The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-01-27

WASHINGTON. Jan. 2s.-E. D. Bal
ley, chief clerk OF the examiners office
Of the civil service commission, submit
ted some sensational testimony at to-
days session OF the senate civil service
investigating committee. It was n Sc.
quel to the charges he made Monday Of
Intimidation and interference BY the
commission with his testimony. He
called attention to the bitter attack
made on him by President Proctor, OF
the commission. He read a letter he
had addressed to Theodore Roosevelt,
then New York police commissioner, Sc
verely criticlsing the commission. The
letter said In part:
THE business OF the commission Is in
the greatest confusion and Is becoming
more and more demoralized for want OF
Intelligent management. Reuuisltions
remain unacted on for months aand
many complaints are made by the de-
partments OF delays and annoyances
detrimental to the service. In such
cases temporary appointments were
authorized and after ninety days made
permanent, although no rule exists per-
mIttlnS such actions. These requisi.
t!ons probably cover several hundred
places"
The letter gave number OF instances
in substantlaticn OF the general state
ment. Continuing the letter said: d:"oucs-
tlonable appointments have been so nu-
nerous that the rules have almost lost
tt,atr fn, Il a1t 10, ~
sity Is regnant and q want OF uniformity
exists In all the business OF the commits
sion and the greatest uncertainty pre-
walls. The subordinates cannot do their
work with confidence because oil pre-.
ceGenss, practices and principles are
abandoned and new ones substituted.
No reliable policy or line OF action ex-
lists which can be relied on and contra
dictory action Is frequent. The force Of
the commission has lost confidence In
the ability OF the management and can
do no more than to maintain existing
conditions and await inevitable
changes.
"The action taken by the commission
lacks continuity and the minutes OF one
day contraG.c.. those OF another day.
Action Is taken. then amended. then re-
voked. Under the recent administrn-
llpI kuuE-uLs lAc i've oiiiSSIs "a VIC SOih'a
mission were changed, bringing in new
men who lacked even the advantage or
experience In the departmental service,
some OF whose views were unfavorable
10 the civil Service lgw and rules With
theories little less than hostile. and
their inexperience and unfam!liarity
proved disastrous. They adopted rules
to classify, in one lump. 10000 new OF
fees and utterly failed to provide 10
meet these needs. The present condt-
ton Is thoroughly alarming. Disaster
can be averted only by immediate reule-
dial action and at least three changes
In the office should be made at once.
not for political reasons, but in the in.
terests OF the service" ~
Mr.. Proctor asked II Mr.. Bailey had
not sent copies OF this communications to
certain senators.
The witness replied that his wife was,
so far as he knew. the only other person
who knew OF Its existence.
about that time your friends asked
to have the President appoint you civil
service commissioner"
:iF"All I know Is that the papers said
Representative Walker. OF Worcester.
ter, Mass, where came from. had pre-
sented my name to the President"
President Proctor, of the commission,
then took the stand and ut the outset
sought to show that the sweeping ex-
tension of the classification OF Mny Q,
1890, was not, as had been alleged, "a
leap in the dark" so far as being equip
ped for the changed conditions was con-
cernel n.