The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-02-09
$4,000 OFFICES
Are Now Under the Civil Ser
vice Regulations
AS Shown By the Report of the
Commission
AND SHOULD BE MORE
1t Recommends Including Al
Glass POstmasters
And the Heads of Other Depart
ments and Divisions.

Washington, Feb. 9.-The thirteenth
annual report of the civil service COM
mission. covering the past fiscal year,
has been submitted to the president
1t reviews the growth of the govern
ments civil service. the efforts of the
commission to eradicate partisanship in
federal offices and important civil serv-
ice reforms extended and contemplated
During the year the commission con-
Quoted Investigations into charges of
political assessments, political or re-
hg1ouS Determinations, illegal appoint
mentS and removals and alleged
frauds and unfairnesS in connection
with examinations and appointments.
In a number of cases of charges of
political assessments it was found there
had been no technical violation of the
law One investigation, whose report
is still under consideration, was made
at the Columbus, o., postoffce, over a
year ago. 1t developed the fact that
for years it had been the practice of
many employees, without regard to their
party affiliations, to contribute to the
campaign fund of whatever party was
in power.
During the last four years the re-
moVals from competitive positions in
the classified service at Washington
have been less than 2 per cent for all
causes, not including such removals as
resulted from necessary reductions in
=
cepted service at Washington, the re-
movals are believed to have aggregat-
ed in the last four years at least so per
cent. The conclusion drawn is that
either the persons brought in through
examination are far more efficient than
the others, or the removals from the
unclassitied positions have been made
for other causes than the good of the
service.
The new civil service rules, the re-
port says, give the commission suff-
cient authority to regulate promotions.
as we'll as to investigate cases where
discrimination is charged in making re-
mOVals or reductions. Within a short
time satisfactory regulations are eX-
pected to be in operation in all the de-
partments, so that promotions may be
made wholly on merit and removals
and reductions be made only for salts
factory causes. without regard to per-
sonal, political or religious considera-
lions.
AS to tenure of office, the report
says:
Our administrative system now pre-
sentS the anomaly of filling certain in
feriOr positions by the test of merit and
changing eeNry four years the higher
positions, like collectors of customs and
internal revenue, postmasterS and
chiefs of bureaus, in which the largest
capacity and longest experience are re-
Quired and thus frequently subjecting
subordinates to inexperienced and in
competent superiors to the demorah-
THE gradual increase in the num-
Der of the presidential offices, it is
serted, is bound to force a change in the
method of filling them. There are now
nearly 10000 persons in the public Serv-
ice commissioned by the president, and
this number is growing every year. At
this rate of increase, says the report,
in a few years it will be physically i'm
possible for the president and cabinet
officers to examine the papers and hear
arguments and complaints referring to
the large number of persons to be COM
missioned, and the repeal of the four
years tenure laws will be absolutely
necessary.
1.-The commission is of the opinion
that the fourth class postoffices may be
included in the classification by exec
utive order. When these extensions of
the classification have been made and
the four years tenure of official acts
are repealed and regulations are in
successful operation in all the depart
mentS requiring promotions to be based
upon the efficiency of employees, the re-
/ forms in executive civil service, it is
said, will be practically complete.
1.-The whole number of persons eX-
amined for the five branches of the
classified service during the year ended
June 80, 1896. was 3l,2o OF whom 2o,-
493 passed, and 10, SIG failed to pass.
This is a material decrease in fail
ures. The whole number of appoint
mentS were 5,084, an increase of 292
over the previous year. Special efforts
have been made to keep the examina-
tons as practical as possible and radi-
cal innovations have been made. For
some of the new classified POSITIONS es-
pecially those included among the me-
chanical trades. new elements in eX-
animation have been used, such ex-
perience, character as a workman, age
and physical condition. 1t is proposed
| to have an educational test or one of
very light weight where educationS are
not required.
I'm reviewing the growth of the civ
il service, the report says that under
President Arthur there was a growth of
l SAG classified places, making a total
of $1,000 at the close of his administra-
ton; 900 added by President Cleve-
land during his first term and contem-
by natural growth; 5000 additions by
! President Harrison by executive order
and a natural growth of nearly 1000
places at the same time, and at the
present time there are over $1,000"