The times., 1897-04-19
Investigation of Its Workings by
a Senate Committee.
THE SENATORS NOT HOSTILE
They May Recommend Modffioa-
tions, Chairman Pritchard SayS,
But Wish 10 Learn the Truth
About the System First-The Con-
mission Favors the Investigation.


Civil Service Committee, and others of the
committee, that the investigation of the
workings of the civil service law now he
ginning is not to be made in any spirit
OF antaconism to civil service reform.
That the investigation is really TO occur
and that it Will he a broad one, the fol
lowing set of questions, TO be sent to
heads OF all the departments, Will show:
Ito what extent have civil service
rules been promulgated in your depart
ment?"
Ito what extent, in your opinion, should
collectors Of internal revenue and United
States narshals be included i'll the claSsi-
fled service?"
should the existing rules of the civil
service be- modi1ied?"
should the civil service law be
amended, continued or repealed?"
The investigation is to take place under
the authority conferred by the Allen reso-
luton and will be conducted by a subcom
mitGee consisting OF Senators Pritchard,
Elkins and Chiffon
II may be stated on the authority Of
Commissioner Proctor, that the investiga-
tion will he received with pleasure by the
commission and by friends Of civil service
reform generally. With the commission
and the committee on such an agreeable
footing. al the beginning, there is strong
expectation that much may be accom-
plished by the investigation
There has undoubtedly been a strong feel
ing Of antagonism developed against the
commission and against the reforms dur
ing the last few months. In Congress and
among tie people generally, even among
Etanch believers in civil service reform, a
distrust and dissatisfaction has made it
self manifest. Whether this dissatisfac-
tion is Just or not, the estigauon is in'
tended 10 show.
Commissioner Proctor, The president Of
the commission, was seen by Times re
porter with relation TO the inquiries 10 be
instituted 10y the Senate.
The commission is very glad that the
Investigation is to be made he said.
lit is needed. Many erroneous statements
OF the workings OF the law have been sent
about.
"Ifthe committee viii go to the bottom of
the matter and state plainly whatit finds
to be the facts, it Will he OF immense ben
eft to civil service reform.
The commission VIII aid the committee
in every possible way in making the inves-
tigation thorough
Senator Pmtchard said TO Times re-
porter:
Il am a friend Of the merit system. My
colleagues on the committee ale mostly Of
the same opinion. The committee viii not
~, bo 10 will mot
he antagolsistic TO it There are pants of
1t which think should he modified. / do
not think II essengels should have been put
on the classified lists. l am inclined TO
think that people drawing $1,000 and
deputy collectors of internal revenue should
he excepted. ] hCpe for simpltication
of the rules. and possibly Tor some modifi-
cation"
1t will be noticed that the faults Senator
Pritchard finds, with the law. coincide
accurately with the scope of President
Cleveland'S recent extensions 1t may be
said that most Of the recent comment
against the law has been of this nature.
Whether civil service reform is right or
not, a great many people say. Mr. Cleveland
was over Jealous. that he hurt the cause
of reform more than he helped it,
A friend Of the civil service efOrm said
The House will not be likely TO do much
In this direction. The members wish TO
please their constituents and also they
serve the additional purpose of placating
the officcSeekers, now on tie ground hot
for spoils by making attacks on the sys-
TEN, but they don't want it repealed.
They don't want the old spoilS system
again.
"In the Senate, however, where they
are further away from their people and
a little more Independent, there is a real
disposition TO inquire into these recent adj
ditions made by MI Cleveland. But the
law itself is too firmly fixed to be up
rooted
1t is thought probable that some atten-
ton Will be paid in this investigation TO
the methods Of examination OF clerks for
promotion in. the various departments
The criticism has been made that the
civil service law gets u man into the ser
vice and then furgetS him, and this is
Acknowledged by the commission 10 he TO
a certain extent true. IT is alleged that
while the reform has really greatly bene-
fitted the service, made il more economical,
more efficient, NOR honest and just, much
more could be done Itis said that with a
force Of clerks all efficient, all earning
their salaries, the civil service pay roll
could be cut down from $50 900 900 10
S75, 900 .000 and the same work be ac-
compished.
There must necessarily be n tendency
In many clerks to shirS after once passing
the examination and getting into the ser
vice They feel that they are safe ami
,,oo1 oN-o,., Z +na,punIyaS Putj har (larlyc
grow old, too. in the course OF nature, aud
lose the power TO do as much work as the
younger men. 1t is felt by most reformers
that something must he done with these
problems before the civil service is perfect
Mr.. Harlow, the Republican member Of
the. commission, is interested especially
In This branch of the civil service subject
He is working on it all the time He has
prepared promotion systems which two
OF the departments have already adopted,
and which viii probably generally be taken
up.
The wording of the second question of
those put by the investigation committee
is open to niscouStruction. The committee
wish the explanation made that deputy col
lectors of internal revenue are referred TO
by the question, and not collectors, who
are Presidential appointecs, confirmed by
the Senate. The committee does not for
moment wish people to infer that it would
care to put these gentlemen on the classified
list.
Mrs A. 1nveen. residing at 720 Henry
stree, Alton, Ill, suffered with sciatic
rheumatism for over eight months. She
doctored for il nearly the whole OF this
time. using various remedies recommended
by friends. and was treated by the nhysi.