The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-01-12


Hepburn, Of Iowa, each made strong ar
guments In favor of radical modihca-
tion OF the existing civil service system.
As the result of the recent conference OF
Republican members opposed to existing
civil service conditions, a bill, with rev
anne ndments. was adopted unanimously,
Mr.. Evans, of Kentucky, will have charge
of the bill when II comes back from the
committee on civil service reform. The
text of the new bill proposes to eliminate
from the civil service all responsible and
important officers, limiting 1t only to
clerks in Washington and certain large
cities, and in these cases fixing tenure
of office Of five years. The bill further
provides that the civil service act shall
not apply to or regulate examinations for,
nor the employment or appointment of
any person to any office or position In
the civil service of the United states, nor
to removals therefrom, except the follow
ing: First. clerks, copists, counters, COM
puters, and draughtsmen who receive
salaries of not less than $500 nor over Sl,SO0
per annum in the several departments,
institutions, commissions, and bureaus in
the city of Washington, ID. c.. and in
the various public offices throughout the
country in which as many as twenty-five
persons. exclusive of letter carriers, are
employed. Second, railway mail clerks;
and third, letter carriers in cities where
more than ten carriers exclusive of suD-
stitutes) are employed. 1t Is aiso provid-
ed that the provisions OF the civil SER
vice act and the rules made Hereunder
shall not in any way apply nor be applied
to the appointment or employment of
special examiners in the bureau of PEN
sons. nor to confidential clerks, secre-
taries. or stenographers, OF any head OF
any department, institution. commission
or bureau, nor to those of any postmast-
er. surveyor, or collector of customs, col
lector of internal revenue and pension
agents, appraiser of merchandise, mar
shall of any district or attorney of the
United States for any district, nor to any
person employed in the office OF pvt lie
printer. The term of Office of all persons
heretofore appointed under ciyll service
rules shall be five years. The power of
the appointing officers to remove for
cause is not abridged, but no changes
shall be made for political or religious
reasons.
The managers of the committee are
we'll pleased with their labors and claim
that the original purpose of the civil SER
vice las been retained. AMI its radical en-
ransions cut off. Under this bill, If 1t
becomes a law about 60, VI positions will
remain out of the $1,000 THAI are now un-
der the civil service, leaving GO00 opeu
siderable space in outlining what is con-
teriplated to be done by congress in the
II after uf Improvement in the ci I'll SER
vice system as !t now exists and as Ii
has recently become the principal topic
% cscussion Gil the street corners and
elsewhere, 1 fel5 that the readers OF -'he
'"ri'inc would not be satisfied with half
o. loai
Since congress has recon Jened Repre-
sentative Conncll has introduced the fol-
lowing measures In the house for legis-
lative action, which relate to Lackawan-
ma county:
A bill for the relief of William Burke.
A bill for the relief of William Call.
A bill for the relief of William H.
| Thomas.
A bill for the relief of Patrick Duffy.
| Also, resolution of St. Josephs r. c.
| society, protesting against the passage OF
the Lodge immigration bill, besides hav-
| ing a postoffice established In Lackawan-
ma county to be called Elmdale, with f.
| p. McPeek as postmaster, and Matthew
Mcpherson made postmaster at Dickson
| City, and ]. Hanson Cook postmaster al
| I<izers Pa. This, together with securing
| the appointment of Major Thomas T.
| Penman, as collector of internal revenue
| for the Twelfth district, is considered tc
| have been a fairly good average for foul
| congressional days work. Yesterday, as
| you may have learned already, he intro.
| duced a bill to create a new federal Ju.
| dicial district, to be called the middle dis.
trict. AS the bill is quite a lengthy one
and covers large amount OF detail,
| will not attempt a description of it's fea.
| lures, but promise in lieu thereof to sent
| you IL copy of the bill as soon as printed
| --Strattan.