Evening star., 1898-01-26
.BAILEYS CRITICISM
It Was Sent to Ex-Civil Service
Commissioner Roosevelt.
GRAVE COMPLAINTS we're MADE
Mr.. Proctor Goes on the Stand and
Explains.
TO RES Me FRIDAY

TO RES Me FRIDAY
The investigation into the methods of
the civil service was resumed this morn
ing at 11:20 o'clock by the Senate commit
tee on civil service and retrenchments.
Senator Pritchard was the only member
| of the committee present when the investi-
CATION began. There were quite a number
| Of people present to hear the testimony
| to be presented, among them Mr.. William
Dudley Foulke, chairman of the special
committee on congressional action of the
National Civil Service Reform League
Mr.. E. D. Bailey, chief clerk and assist
ant examiner of the civil service commits
sion, was the first to testify, his testi-
mony relating to matters that had been
brought out at the last meeting of the
| committee.
MIR. Bailey Seeks VindfchtiOn.
II ask permission to- refer briefly said
Mr. Bailey, ito the amazing and unac-
countabe personal attack upon me, which
| was read here by Mr. Proctor, president OF
| the civil service commission, at the last
session of this committee, in which he at
tempted to belittle my personal qualifica-
| tfons by alleging that 1 was incompetent
for the responsible duties of the important
position which | have held in the civil SER
vice commission for more than ten years
covering period about three times as long
as his own term of Office, and in which he
further endeavors to asperse my motives
by picturing me as a disappointed clerk
with grievance to air, in a city where 70,
fourteen years l have endeavored to live
| in public and private on a high plane OF
sincere and unselfiSh devotion to duty, with
| the highest regard for the public welfare
TO 70 IN Mr. or
asking him to kindly furnish me with a
copy OF the paper which he read, but he
has not shown me the courtesy Of a reply
and hence / am not prepared today to re-
fute in detail the allegations made by him.
Unless, however, vindication comes from
another source l may ask your honorable
committee to hear the testimony of gentle
men whose opportunities enable them to
judge Of my qualifications and whose in
tegrity will not permit them to knowingly
misstate facts
Senator Pritchard said that Mr. Bailey
could not be given an opportunity today to
| go into the details of any defense he might
wish TO make, but said If he wished such
an opportunity 1t would be given to him
later.
Mr.. Bailey presented copy of memo
randum he sent to Mr.. Theodore Roose-
welt March 5, 1897, in regard to the condi-
ton of work in the office of the commits.
sion. as brought out at the last meeting
of the committee.
Il transmitted the memorandum with a
brief personal letter." said Mr. Bailey "a
copy of which 1 have not been able to find
in which l expressed the hope that in any
reorganization which the President might
deem 1T desirable to make. Mr.. Proctor
might be retained in his position"
This memorandum, which has caused
much comment, follows:
Mr.. Bailey to Mr. Roosevelt.
"rhe business of the commission is in
faG
mere and more demoralized for want of in
telligent management. acquisitions remain
| Cnacted upon for months, and many COM
plants made by the departments of
delays and dnnOyanceS detrimental to the
service. In such cases authority was given
for temporary appointments, under the
emergency rule, and at the end of ninety
days, no provision having been made to
establish registers, such appointments were
made permanent, although rule exists
permitting such action. ReQuiSitionS OF
this character probably cover several hun
dred places. Various acquisitions of this
sort were made for the marine hospital
service and in one batch thirty-two APP
po1ntmentS were reported for which no
authority existed, and the only excuse for
which was the failure of the commission to
provide registers. The Navy Department
recently appointed fifteen steel inspectors
without examination or certificatton 10y the
commission, and the department has re-
quested the commission to make the 'ap-
pointments regular by issuing certifcations
No action on this request has yet been
taken. The engineer service at large has
made acquisitions to fill hundreds of places
and as yet provision has not been made to
meet the demands. The same is true of
the light house service. The Navy Depart
ment requested certifications for drafts
men. An examination failed to supply ELI
gibles, and the department proceeded to fill
the places without examination. The de-
partment notified the commission tLat it
would not delay public business to wait for
examinations. No registers have yet been
established. In ons case, at least, oral per-
mission was given to make an appointment
in a classified place because there was no
register. number of appointments in the
subtreaSury at New York have been made
since the classification without examina-
tion. No attempt has been made to meet
the needs of the ordnance department
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.
Effect of the New Rules.
"The adoption of new rules last May left
the commission without any general regu-
lations to govern the office details, and
though new regulations were placed before
the commission, they were never adopted.
The result is that want of uniformity
exists in all the business of the commits
sion, and the greatest uncertainty prevails.
The SubOrdfnateS OF the commission can
not do their work with confidence because
all precedents, practices and principles are
abandoned and new ones are substituted.
No reliable policy or line of action exists
which can be relied upon, and contradictory
action Is frequent. The force OF the COM
mission has lost confidence in the ability
of the management. and can do no more
than to maintain existing conditions. and
await changes which are deemed to be in
ayitable Work which needs attention Is
prepared for consideration, for want of
which important action is delayed and con-
fusion results. The action taken lacks con-
tinuity and the minutes of one day contra
dict those of another day. Action is taken,
then amended, then revoked.
Changes Should BE Made.
"At least three changes in the officers
should be made at once, not for political
reasons but in the interests of the service.
The mistakes of the last administration
| In exchanging tried men, of experience and
ability, for new men, without experience.