Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-18
THEY WILL BE EXEMPTED
Positions to Be Taken From the Classified
Service.
Action That VIII Probably he Taken
by the President During the HoIf-
day Recess of ConRress,

In all probability before Congress gets
through its holiday recess the President
VIII take action in regard to the civil sery-
ice rules, and by so doing forestalI and
prevent any more radical change by Con-
gress. The President, it is asserted, con-
templates such a step. and the first
Offices to be affected will be the deputy
collectors Of internal revenue. 1t is now
clear that the President and his advisers
have been considering for some time a
modification of the famous blanket order
by which President Cleveland placed 43 900
offices in the classified list of the civil
service.
Since Congress has been in session the
hight against the civil service law has
ueen 50 persistent and strong that many
oi tne republican senator's knowing the
residents inclination in this matter have
ADVISED MIN to act Immediately in the
matter TO prevent any serious modification
OF the law by Congress.
1t is now stated that the President u,i,, b.-
lore Congress meets again issue new rules
IN regard TO the civil service law removing
from the classified list all bonded Off
clals, SUCH as deputy collectors of Gus
toHis' deputy collectors of internal reye-
nue., deputy marshals, assistant district
attorneys, assistant subtreasurers and. per
maps, executive chiefs of bureaus and de-
pGrtmentS
cabinet favor such a modification. and have
urged that it be done This will not affect
the civil service in regard to clerks or otner
oincials, for which the civil service law was
or'si,ahy INTENDED. 1t will have an effect
OF allowing the cabinet officers and chiefs
or the various departments to select their
own assistants, and to carry out the policy
OF the administration and at the same time
protecting clerks and other officers, and
remove the latter from political influence
The change contemplated will affect several
thousand officers, not only in Washington.
but all over the country, and already hints
as TO the order have been given and prep
aratlons made as to the changes.
The attitude of the President on the civil
service was described follows by him in
his recent Message to Congress:
Much OF course still remains to be ac-
compiished before the system can be made
reasonably perfect for our needs. There
are places Eew in the classified service
which ought to be exempted and others not
classified may properly be included. l shall
nor hesitate to exempt cases which | think
have heen improperly included in the classl-
lied service or include those which in my
Judgment will best promote the public serv-
Ice. The system has the approval of the
people and it will be my endeavor to up
hold and extend it,
Framing n Bill.
The republican members of the House
who are framing a bill to reform the civil
service law have not yet got together to
draft their measure. Chairman Hepburn
of the special committee having the mat
ter in charge says he expects the bill to
be matured soon after the holiday recess
closes. Thus far, he wever, he and his as
sociates on the special committee nave not
discussed the form that the reform meas
ure e, is to take. Representative Tawney,
who is chairman of the committee to look
up evidence on the maladministration OF
al la,o ITO
collection of the material calculated TO
show defects in the law and its enforce
ment. He will supplement this with
careful review of tie law in the case, the
purpose being to show that the original
law never contemplated the wide applica-
ton which it is given, and that the powers
exercised by the civil service commission
are supported oEly by usage and not by
law. Mr.. Tawney says the powers eXer
cised by the commission have stood merely
because they were not contested by any
legal process which would secure a strict
adherence to the law.