The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-06

WASHINGTON, Jan. 5.-The bill
for the reform Of the civil service law,
Which has been drawn by a special
committee Of Republican members of
the house OF representatives. opposed to
the system in it's present form, makes
sweeping changes in the present sys-
TEN, the most important is the estab-
1shment Of q five-year tenure Of of
flee for those government employees
who are brought within the terms of
the bill. The measure limits the appli-
cation Of the civil service system to
the departments in Washington and to
such other localities where the total
number Of employees exceed twenty
five. All the appointees are commits
stoned for five years, with the power
or removal clearly regulated and vest
ed In the appointing power 1t is
provided, however, that no removal
shall be made for political or religious
causes, and in case of removal, the
causes shall be specified and the pa
pers made record of the Office
All persons now in the public SER
vice are to terminate their service five
years from the time that the act takes
effect. The measure recognizes the gen.
eral eligibility of these persons for re-
appointment. 1t includes In the civil
service postal clerks and letter carriers
In offices having over ten employees, ex-
elusive Of subordinates. 1t limits the
civil service regulations to clerks whose
compensation is from $500 to 81, 800 per
year and includes as clerks, copyists,
computers, counters and craftsmen.
1t is pointed out that the essential
n
Of the civil service all responsible and
important officers, limiting it only to
clerks in Washington and certain large
cities, and these cases fixing a tenure
Of office of five years The members
of the special committee framing the
bill are well pleased with their labors.
saying that the original purpose of the
civil service has been retained and that
Its radical expansions have been cut
off
AT meeting tonight Of the Repub-
ncanS In the house opposed to the
present civil service system, the bill
drawn by the committee was adopted
unanimously with a few amendments
Representative Evans, of Kentucky,
was instructed to introduce the meas
ure in the house tomorrow. 1t will
then be referred to the committee on
civil service reform. A steering COM
mittee to wait on the committee on
rules to secure the fixing of some date
for the consideration of the proposed
legislation and to ascertain the sense
Of the house and the exact support
that will be given it, was appointed as
follows: Messrs. Grosvenor, Ohio; Hep
burn, Iowa; Evans, Kentucky; Pear
son, North Carolina; Quigg, New York;
Lacey, Iowa, and Steele, Indiana.
The conference was held in the
house interstate commerce committee
room and about twenty-five members
attended, including Messrs. Hepburn,
Grcsvenor, Pearson, Evans Steele, Lin
ney, Lorimer, Brown, Brownlow, Bar
ber, the entire West Virginia delega-
ton, Belknap. Reeves, Pugh, Shattuck
Bromwell and Fenton.
The report of the special committee,
which has been going over the various
civil service bills on the calendar dur
ing the recess as basis for the meas
ure framed, was made by Mr.. Evans.
When the section relating to postofficeS
was reached Mr.. Steele, Indiana, NOV
ed to strike out the provisions which
exclude part of the postal service from
the operation Of the law This, how
ever, was defeated, and with the eX
ceptfon of several minor suggestions
and changes, there was a general
unanimity among the conferees. The
leaders Of the movement are not yet
able to definitely Ak the number Of
government offices effected by the bill,
but say it will certainly leave 10000
positions under the civil service, while
there are now over $1,000. 1t Is assert
ed that there is a majority in the civil
service committee in favor of material
modificat ton Of existing law. An effort
will be made to have the bill reported
to the house by Friday and action had
Immediately.