The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-27
ATTACKED FROM WITHIN
The Civil Service Commission Ac-
cused of Mismanagement.
Mr.. BAILEYS CHARGES
If What He Says Is True the Condition
of Affairs Is Rotten and Is Bound
to Grow Rottener If Some
thing Isn't Done.

Washington, Jan. pc. D. Bailey,
chief of the examiners office of the civil
service commission, submitted some SEN
sational testimony at to-day's session OF
the senate civil service investigating COM
mittee 1t was a sequel to the charges
he made Monday Of intimidation and in
reference of the commission with his
testimony. He called attention to the
bitter attack made on him then by
President Proctor of the commission. He
read a letter he had addressed to Theo-
dore Roosevelt, the New York police
commissioner, severely criticising the
commission This letter said in part:
THE business of the commission is In
the greatest confusion and is becoming
more and more demoralized for want OF
intelligent management. acquisitions
remain Enacted upon for months and
many complaints are made by depart
ments of delays and annoyanceS detri-
mental to the service. In such cases
temporary appointments were author-
lied and after 80 days made permanent,
although no rule exists permitting such
actions. These acquisitions probably
cover several hundred places.
The letter gave a number of instances
in substantiation of the general state
ment.
Continuing, the letter said: "Ques-
tionable appointments have been so nu-
merous that the rules have almost lost
their force and the alleged law of ne
cessity is regnant and want OF uni
formity exists in all the business of the
commission and the greatest uncer-
tainty prevails. The subordinates can
not do their work with confidence be-
cause all presidents. practices and
principles are abandoned and new ones
substituted. No reliable policy or line
of action exists which can be
relied upon and contradictory ac-
ton is frequent. The force of the
commission has lost confidence in the
ability of the management, and can do
no more than to maintain existing con-
ditions and await inevitable changes.
The action taken by the commission
lacks continuity and the minutes of
one day contradict those of another
day. Action is taken. then amended,
then revoked Under the recent admin
istration, four or five officers of the
commission were changed, bringing in
new men, who lack even the advantage
of experience in the departmental serv-
ice, some whose views were unfavor-
able to the civil service laws and rules.
with theories little less than hostile
and their ineXperence and unfamiliar-
ity proved disastrous. They adopted
rules to classify in one lump 10000 new
offices and utterly failed to provide to
meet these needs. The present condi-
ton is thoroughly alarming. Disaster
can be averted only by immediate re-
medal action, and at least three
changes in the office should be made at
once, not for political reasons, but in
the interests of the service"
Mr.. Proctor asked il Mr.. Bailey had
not sent copies of this communication
to certain senator's? The witness re-
piled that his wife was, so far as he
knew, the only other person who know
of it's existence.
About that time did your friends not
ask the president to appoint you civil
service commissioner?
"All ! know is that the papers said
Representative Walker of Worcester,
Mass. where I came from. had present
ed my name to the president"
Mr.. Proctor of the commission then
took the stand and at the outset sought
to show that the sweeping extension of
the classification 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 con-
cerned.