Evening star., 1898-02-08
MIR. PROCTER ON THE STAND.
The Commissioner Comments on NJ
Bailey's Charges.

Civil Service Commissioner Proctor re-
sumed the stand this morning when the
Senate committee on civil service and re-
trenchment resumed its investigation. SEN
ator Pritchard, chairman, and Senator
Lodge were present.
Mr.. Proctor said the commission had been
unable to get at their records to make re-
ply to the forty-two cases cited by Mr..
Bailey in his testimony and to complete
such replies in one day. although the cases
themselves covered n period of several
years, and evidently, he said, Mr.. Bailey
had been months in preparing his testi-
mony. In some of these cases, Mr. Proc
ter said, the action taken by the commits
sion was upon Mr. Bailey's recommends
tion.
The witness said that undue weight had
been given to Mr.. Bailey's testimony, as it
had been given out that he was chief clerk
OF the commission and assistant chief ex-
aminer. Mr.. Proctor said that Mr.. RaiIev
was clerk of class 4, detailed to the chief
examiners office, where he acts as chief
clerk to the chief examiner. though his real
position in the comisson he said is that of
custodian of the building and supplies.
Mr.. Proctor then took up the forty-two
cases cited by Mr.. Bailey as showing in
consistencies in the commissions acts and
gave reasons for action in each case citing
the rules to sustain the action taken.
In regard to Mr.. Bailey's charge that he
had peen denied an opportunity to refer to
the records of the commission, Mr.. Proctor
introduced q letter written by Mr. Serven
chief examiner Of the commission, which
stated that he simply suggested to Mr.
Bailey in friendly way that If he wanted
information from the records it would be
better for him to get them through the
regular channels rather than from CONVEX
satlons with clerks, as in the latter case
he told him his evidence might be thrown
out as hearsay.
Mr.. Procter's testimony was discontinued
in order that w. w. Matthews late a clerk
in the interstate commerce commission
could testify. He had been called at the
instance of Senator Gear, it having been
reported that the commissioner of internal
revenue had coached Mr. Matthews for an
examination for the position of gauger
Mr.. Matthews explained that the only eX
PLANTATION for such a report could be the
fact that he got books from the commits
sioner's office on Sauging, but they did not
assist him, and he did not pass the exam
ination when he attempted 1T.
Mr.. Proctor then resumed the stand and
was cross-examined by Mr.. Bailey on his
testimony.
AT the conclusion of Mr.. Procter's testi-
n2ony- ex-Representative Baker, represent
ing the National Republican Anti-Civil Ser
vice. League. gave some testimony. Mr..
Baker claimed that the cost Of the internal
revenue service is now greater than 1t was
before the civil service rules were applied
to it, He said that there arc now 800 more
employees in that service than were includ-
ed in it before classification He did not
give any figures to show the proportion of
work for the force to do in these different
periods.
Upon the conclusion of Mr.. Bakers tes-
ttmony the committee adjourned. and Sena-
tor Pritchard stated that the hearing of
testimony was at an end. AS soon as all
the testimony is printed the committee will
take 1t up and proceed to consider the
q fnrry n pa
port to the Senate. 1t is not believed that
this will take a great amount Of time.