The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-03-05
Wrom the Washington Star.


the government and begins to take ac-
count of stock in the form of fat fed
eral 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 OBJ
liged to take the will for the deed.
President Mckinley will find that Of
the 17S,717 position in the civil branch
of the government, S7107 are in the
classified service, and 91,610 are in the
unclassified service. OF those in the
unclassified service 1854 are persons
employed merely as laborers or work.
men, $50 are excluded from classi-
fication for reasons deemed best for the
service 4,Sl5 are appointed by the pres
ident and confirmed by the senate and
1871 are considered as classitiable, but
are not yet classified.
But of 91,610 places in the unclassi-
fled service, the only ones that can be
filled directly by Mr.. Mckinley and the
members of his cabinet, 66,725 are post
masters of the fourth class. Beside
fourth class postmasters and persons
employed merely as labore1s or work.
men there will be at the disposition of
the new administration 16,031 places.
Many of these places are such as would
be coveted by the average politician,
who is ambitious for political reward
hut the great mass of them are not
special desirable to one who wants a
salary that will provide more than a
mere living.
OF these places 4,S15 are appointed
by the president and confirmed by the
senate, and those are the best offices
within the gift of Mr.. Mckinley. But
appointments are made for term or
four years and very few Of them will
be available for appointments March A..
Indeed, it now looks as if the thousands
of people who seek Washington with
an ambition to serve their country in
some pleasant position with a fat sal
airy attached thereto viii find Mr.. Nc
Kinley in a position that will cause
them to have a fellow feeling with the
poor doggie when it sought Mother
Hubbard and her cupboard
President Mckinley will probably re-
fresh the memory of his callers by
showing them how the see-sawing of
Republican and Democratic admins
trations has resultedHih A. constant en-
largement of the classified service each
administration protecting thousands of
good men politically in sympathy with
the president by pulling. the civil SER
vice CoVerlet over them after they
had been tucked away in nice berths.
He will be able to console them by
showing them that thousands of good
Republicans, as well as less worthy
Democrats, from their point of view,
have been taken in permanently out of
the storm by these methods, and per-
reform has its benefits after all.
President Mckinley might remind
the ambitious ones that the civil ser
vice act was approved January 16
1888, providing for the classification fol
purposes of open competitive examina-
tion of certain places in the depart
mental service, and in custom houses
and postottices having as many as fifty
employees, and giving the president au-
thority to extend from time to time
this classification until all positions in
the civil service should be made subject
to the civil service .gules, except those
persons appointed by the president anC
confirmed by the senate and persons
employed merely as laborers and work.
men.
HOW THE CHANGES HAVE BEEN
.'nH MADE.
Under President Arthur there was {
growth of 1,649 classified places, which
added to the number originally classi
fed, made the total over $4,000 at thu
close of his administration. Presiden
Cleveland added more than 1000 by eX
ecutive order during his first admins
tration, and the increase by natura
growth during the same time wa
about 4,500 places. In 1898 Presiden
Harrison included in the classified
postal service all free delivery postof
fees. BY this extension there wer
added to the, classifisdnserVice 557 post
offices, with a total of 1900 employees
There was natural growth of nearl,
1000 places during Mr.. Harrison's ad
ministration. So it was that at the be
ginning of the present administration
there We're approximately $4,000 place
included within the classified service
and so energetically., has Presiden
Cleveland promoted civil service reform
that he nearly doubled the number o
government employees given that pro
lection and has made the grand tota
of men and women in the classified ser
vice today S7.l07. .,aa u,.. .r..
And this is the way he did it: II
extended the classified service May II
1894, to assistant teachers in the IndiaI
service, and May 2S meat inspectors il
the bureau of animal industry were S
included. On November >, 1894, mes
sengers and watchmen in the depart
ments at Washington We're included
as well as employees in custom house
having as many as twenty employees
and at the same time the entire Gus
toms classification was exended so a
to bring within it all employees, eXcep
mere laborers, without regard to com
pensation, and large number in tn
postal service was added to the com
petitiVe list. November II steamboa
clerks and transfer clerks in the rail
way mail service We're brought unde
the rules, and December II the class
hcation was extended over the internf
revenue The SuDerintendentS of post
Office stations at which carriers al
employed were put in the classifie
class January 3, 1885, and March {
the same year the classification wa
extended to the census division of I'll
interior department, and the oath of tn
following May all places in the depart
ment of agriculture not previousl
classified We're so included. Employe
of the government printing office wei
taken under the wing of the cassifie
service June IS, and July Is the clerici
force in the various pension agencie
We're likewise favored. Indian agencie
and school employees were include
March 20, 1896, and by the sweeping oi
ders of May 6, 1896, the classficatio
was extended to practically the entil
executive civil service. This order ma
be said to include every place to whio
the act of 1888 applied, excepting fourt