The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1897-02-11
TIE CT FL SER ICE.
THIRTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF
THE COMMISSION.
The Growth Of the Government CIVIL
Service MISUNDERSTANDING of Po-
litical Assessment, Political or
Religious DETERMINATIONS Inves-
tigated-Regulations Generating.
Promotions ana Removals.

Washington, Feb. o.-The thirteenth
annual report of the civil service COM
mission, covering the past fiscal year,
has been submitted to the president.
It reviews the growth Of the govern
ment civil service, the efforts of the
commission to eradicate partisanship-
in federal offices and important civil
service reforms and extensions con-
templated. During the year the com
mission conducted investigations into.
charges of political assessments. tpO-
litical or religious determinations, IL
legal appointments and, removals and
alleged frauds and unfairness in con-
nection with examinations and APP
pointments. In a number of cases Of
charges of political assessments it was
found that there had been no technical
violations of the law. The promulga-
ton of the law on this subject and the
commissions warning to employees dur
ing the campaign that they could not
be forced to contribute to poltical
funds, the report says, had most sal
utary effect.
The new civil service rifles, the re-
port says. gave the commission suf-
fcient authority to regulate promo
motions as we'll as to investigate cases
where discrimination is charged. in
making removals or reductions: With
in a short time satisfactory regulations
are expected to be in operation in all
the departments so that promotions
may be made wholly on merit and re-
noyals and reductions be made only,
for satisfactory causes without regards
to personal, political or religious con-
siderati0n. -.
AS to tenure of office, the report says,
ri s14,,0 -
sents the anomaly Of filling certain in
ferlor positions by the test of merit
and changing every four years the
higher positions, like collectors Of Gus
toms and internal revenue, post1nas-
ters and chiefs of bureaus, in which
the largest capacity and longest ex-
perience are required, and thus fire.
quently subjecting subordinates to to-
inexperienced and incompetent superb
Ors, to the decentralization of the pub
lie service.
Special efforts have been made to
keep the examinations as practical as
possible and radical innovations have
been made. For some of the newly
classified positions, especially those in
Guided among the mechanical trades.
new elements in examination have
been introduced such as experience.
character as a workman, age and phys
zeal conditions. It is proposed to have
no educational test, or one with a very,
light weight where educational quail
hcatlons are not required.
In reviewing the growth of the civil
service, the report says that under
President Arthur there was a growth
OF $40 classified places, making a
total Of $4,000 at the close Of his adj
ministration; I, 900 added by President
Cleveland during his first ad1ninistra-
ton, and contemporaneous increase OF
about $500 places by natural growth;
5000 additions by President Harrison
by executive order and natural
growth of nearly 1000 places at the
same time. and at the present time
there are over $1,000.