Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-04-24
Commencement Of the Investigation
by the Senate Committee.
THOSE WHO TESTIFIED TODAY
Secretary Wilson States His Views
Very Frankly.
NJ R. r Y A N IS CA E

civil service methods of the last admin
istra ton met this morning, Mr.. Pritchard
the chairman, presiding. He announced to
| the CO. lmittee what he had done in the
way Of seeking information from the heads
of the departments, and the exa:nina ton
| of witnesses began Maurice Kline dis
| charged empl2ye of the pension Office. was
first examined. Mr.. Kline says that he
had been discharged on personal grounds,
and that he had brought suit to recover
salary.
The nextlwitness was w. Blashland, who
was discharged from the registers Office
of the treasury. He sail that his discharge
was ma de in order to make room for the
son OF the register of the treasury. He
submitted a letter showing the changes
which bad occurred in the registers office
of the treasury from 1893 to 1894, which
We're as follows: Thomas Armstrong of
Mississippi, promoted from s1,2OO to $1,000;
Brown of Illinois, from 1000 to 81 100, in
G}, and in '94 from 81 100 to S, 800 jumping
| one grade; again in '94, transferred to ar
chitect's office and promoted to 81 $40. Tay-
lGr, promoted from S1,6J0 to S1,SG0, and
transferred to bookkeeper's division, Sec
retary'S office. Adams, another clerk the
letter states, cane to the registers office
at S1,GU as private secretary to Register
Tillman, and has since been transferred to
note and coupon division, having had no
examination before the civil service board
as affiant knows of.
The letter, proceeding, says, fifth: Till
man. son of register, came into the regis
| ter's office AS his private secretary at
salary of 81 600 and was promoted to LOO
soon afterward. 1t is said that he was not
seventeen years old when he came into said
ofhce-no civil examination.
Sixth-Massey was transferred from sig
nal of1ce at $1,000; since promoted to $1,fO0;
examination before board somewhat doubt
full. Seventh - McLaren of Florida, ap-
pointed as messenger in place of De Mar,
q Irv,;<
Laren afterward promoted from messenger
to a clerkship at $780,
Reductions and Refnstatements,
Under the heading of reductions and re-
instetements the letter says: October, '94,
Allen Wall. Union soldier reduced from
y 800 to 1900; dead. William Blashland
Union soldier. reduced from 81 800 to 81, 400.
and IN November. '9e, reduced to $l,3O0; In
9, October c. P. Freeman, Union soldier.
reduced from 81 800 to 81, 400; John johnson
reduced from 81 800 to s., 40, the above a
one-armed Union soldier; Capt. Foote re-
duced from 81, 400 to $3.50. the above one
les soldier in the Union, army; Geo. Allen,
one-leg Union soldier, reduced from 81, GOO
to 500; w. s. Dedecknight, Union soldier.
reduced from sl4oo to $1,000; Capt. Burn
NAM Union soldier, reduced from 81 600
to s12O; Geo. Lillibridge Union soldier, re-
duced from 81 600 to 81. 400; Gridley Union
soldier, reduced from 81, $50 to 81 600; w. F.
Gapen of Illinois, reduced from S1.SOO to
N,
81 500 to $12O and dismissed; Pearson, Union
soldier, reduced from 81 800 to 81, 400, after
ward reinstated: Mrs. Crawford, soldiers
widow, reduced from s1,40O to $500; Mrs
Hicks, soldiers widow, transferred to six
reduced from $500 to S120, discharged; Van
Ardale reduced from 81 600 to sl.OOo and
discharged afterward reinstated at l,SOO;
Mrs. McCulIoch. soldiers widow, reduced
from 500 to s72O and transferred to sixth
AUDITORS office; Mrs. Sterling, soldiers
widow, dismissed; Mrs Johnson, soldiers
widow, dismissed; Mrs. McCaffery, soldiers
widow, reduced from 500 to s7aO. trans
ferred to sixth auditors office; Mrs. En-
glish, soldiers widow, reduced from 81 200
to $500" ~-'-''
Secretary Wilson's Views.
Secretary Wilson of the Department of
Agriculture then took the stand. Mr.. Will
son had some very pronounced views upon
civil service. and expressed them frankly.
He thought that the civil service la W sboui5
be modified. He advocated exemptinr from
the operations of the law the agents and
inspectors of the department. He said
lnat would be the only way to secure COM
petent men. He said that in positions of
this Kind men Of age and experience as
well as theoretical knowledge were re-
Qulred. He cited a case in which he had
recently made application to the civil serv-
Ice commission for a man for a certain
special duty, and the commission had sent
him boy twenty-five years of age While
tnis young man possessed technical knowl-
M aofi-
cal knowledge of an older man.
secretary Wilson also thought that the
statlsticians and the heads of the different
bureaus should be chosen by the Secretary
sa,,,, anu not ieit to certilication by the civil
service commission. The trouble with the
ialter course, he said, Is that the yourg
and inexperienced men were put into these
pIaces' and tina t the system worked badly
or that account.
president Harrison left the civil servic,
law In good condition. said Secretary VIII
son, and l would like to see /. that way
now" ""'
A letter was read from Secretary .aee of
the treasury Department, in which he said
that while the civil service law as a gen
efal thing was wise and beneficial it might
be modified to advantage in some respects
He recommended exempting deputv col.
iectors OF internal revenue from the opera
tons of the law
letter was also read from Chief John
son OF the bureau of engraving and print
ing; He thought that the law was wise,
and recommended no changes in it.
The Printing Office.
Mr.. William c. Connor Of the govern
ment printing Office was then examined
by the committee. Mr.. Connor said that
practical rather than educational tests
should apply In the government printing
office. He said there were many abuses
under the present system of carrying out
civil service which could be corrected. Mr.
Connor cited case where, as he al
legged, the last administration Just before
retiring made an order which included a
number OF women employees in the classi-
fed service. This was ACCOMPLISHED bv
increasing their pay from 81 to Sos a day.
The addition of this eight cents a day got
them within the classified service. Mr..
Conner said that girls from the High
School passed the educational test and
when they came into the office had to be
instructed In the practical workings of the
Office.
Mr.. Ryan's Grievance.
Mr., William e. Ryan was then put upon
the stand. Mr.. Ryan is the former treas
ury employe who ran for Congress en- the
free silver ticket in the thirty-frst New
York district last fail and was dismissed
from his position in the department Mr.
Ryan said that nc hal been an employe of
the Treasury Department since 1854, and
at the time Of his d:1nsissal was drawing
81 800 year. Last September he was
urged to be a candidate Cor the congress
sional nomination in the Rochester dis
trict. He said that he obtained leave of
absence with the understanding that If
he was nominated he should have permis-
SIGN to make his campaign by getting
leave without pay.
When he returned November from the