The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-02-09
SlOO,OOO,OOO PAID IN SALARIES
COST OF PAYING CIVIE SERVICE
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.

All There Are 1Ss,7I7 Persons Holding
Office Under the Protection of the Law.
of this Number 81 JOY Are In the Classi.
fed and 86,61O in the Unolassified List.
Washington. Feb. S.-The thirteenth
annual report of the United States civil
service commission-Messrs. John r..
Proctor, William G. Rice and John B.
Harlow-is comprehensive document.
describing the growth and varying con-
ditions Of the service from the Begin
ming. and making foroeful suggestions
for its conduct in the future.
1.-THE civil service act, approved Jam
uary 16, 1885, say the commissioners
by way of preface, provided for the
classification, for purposes of open
competitive examination, of certain
places in the departmental service. and
in custom houses and postoffices having
as many as fifty employees. The law
further provided that from time to
time, upon the direction Of the presi-
dent, this classification should be ex-
tended until all positions in the civil
service of the United States, except
those filed by persons appointed by the
president and confirmed by the senate.
and persons employed merely as labor
ers or workmen, should be made SUBJ
ject to the civil service rules. Under
this power extensions have been made
with increasing momentum by every
president since the enactment Of the
law.
Under President Arthur there was q
growth of 1,649 classified places. which.
added to the number originally classi-
ned, made the total over $4,000 at the
close of his administration. Presidents
Cleveland added more than 1000 by ex-
ecutive order during his first adminis
trat1on, and the increase by natural
growth during the same time was about
4,S0O places. On January 5, 1898, Presi-
dent Harrison amended postal rule 1 So
as to include in the classified postal
service all free delivery postoffices BY
this extension there were added to the
classified service 557 postoff1ces, with a
| total Of 1850 employees. This was the
largest single addition hitherto made to
the classified service, and required the
establishment of 557 local boards Of ex-
aminers scattered all over the United
States. The force Of the commission
was fully occupied during the year 1893
and the spring of 1894 in providing for
| this additional work,
'sThe total additions made by Presf-
dent Harrison by executive order were
| over 5000, and there was a natural
growth of nearly 1000 places during his
administration.
| Thus there were at the beginning Of
| the present administration March A,
1888 approximately $4,000 places includ-
ed within the classified service
| The commission has compiled a sta.
! tlstlcal exhibit of the number Of posi-
tions in the executive civil service of
the United States, classified and un-
classified, with the compensation OF
each, arranged by executive depart
ments, Offices and commissions. BY
direction of congress this exhibit has
| been printed.
| The total approximate number OF 20.
sitions in the civil service branch al
the government Is 17S,717, Of which ST.
1o7 are in the classified service and 91.-
$40 are in the unclassified service. OF
those In the classified service 84,239 are
arranged in classes for compensation
and subject to examination or registra-
ton, rs are appointed by the president
| alone, 781 are excepted from exanina.
tion or registration, and 2,061 are In
dians in the Indian service OF those
in the unclassified service $50 are ex-
cluded from classification for reasons
deemed best for the service, 4,S15 are
appointed by the president and con-
firmed by the senate, 1854 are persons
employed merely as laborers or work.
men, and 72,371 are considered as class.
ifiable, but not yet classified. OF those
not yet classified 66,725 are postmasters
of the fourth class. OF those ra1nain-
ing in the classifabIe, but unclassifed.
group many will be transferred to the
classified service by the action of the
rules, as, for instance, In the customs
service when the number of employees
in custom house becomes as many as
| five, and in the postoffice service when
a postoffice becomes free delivery Of
| flee.
| The aggregate compensation paid in
the executive civil service Of the Unit
ed States during the year ending Juna
80, 1896, was, approximately, 100000
900.
"As a result of the commissions la
bors," the report continues, there is
now one set of rules covering the class
! flied service of the United States. These
rules are concise, simple. few iii num-
ber, logically arranged, and harmoni.
Gus. They also make definite advances.
| % In providing system of promo
tions upon ascertained and recorded ef-
ficiency and ability; (2) In permitting
transfers from any part of the services
to any other part upon certified fitness.
having regard always for the general
provisions of the apportionment us
contained in the civil service act; and
(3) in requiring like penalties for like
offences against office regulations with
out regard to political affiliations, thus
affording a correction of an abuse of
considerable magnitude.
And in conclusion, after speaking of
certain proposed extensions, the gen.
tlemen of the commission predicts!
'When these extensions of the classifi-
% t;on bova heeu made and tha fOurs