The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-27
CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION.
CHIEF CLERK BAILEY OF THE EN-
AMINER'S OFFICE SCORES IT.

says Its Business Is in the Greatest
Confusion and Is Becoming More
and More DemOraIized for Lack OF
Intelligent ManaGement-Temp
rary Appointments Authorized and
Made Permanent After 30 Days in
the Absence of Amy Rule for Such
Action.
Washington, Jan. 26.-Rev. f. d. Bailey,
chief clerk of the examiners office, Civil
Service Commission, submitted some SEN
sationai testimony at to-day's session OF
the Senate committee on civil service, In
vestigating the commission. 1t was a Sc
quel to the charges that he made on Mon
day of intimidation and interference by
the commission with his testimony. He
called attention to the bitter attack made
on him then by President Proctor of the
commission He read letter he had ad-
dressed to Theodore Roosevelt then New
York Police Commissioner, severely cril-
Ching the commission. This letter said,
in part:
THE business of the commission is in
the greatest confusion and is becoming
more and more demoralized for want of in
teligent management acquisitions re-
main Enacted on for months, and many
complaints are made by The departments
of delays and annoyance detrimental to
the service. In such cases temporary APP
pointments We're authorized and after
ninety days made permanent, although no
rule exists PERMITTING such action. These
acquisitions probably cover several hun
bred places"
The letter gave a number of instances
in substantiation of the general statement.
Continuing, The letter said "Questiona-
bic appointments have been so numerous
that the evils have almost lost their force,
the alleged law of necessity is pregnant,
a want of uniformity exists in all the
business of the commission, and great I'M
certainty prevails. The subordinates can
not do their work with confidence because
old precedents, practices and principles
are abandoned and new ones substituted.
No reliable line of action is observed. The
employees of the commission have lost
confidence and can do nothing but await
the inevitable changes. The action
taken by the commission lacks continui-
~ and the minutes of one day contradict
another day. An action is taken, then
amended, then revoked Under the recent
administration four or five offices of the
commission were changed, bringing in new
men who lacked even the advantage of
experience in the departmental service,
some of whose views were unfavorable to
the civil service law and rules, with theo-
ries little less than hostile and their ex-
perience and unfamiiarity proved disas-
trOus They adopted rules to classify, in
one lump, 10000 new offices, and then ut
terly failed to meet these rules. The pres
ent condition is thoroughly alarming. Dis
aster can be averted only by immediate
remedial action and at least three changes
in the office should be made at once, not
for political reasons, but in the interest
of the service. -
Mr.. Proctor asked if Mr.. Bailey had not
sent copies of this communication to GER
tain 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 the
President to have you appointed civil serv-
ice commissioner
''All l know is that the paper said that
Representative Walker of Worcester,
Mass, where l came from, had presented
my name to the President"
President Proctor of the commission then
took the stand, and. at the outset, sought
to show that the sweeping extension of
the classification of May g. 1896, was not.
as had been alleged, "a leap in the dark, -
so far as being equipped for the changed
conditions were concerned.