The Forrest City times., 1898-01-28
The CIVIL SERVICE.
Sensational Testimony Before the
Senate Committee.
REV. {. D. BAILEY PRESENTS EVIDENCE.
Excerpts From q Letter Addressed TO
Theodore Roosevelt, by the Witness
Read, Presenting an Arrangement,
Of TIE Commission

WASHINGTON. Jan. 27-Rev. T. d.
Bailey, chief clerk OF the exam
iner's Office. civil service commission
timony at the session of the senate
civil service committees Investigation.
II was a sequel to the charges he
made Monday of intimidation aud
interference by the commission
with his testimony. lie called atten.
ton to the bitter attack made on him
then by President Proctor of the com
mission. He read letter he had ad-
dressed to Theodore Roosevelt. the
New York police commissioner, severe
~ criticising the commission. This let
ter said in part:
THE business Of the commission Is in the
greatest confusion and is becoming more and
more demoralszed for want Of inteIIigcn. man
agement- acquisitions remain Enacted on for
months. and many complaints are made by the
departments Of delays and annoyances detrs-
mental % the service In such cases temporary
appointments were authorized. and after 81
days made permanent. although no rule exists
permitting such actions These requisitioEs
probably cover several hundred places
The letter gave number of instances
in substantiation of the general state
ment. Continuing, the letter said:
Questionable appointments have been so
numerous that the rules have almost lost their
force. and the alleged Law Of necessity IS reg
nant and q want Of uniformity exists in
ali the business Of the commission and the
greatest uncertainty prevails. The subordlnates
can not do their work with confidence because
ali presidents, practices and principles are
abandoned and new ones substituted No
1frza os
can be relied on, and contradictory action Is
frequent. The force OF the commission has
lost confidence In the ability Of
the management. and can do no
more than 70 maintain existing conditions
aud await Inevitable changes The action
taken oy the commission lacks coatlnuity ani
the minutes Of one day contradict those Of an
other day. Action IS taken. then amended.
then revoked Under the recent adninistra-
fion, 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, s1ns Of whose
views we're unfavorable 10 the civil service
Law and rules. with theories little less than
hostile, and their inerperience and unfamiliar
lily proved dis sstrous- They adopted rules 10
classify. in one lump 5000 new offices and Ut
terry failed 70 provide to meet these needs
The present condition is thoroughly alarm
Ing. Disaster can be aYerted only by
iaAmcutatc frfnc1lat actlOns anu a. least three
changes In the ONCE should be made at once
not for political reasons. but in the interests OF
the service
Mr.. Proctor asked If Mr.. Bailey had
not sent copies of this communication
to certain senator's
The witness replied that his wife
was, so far as he knew. the only other
person who knew of its existence.
About that time your friends asked
to have the president appoint you civil
service commissioner"
"All l know is that the papers said
Representative Walker of Worcester,
where | came from, had pr sented my
name TO the president.
President Proctor of the commission
then took the stand, and at the utset
sought to show that the sweeping ex-
tension of the classi fication of May 6.
1896, was not, as had been alleged, "a
leap in the dark" SO far .as being
equipped for the changed conditions
was concerned.