The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-01-27
Civil Service Commission
Attacked.
CHIEF CLERK IS ACCUSER
Temporary Appointments Certified
For Permanency.
SLIPSHOD METHODS ALLEGED.

Cnicl clerk OF the examiner , olice, ClNn
service commission, and for many years
connected with that body. frequently
acting shief examiner, submitted sem
sattonal testimony at yesterdays ses-
sion OF the senate civil service investiga-
tion committee. 1t was 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 committee, addressed to
Theodore Roosevelt there is severe crit
icism OF the commission. In an accom-
panying letter he expressed the hope
thatin any reorganization the president
might deem desirable to make. Mr.
Proctor might be retained in his position.
This communication follows in brief:
1.-The business OF the commission is in the
greatest confusion and is becoming more
and more demoralized for want of in
telligent management. acquisitions re-
main unacted on for months. and many
complaints are made by the departments
OF delays and annoyances detrimental to
the service. In such cases temporary
appointments were authorized. and after
80 days made permanent, although no
rule exists permitting such action.
These acquisitions probably cover sew
eral hundred places. In one batch 30
appointments in the marine hospital SER
vice were reported for which no au-
thority existed. and the only excuse was
the failure OF the commission to pTO-
vide registers. The navy department
recently appointed II steel inspectors
without examination or certification by
the commission, and the department has
requested the commission TO make the
appointments regular by issuing certi-
fcations. No action on these has yet
been taken. The engineer service at
large has made acquisitions 10 fill hun
dreds OF places. and no provision has
yet been made to meet the demands.
A number OF appointments in the sub
treasury at New York have been made
since the classification without eXamina-
ton. No attempt has been made 10
meet the needs OF the ordnance de-
partment, and Irregularities and ques-
tionabe appointments have been so nu-
merous that the rules have almost lost
their force.
THE alleged aw OF necessity is reg
nant. and a want of uniformity exists
I'm all the business of the commission,
and the greatest uncertainty prevails
The subordinates cannot do their work
with confidence because all precedents.
practices and principles are abandoned
and new ones substituted. No reliable
policy or line of action exists which can
be relied on, and contradictory action
is frequent The force Of the commits
sion has lost confidence in the ability
bf the management. and can do no more
than TO maintain existing conditions 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 re-
voked. Under the recent administra-
ton four of the FIVE officers of the COM
mission were changed, bringing i'm new
men, who lacked even the advantage
OF experience i'm the departmental SER
vice. some whose views were unfavor-
able To- the civil service law and rules.
with theories little less than hostile. and
their inexperience and unfamliarty
proved disastrous. They adopted rules
10 classify. in one lump. 10000 new offices
and utterly failed to provide TO meet
these needs. The present condition is
thoroughly alarming. Disaster can only
be averted by immediate remedial ac-
tlon, and at least three changes i'm the
officers should be made at once. not for
political reasons but in the interest of the
service"
Mr.. Proctor asked IL Mr.. Bailey had
If ~ nh n ~ NJ inf
to certain senator's The witness re-
piled that his wife was. so far as he
knew. the only oth.r person who knew
Of its existence.
About that time your friends asked
NO have the president appoint you civil
service commissioner"
"All know is that the papers said that
Representative Walker of Worcester
Mass. whore | came from. had presented
my name to the president"
President Proctor Of the commission
then took the stand, and sought 60 show
that the sweeping extensa on Of the class
dHcation of MAY 6. 1896, was rot as had
been alleged. "a leap in the dark" so
far as being equipped for the changed
conditions was concerned.
President Proctor made a statement
regarding the charges that he ard the
commission had sought % intim'date
Bailey When he told Nir. Bailey that
hitherto no one had been subponaod
by the chairman of the committee ex-
cept those who wereantsgonistic 20 the
commission. he had In bis possess'on n
duplicate copy Of The commun cation TO
Mr. Roosevelt. II was furnish q him
BY n United States senator. and he did
not know its author until the first testi-
mony of Mr.. Bailey, when he suspected
him. lie had known for some time that
the paper had been passed among sem
ators and made tho basis OF an attack
m Tho DtxsIt l.t.t.t.a