The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-29
Instead of Multiplying Civu-Service
Rules the President Issues an Or
der Extending Their Scope.
COMING CHANGES IN SENATE
REPUBLICANS CERTAIN TO SECURE
CONTROL BEFORE LONG.
Batch of Appointments sTade by the
President Before Starting for His
Outing on Lake ChampIain.
;reciaI to the indianapolis Journal.

% "a
Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, July 2S.-An order issued
by President Mckinley to-day amending
the civil-service rules is received with sat
isfaction by the civil-service reformers here
and with equal dissatisfaction on the part
of the place hunters. Heretofore the law
protected the entrance but failed to guard
the exit. This has been remedied by the
Presidents order which gives legal protec-
ton to the meritorous official or employe.
1t has been thought 1t would require con-
gressional action to accomplish this end.
The President has settled it by a stroke
Of the pen. The place hunters, on the other
hand. are bowling. They confidently ex-
pected that the President would amend the
rule so as to take out of the merit system
the government printing Office and the bu-
reau Of engraving and printing, in whole or
part, thus providing places for about one
thousand of their number. They also ex-
pected him generally to loosen up the civil
service rules so that the law could be easi-
ly evaded. The fact that nothing the Presi-
dent has ever publicly uttered or privately
said could be brought to give favor to any
such proposition did not prevent these
eager oficeseekers from holding this view.
He voted for the law when it passed, and
he renewed his allegiance to the merit sys-
tenn in his inaugural address. His word,
however, did not prevent q hope that he
would let down the bars and encourage a
relaxation in the enforcement of the law.
His order proves that there was no justif-
cation for these views. The spoilsmen con-
sole themselves with the hope the Presi-
dent will yet issue supplemental order
relating specifically to the printing office
and the bureau of engraving. Included IN
the order issued by President Mckinley to-
day was the following important amend
ment to Rule III:
mo removal shall be made from any po-
sitIon subject to competitive examination
except for just cause and upon written
charges filed with the head of department
or other appointing officer, and of which
the accused shall have full notice and an
opportunity to make defense"
President Mckinley has also amended
Rule III so as to include within the classi-
fed service the employees of all custom
house offices without regard to the number
of employees. Hitherto the classification
was only made in customs Offices where
the number OF employees was five or more.
This order brings into the classified service
sixty-five hitherto unclassified customs
Offices
The President has also amended Rule VI.
making exceptions to examinations, so as
tc read as follows:
"Custom-house service-One cashier in
each customs district one chief or princi-
pal deputy or assistant collector in each
customs district; one principal deputy coll
lector at each SUPPORT or station.
Internal revenue service-One employe
in each internal revenue district, who shall
act as cashier or chief deputy or assistant
collector, may be determined by the
Treasury Department; one deputy collector
in each internal revenue district where
the number of employees in the office of the
collector exceeds four; one deputy collector
in each stamp Cor branch) office"
Appointments to the positions named in
this rule in the custom-house service and
internal revenue service shall be subject to
an examination to be prescribed by the
secretary of the treasury not disproved by
the commission equal to the examination
held by the commission for positions of
like grade Such examinations shall be
conducted by the commission in accordance
with its regulations.
Assistant Secretary Vanderlip, in speak,
ing of the amendments said: ",rhese amend
ments to the civil-service rules which the
President has signed are the most distinct
steps forward that have been made in the
civil-service regulations since the passage
of the original law. Up to the present time
nearly all the regulations have been aimed
at throwing safeguards around the method
of entry into the service. There has been
almost nothing looking towards the en-
forcement Of the spirit of civil-servtce re-
form within the service itself. Many promi-
nent ciVil-service reformerS believe that
regulations enforcing proper observance or
the spirit of civil-service reform within
the service would be of much greater inn
pOrtance than anything that could be for
mulated in regard to the entry into the
service itself and it is in this direction the
amendment which has just been signed by
the President is aimed. Another distinct
step forward is taken in the customs serv-
ice All customs officers are, by the order
just signed, placed in the classified service.
There were under President Clevelands
order sixty-five ports, where the number
of employees are five or less, left outside
of the classified service. All the employees
of those sixty-five ports are by this order
embraced in the classified service with the
exception Of a deputy and a cashier at the
principal ports and of one deputy at each
SUPPORT or station"
Must Not Remove Deputies.