The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-01-27
MADE STARTLING CHARGES.
Chief Clerk Bailey'S Letter 10 The Civil
SsTViCa InV StisatOrS.
COMMISSION BUSINESS DEMORALlZED
For Want of Intelligent Managcment-An
Alleged Law of Necessity supplsnts
the RuIes-President Proctor Makes
Statement to the Committee.

Baliey, Cnlet titTh Vi tht IAaH'A'hS
once. Civil Service Commission, and for
many years connected with that body.
frequently acting as Chief Examiner, sub
mitted some sensational testimony at to-
DAYS session OF the Civil Service Inves-
tigating Committee.
II was a sequel to the charges he made
Monday of intimidation and interference
by the commission with his testimony.
He called attention to the bitter attack
made on him then by President Proctor
Of the commission.
In A letter which he made public at the
instance of the commission addressed to
Theodore Roosevelt, then New York Pc
lice Commissioner. now Assistant Secre-
tary of the Navy, the commission was
severely criticised. In an accompanying
personal letter he expressed the hope that
in any reorganization the President
might deem desirable to make, Mr. Proc
tor might be retained In his position.
This communication making startling
charges. and which created a sensation,
follows in brief:
THE CHARGES.
The business Of the commission is in
the greatest confusion and Is becoming
more and more demoralized for want OF
intelligent management. Requisitions are
not acted on for months and many com
plants are made by the departments OF
delays and annoyances detrimental TO the
service. In sucn cases temporary ap-
pointments were authorized and after
ninety days made permanent. although
no rule exists permitting such actions.
These requestions probably cover several
hundred places.
In one batch thirty-two appointments
in the Marine Hospital service were re-
ported for which no authority existed.
and the only excuse was the failure Of the
commission to provide registers. The
Navy Department recently appointed tif
teen steel inspectors without examina-
tion or certifcation by the commiss on
and the department has requested the
commission TO make the appointments
regular by issuing certihcations. No ac-
tion on these has yet been taken. The
engineer service at large has made re-
nuisitions to nh hundreds OF places and
no provision has yet been made to meet
the demands number OF appointments
in the sub-Treasury at New York have
been made since the classification with
out extension.
No attempt has been made TO meet the
needs OF the ordinance department and
irregularities and questionable appoint
ments have been so numerous that the
rules have almost lost their force and
the alleged law OF necessity is regnant
and a want OF uniformity exists In all the
business Of the commission and the
greatest uncertainty prevails. The subor-
dinates cannot do their work with conf
dence because all precedents practices and
principles are abandoned and new ones
substituted.
CONTRADICTORY ACTION
No reliable policy or line OF action ex-
lists which can he relied on. and contra
dictory action is frequent. The force OF
the commission has last confidence In
the ability of the management, and can
do no more than 10 maintain existing con-
ditions and await inevitable changes.
action taken by the commission lacks
continuity and the minutes of one day
contradict those of another. The action
taken is then amended then revoked.
Under the recent administration four
OF the five officers Of the commission were
changed. bringing in new men who lacked
even the advantage of experience in the
departmental service; some whose views
and rules, with theories little less than
hostile and their inexperience and un-
familiarity proved disastrous.
The present condition is thoroughly
alarming. Disaster can be averted only
by immediate remedial action. and at
least three changes in the Office should
be made at once. not for political rea-
sons. but in the interests OF the service"
PRESIDENTS REPLY.
President Proctor. Of the commission.
made a statement 10 the committee re
garding the charges that he and the
commission had sought 10 intimidate
Witness Bailey. He said when he had
spoken 10 Mr.. Bailey and told him that
hitherto no one had been subpoenaed by
the chairman OF the committee. except
those who were antagonistic to the COM
mission he had then IN his possession
duplicate copy OF the communication 10
MI. Roosevelt. submitted to-day. II was
furnished him by a United States senator
and he did not know its author until the
first testimony OF Mr.. Bailey when he
suspected him.
He had known for some time that the
paper had been passed among senator's
and made the basis of an attack on the
civil service. He told Mr.. Bailey that he
supposed that he had been subpoenaed at
the instance of some senator who had
seen the paper and that af'er the COM
plants were all In. he would ask the
committee to Summon people who had
long experience in important position In
relation to the operation OF the civil SER
vice.
He had stated that he wished any one
having "a knowledge OF wrong-doins In
NE commission would state all the facts,
but there was line to be drawn between
that and a subordinate criticising the ad-
ministraton OF the commission, the de-
partments and the President, and making
suggestions.