Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-13
THE CIVIL SERVICE
Its Investigation Continued by Sena-
tor Pritehard's Committee.
EI-FOREMAN OYSTER A WITNESS
Thinks His Dismissal Was Caused
by Conspiracy.
EXAMINER SERVEN'S VIEWS


service his morning Senator Pritchard
the chairman, the only member of the
committee present when the investigation
"pe0ed- Senator Lodge, who has been a
regular attendant on the meetings of the
committee, was unable to attend today be-
cause of business connected with the COM
nitt-a printing.
The hearing today was to be devoted
chiefly T. testimony by the civil service
commission on he general subject under
consideration and to hearing the testimony
of E. W. Oyster. late chief of the specifica-
ton division of the government printing
office. whose testimony confined to his
own case.
Among those present were Commissioner
Proctor, ,ex-Representative Henry NJ Baker
president of the Republican National Anti
civil Service League; a. K. Serven chief
examiner of the commission: Geo r.
Nales' law clerk. and E. u. Bailey. as
Sistaht chicf examiner of the commission
Mr. Oyster Il Witness
Mr. Oyster was the first witness placed
upon the stand Mr.. Oyster desired to tes-
tify regarding the general application of the
civil service law to the government printing
Office, hut Senator Pritchard said he could
not let a witness, who had been on the
stand on the general subject of the civil
service law, reopen his testimony and re-
CURED Mr.. oyster TO coEfne his remarks
TO MS own case. He said Mr.. Oyster could
submit any further comments he had to
make in vritiIg, I'D if the committee de-
slred to do SO it would be Incorporated in
the record of the proceedings
Mr. Oyster said he had been dismissed
rom the government printing office with
out being given written charges as con-
trmplated by the civil service rules The
public printer. Mr.. Oyster said mad posi-
t.Eeiy refused to furnish him with the
c:iar%es against him, and again refused to
furnish these charges To- the civil service
commission when they asked for them He
said the men who had sought to make
trouble In his division were the men he had
had reinstated in their places. who could not
have been returned there had it not been
Tor the kindness he showed them. When he
mad to- enforce rules on these men they had
cGnsplrtd 10 get pretext for his removal.
MI oyster SAID his dismissal was purely on
pretext ana nothing more. He was salts
ned that II the foreman of printing were
asked he you'd say that he. the witness,
was thoroughly efficient and faithful.
Typewritten Charges
MI Oyster testified that he had been
shown typewriter charges against him
Just before his dismissal but only one of
these charges was specific. and none of
them We're signed, and no names of those
VINO had accused him were furnished. The
one Specific charge was that he the wit
ness, had kept a record of efficiency when
tAe public printer had ordered that such
iocords be discontinued. Mr.. Oyster said
ne mad discontinued keeping his record
@hen so ordered Mr.. Oyster denied the
Sharses that he had permitted canvassing
IN MS office and had promoted an inefff-
Gent man 10 be proof reader. Conclud-
ing, ne said MS dismissal had been brought
about by conspiracy. which he thought
was a violation of the laws of the country
and and his case should be investigated by the
President himself, TO see whether his rules
mad not been violate
Mr. sardo's Views
Mr. Albert f. Sardo who resigned from
the government printing Office because of
MS reduction was also called to the stand
He had been superintendent of the press
room under Mr.. Benedcts first and last
administration, and had been in the office
ior twenty-three years In reply to ques-
lions by Commissioner Proctor, Mr.. Sardo
sald ne thought the classification of the
government printing office had resulted
benencially TO that office.
Mr. Procter-''Do you think the govern
ment printing office did more work after
tndn before classifcation?'
Mr.. Sardo replied that at least as much
work was done
Mr.. Pritchard-'Is it a fact that all the
republicans were dismissed before the
CLASSIFIED service was applied there?"
MIR. SardO said he did not know about the
Office as whole. but there were at asst
dozen republicans among his force of
Mr.. Pritchard wanted TO know If Mr.
SaEdo knew Mr Baker, who was MIR
henedict.s head man" He replied that he
did not know that Mr.. Baker was a head
man there, but was only Mr.. Benedict's
clerk.
Practical Examination Sought.
Mr.. a. r. Serven, chief examiner of the
civil service commission testified that an
effort was made to have all questions
asked IN examinations by the commission
to be practical and bring out a knowledge
OF the work TO be done. He said if one
tenth of the foolish questions going the
rounds OF common report purported to be
civil service commission questions had ac-
tUaily been asked then the chief examiner
and his thirty thirty-hve assistants
should be put in an insane asylum. He
said that he thought these questions were
first told jokes, and after being reported
several times they were looked Upon seri-
OUsy.
Mr. Pritchard asked for the questions
asked by the commission for a skilled
labOrcr-
Mr. Serven replied they were given twen-
ty words OF less than average difficulty TO
fpelI. were given five examples in arith-
netic in addition and subtraction and
letter Of 100 words to write. Where the
department. offices think the experience of
the applicants would be Of value, the past
experience of the applicant is valued as
ore-iourth of bis examination. He outlined
examinations for other classes of positions
Speaking Of the condition of work OF the
commission. he said there are now 10000
tets of examination papers unmarked.
Mr.. Serven testified that the commission
now has hfty-seyen employees, with forty
or forty-fve clerks detailed from the de-
Iartments. If the commission could select
those that are detailed TO work with il and
could retain them, the number of its clerks
could be reduced twenty or twenty-five. AT
present. he said, clerks are detailed there
temporarily and not kept long enough
10 get familiar with the work.
Kind of n.,.troI
Mr.. Pritchard wanted to know II the de-
partments dump their poorest clerks On the
commission when the latter needs help
Mr. Server replied that he would not say
that, but frequently clerks sent to the COM
mission from departments did not develop
mission.
MT. Pritchard-"Dfd ths commission at
tempt TO See how the appointments in de-
pdr'hents were apportioned among the