The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-01-06
rnn NEW CIVIL SERVICE BILL.
TO Limit Tenure of Office to Five
Years.


Washington. Jan. 5.-The bin for the
reform of the civil service law, which
has been drafted by special committee
of Republican members OF the House
Representatives opposed to the system
in it's present form, makes sweeping
changes in the present system, the most
important of which is the establishment
of a five wear tenure OF office for those
government employees VINO are brought
within tme terms of the bill. The meas
ure limits the application of the civil
service system to the departments in
Washington and to such other localities
where the total number of employees eX-
coed twenty five. All appointees are
commissioned for five years, with the
power of removal clearly regulated and
vested in the appointing power. 1t is
provided however, that no removal shall
be made for political or religious causes,
and in case of removal the causes shall
be specified and the papers made a re-
cord of the office.
All persons now in the public service
are to terminate their service five years
from the time that the act takes effect.
The measure recognizes the general eli
gibility of these persons for re-appoint-
ment. 1t includes in the civil service
postal clerks and letter carriers in Of
fees having over ten employees, exClu-
sive of subordinates. 1t limits the civil
service regulations to clerks whose COM
penSation is from 5000 to $500 per
year and includes as clerks cOpyistS,
computers, counters and craftsmen.
1t is pointed out that the essential idea
of the foregoing bill is to take out of
the civil service all responsible and inn
portant officers, limiting it only to clerks
in Washington and certain large cities
and in these cases, fixing a tenure of
office of five years. The members of
the special committee framing the bill
are we'll pleased with their labors say
ing that the original purpose of the civil
service has been retained and that its
radical expansions have been cut off.
ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY.
Washington, d. c., Jan. 5.--As the re-
suit of the conference of the Republican
members of the House opposed to the
existing civil service system, the bill
oNtlined in today's dispatches was adopt
ed unanimously with a few amendments.
Representative Evans, of Kentucky,
was instructed to introduce the measure
in the House tomorrow. 1t will then be
referred to the Committee on Civil Ser
vice Reform. A steering committee, to
wait on the Committee on Rules to Sc
cure the fixing of some date for the
consideration of the proposed legislation,
and to ascertain the sense of the House
and the exact support that will be given
it, was appointed as follows:
Messrs. Grosvenor, Of Ohio; Hepburn,
Of Iowa: Evans, Kentucky; Pearson,
North Carolina: Quigg, New York;
Lacey, Iowa; Steele, Indiana.
The conference was held in the House
Interstate Commerce Committee room,
and about twenty-five members attended.
The report of the special cOmmittee,
which has been going over the various
civil service bills on the calendar during
the recess, as basis for the one now
framed, was made by Mr.. Evans. When
the section relating to postoff;ces was
reached Mr.. Steele. of Indiana, moved
to strike out the provision which excludes
part of the postal service from the
operation of the law. This, however,
was defeated and with the exception Of
several minor suggestions and changes
made there was a general unanimity
among the conferees. The leaders Of
the movement are not yet able to defin-
itely fix the number of government
offices affected by the bill, but say ii
VII certainly leave sixty thousand po-
sitions under the civil service law, while
there are now over 81 900. 1t is asserted
that there is a majority in the civil ser
vice committee in favor of material
mo lifications of the existing law. An
effort WIN be made to have the bill re-
ported to the House by Friday, and ac-
ten taken Immediately.