Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-03-10
TOO COMPREHENSIVE.
Senate Committees Objection to
the Civil Service classifi.
cation in Vogue.
WOULD LIKE A FEW MORE ExEKPTa

nent Friat Shop Being on the List at All
Some Of the Places the Committee
Would Cut Loose-General Principle to
Cover. Exemptions Laid Down-Test Of
R.rai Free Mall Delivery.
Washington. March 1o.-The senate
civil service committee has presented a
report on the situation in the civil SER
vice Of the government under the pres
ent classification. In brief the commit
tee thinks that there is too much class
ification: that, in short, the civil SER
vice rules have been made a leetle too
all-embracing. Many Offices the COM
mittee thinks should be exempted from
the civil service rules and among these
are the following: Deputy commission.
er and deputy collectors Of internal rev.
enue agents, who are employees Of the
commissioner Of internal revenue; tenn
porary storekeepers and gaugers: GER
tain lighthouse employees. shipping
commissioner Of the various ports. in
spectors Of hulls and boilers, all posi-
tions in the custodian service; assistant
oeeoi anu sBttldA dSthtS tHe Oe-
partment Of justice and deputy United
States marshals.
No Law 10 Include the Print Shop.
II Is recommended that a number Of
employees in the interior department, in
cluding the chief clerk Of the depart
ment and the chief clerks of the various
bureaus. special agents and law ex-
Qminero hn axannfad Tho
recommended in this department is
quite extended and includes generally
the positions OF individual responsible
ity. the temporary places ard the places
OF minor responsibility. 1t is also rec
commended that private secretaries be
In all cases exempt. The same recon-
mendation ismade as to the chiefclerks
In all departments. also as to postoffice
inspectors and special agents of the ag-
ricultural department. A competitive
departmental examination for technical
positions at navy yards is recommend
ed. The committee expresses the op.n.
Ion that the classification Of the gov
ernment printing Office was not author
lied by law, but that even IL ii was
many places in that Office were included
which should not have been. 1t thinks
that IL the office is to remain in the
classified service the appointments
should be apportioned among the vari-
Gus states
Committee Works on Principle.
These positions. the committee says,
90 not In any way interfere with the
principle Of regulating the appoint-
ments to the classified service. but
merely take from the classified lists
those persons whose relations to their
chiefs are either OF fiduciary or of an
executive nature. the principle being
that where an official has to impose pc
culiar confidence either in the honesty
or the executive ability OF an officer the
selection Of that officer should be with
the person who Is directly responsible
FOR his acts. The recent order Of the
president In regard TO removals seems
To have been interpreted more narrow
ly than in the opinion OF the committee
the order justifies. They say that
while the power Of appointment to the
civil service may well be regulated SO
as TO open the service impartially to
all the people OF the United States un-
der suitable restrictions. the power of
removal should be very broad. Where
clerk Is deemed by his immediate
superior to be inefficient IL is clearly in
the line Of public policy that the clerk
should be discharged. and there should
be no impediments placed in the way
OF such discharge except such as may
be necessary to secure Justice to the
person removed"
Two Minority Reports.
The committee further recommends
that the president be requested to
change existing regulations, SO that
when a vacancy occurs and under the
rule three names are certified as eligible
for such vacancy the three names shall
be forwarded to the local officer in
charge of the Office where such vacancy
exists and such local officer shall desig
nate the person to be selected for such
vacancy. subject TO approval by the
head Of the department having jurisdic-
ton OF such office.
Senators Chiffon and Kenney also
submitted n brief report saying that
while they agree that legislation is de-
sirable. they consider IL inadvisable to
make any suggestions to the president.
Senator Lodge presented his views in
a separate report. which. while IL
agrees in the main with the report sub.
mitted by Senator Pritchard. does moi
present so long a list Of persons whom
he would have exempted from the op-
| erations OF the civil service law.
House Does Routine Business.
Washington. March 10.-The house
| devoted itself to routine business yes.
terday. The legislative, executive and
| judicial appropriation bill wen,
through its last stages in the adoption
| OF the conference report and the re.
mainder Of the day was consumed IL
the consideration of the senate amend.
ments TO the Indian appropriation bill
The substitute for the senate provision
| regarding the opening OF the Uncom.
pahgre reservation was knocked out OF
a point Of order and the amendmen,
goes back to conference. Sherman
chairman of the Indian committee. de.
clared that the free homestead provision
would cost the government SIS. .Oo0. 600
He desires TO eliminate IL from the bill
and has the support Of the secretary oi
the interior.