. S.u00