The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-05-08
BUREAU CHIEFS ON THE LAW
Various Changes in the Civil
Service Rules Suggested.
HEARING BY THE COMMITTEE
Notifications as TO the Excepted
List Recommended William w.
Hill, Formerly of the Postoffioe
Department, Tells About a Check
the Committee Wants to Find.

The Serate Committee resumed its
Investigations OF tie civil service reform
law this morning, with Senator Lodge
absent. Mr.. Proctor, Of the commission
was presentagain The hearing began with
the reading OF number of letters from
bureau chiefs, among them the following
Thomas p. Smith, acting Commissioner
OF the Land office, says:
Il would recommend that section l 3 OF
rule G he modified SO as 10 abrogate uiat
part limiting the time during which a va
Observation-Disclosures mp, raryemergency
appointed to ninety days, or that some pro
vision be made for exempJing the Indian
service from such limitations. Experience
has shown that there are certain positions
in the Indian service, which the civil
Service Commission, although requested
To DO Sc, have been still unprepared at the
expiration OF three months to furnish
certificates OF eligibility In such cases
10 summary discharge such temporary
employees, a. the rule requires, would work
great injury
Secretary Bliss reports that, in hisopiniOn.
the Commissioners of the Interior Depart
ment, including the Land office, Indian
Affairs, Pensions and Z atents, should each
have the right to appoint private score
tarv or confidential clerk. The chief clerk
and the chiefs Of divisions should also, in
his opinion, be exempt from the classified
service These officers occupy Onfidential
relations to the Secretary, and on their
merits or recommendations he is dependent,
to d large extent. for the proper conduct of
his office Mr. Bliss is also Of the opinion
that the special agents, such as land and
timber inspectors, mine raj land commission
erS, and particularly the special Indian
agents, ct the appointment Of such, should
be more directly under the control Of the
Secretary, WHO'S responsible for theirdCtiouS
and who must depend upon UhemyerylaTgety
for his knowledge of affairs in distant re-
fions. The grave responsibility resting upon
the Secretary ofthe Interior for aCtionstakcn
upon recommendations of such officers
makes il necessary, in Mr.. Bliss opiai0n,
that he should have controlling voice IN
their appointment.
Ringer hermann, commissioner of the
General Land Office, says the civil serv-
ice rules have been promulgated ia his
bureau to the fullest extent Deputy col
lectors of internal revenue and deputy
Emitted States marshaIs should not be IN
cluded in the classified service, from has
point of view Mr. Hermann thinks that
all chiefs, confidential clerks. inspectors,
special agents. etc, should not be under
the merit system. Chiefs OF divisions
should be especially exempt, because Their
relations 10 the heads of departments are
confidential, and because they constitute
the last line of denlarkation between the
political relations Of the Administration
and the Jointly clerical or civil service
divisions Of the departments.
If" saws Mr.. Hermann, 1t is assumed
that the dominant party shall shape the
legislation ofthe countryin coAs0nance with
the policies which il sustains, it has a
right to know that the chiefs OF divisions,
whc first shape recommen dations as they
are called for through the various divisions,
are in perfect sympathy with the party
policies. The chief clerks are confidential
advisers Of the heads of bureaus and depart
mentS. and are the custodans Of important
secrets which involve the public interests,
while al the same time they should be in
the highest sense acceptable and personally
agreeable to the one who must repose con
fidence in Them
Indian Commissioner Browning says that
tt has been found impracticable to fill by
regular appointment such places as sawyer,
BLACKSMITH, general mechanic, additional
firemen, teacher of industries, and shoe
and harGessmaker.
Commissioner of Education Harris. says
that it seems to him that the existing law
of Congress in regard to civil service dues
not need any amendment, because & al
ready gives 10 the President aud through
him to the Civil Service Commission Snifi-
Gent power to develop a perfect system
He thinks the reform civil service law
should be continued as it is and not re-
pealed
The reply Of the Commissioner of Pen
sions was very brief, and simply says. Il
have the honor to request that the follow
ing positions be excepted from the class
fled service: The chief clerk, the appoint
ment clerk, the private secretary, the
chiefs of division, the special eXanil' rs
and physicians composing the medical
examining boards. These positions should
be under the control Of the commissioner,
in order to insure harmonious and effective
organization"
Charles ID WolcOtt, director of the Geo
logical Survey, writes that the civil ser
vice rules now cover all the ella sseS ana
grades in the survey, except the places Of
temporary field assistants and laborerS and
workmen. He observes that the civil ser
vice rules have been efficient and salts
factory, and there is no modification that
be would suggest.
W. W. Godding, superintendent of the
HoSDital for the Insane, says that his
limited experience in the practical work
ing of the civil service rules does I OF
Justify him in giving an opinion. In re-
spouse to categorical questions applicable
90 other departments Mr.. Goddiag re-
marked that collectors and United States
marShals do not come under the jurisC1ic-
ton of this hospital"
Gen. Wade Hampton, commissioner of
railroads, writes that he favors including
collectors of internal revenue and Emitted
States marshals in the classified service;
also that the reformed service should be
continued, but that it could he properly
amended IN some particulars, and sbO:,'d
be properly and honestly administered
The first witness was Thomas Robinson,
who entered the service after competitive
examination in 1873, securing a $1,000
clerkship in the office of the Second