Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-21
President and Cabinet Discuss the
Civil Service.
ENDORSEMENT OF TEE MERIT SYSTEM
Secretary Wilson Differs From the
Others.
EXEMPTION AND ADDITION

The opponents of the civil service law
| will get no support from President Nc
| kinley or his cabinet officials i'm their fight
| on the law. This was definitely settled at
| the cabinet meeting today
! Civil service was before the cabinet and
| little else discussed The question
was brought up by the resolution intro
duced in the Senate last week by Senator
Cullom and passed by that body. This
resolution inquiries of each member of the
capihet whether there are any appointive
positions in his department which should
be exempted from the operations of the
civil service law. 1t next asks whether
the law should be amended or changed,
the experience Of the cabinet official being
the test of his answer.
IhiS resolution was referred to in the
cabinet ana nearly every cabinet member
SAD something on the subject. These talks
brought out many interesting facts Tne
chief fact is that, with the exception of
Secretary Wilson, the cabinet is practically
solid against any changes of Importance
IL the operations Of the civil service law.
Mr.. Wilson h:ms=lf advocates the law but
lie wants to see nums rous exemptions
made, ard was frank enough to say so 10
the President aad his associates
seen Ctary Alecr WAS absent, but the fac.
came cut that IN Ire building where he Is
located lew cnangc:7, even III details. are
anted IN the law. Secretaries Sherman,
Long and AiScr oppose material changes OF
airy KIND in their respective departme MS.
E;.ch VIII prepare an answer TO the Senate
ftSoluutn II, and caCh Wiil answer in the
manner Indicated. Attorney General Nc
Nenna holds ahCut the same views.
Secretaries Gage and Bliss and Postmas-
ter General Gary vii recommend moditca-
uons by the President in the way of ex-
cnpuonS or certain positions in their re-
"a Ta,.;t.I ITf1
mendations will cover SO few positions as
10 Virtually amount to no change of any
KIND secretary Gage particularly will ad-
Nocate few exemptions from the law in his
department and may recommend that GER
tain positions not now under the law be
included.
The cabinet officers will have their replies
ready when Congress redssen hles. Some
VIII be long. and all of them viii be ex-
oeedinsly interesting. They Will deal with
the personal experiences of the heads Of
the departments and will furnish the mos.
detailed data which have been made public
in years.
The President listened attentiveJy to
what his advisers had to say. lie was fully
IN accord with them on the subject of the
law itself No room was left to doubt the
position of the administration. 1t is that
the civil service law must be maintained
nut that there are details which NAV be
regulated to the advantage of the law
some or these details have been mentioned
in The Star.
one of the cabinet officers said to a Star
reporter: 1T is pretty well understood that
President Cleveland now knows that he
made a mistake in including certain places
under the civil service, and that he would
not have done so had he given the matter
fuller consideration. President Mckinley
will probably amend these mistakes 1t is
also probable that when exemptions are
made from the operations of the law the
President may include positions under the
law"
1t has not been decided, it is said, when
the President will take action in the mat
Clevelands blanket order. There was talk
that he might do this during the recess
TO forestall the anti-civil service people,
but ii is now said to be doubtful whether
he will act until the fight in Congress on
the law has subsidized. 1t is at least prob
able that he will do nothing until the re-
plies of the cabinet officers to Congress
have been sent and their effect realized
in some way.
The President does rot believe. 1T is said,
that majority of the members of Con-
gress are in favor of striking the law Il
serious blow. He thinks that the fight will
rot be kept up much longer and has no
idea that there will be any material legis-
lation the subject.
Amending the Law.
The subcommittee appointed at the recent
conference of republicans to report amend
ments to be proposed to the civil service
law will hold sessions during the recess.
The committee will examine the bills which
have been introduced during this Con-
gress relating to the subject Of the civil
service.