The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-02-03
MR. .PROCTERON THE STAND
He Defends Civil Service Re-
form and UphOlds the Law.
ANSWERS MANY OBJECTIONS
President of the Commission Illus
trates Clearly That the Methods
in Use In tne PostOfficc, AgIicul-
tural an'I Nevy Depa rtments Are
the Best-Thc Il rotation Pan.

Hon. John Il. Proctor of the Civil
Service Commission was put on the
stand again this morning in the Senate
Civil Service Committee hearing He
said that he wanted To take up some of
the objections. that were being urged
against the system, and that the prin-
cipal one of them appeared To be that
II is a life tenure in office. There Is II
bill now before the House Committee to
do away with this so-called life ten
ure. he said, and if this bill should be
come a law ii would operate to retain
the poorest clerks in office. as il has
always been held that the poorest
clerks have the most and best political
influence.
Mr.. Proctor said that when clerks
had been put on limited tenure Of Of
flee and were to receive reappointment.
as has been done in some OF the de-
partments, it was found that under
Democratic Administration no Republi-
can clerks were left in office, and vice
versa, showing that the heads of de
partments could not b. depended upon
10 act without Partially. He thought
that a better way to get around the
question Of life tenure would be to
adopt the system now i'm practice In the
Postoffice, Agricultural and Navy De
partments. which requires a record 90
b. kept of all employees. and semi-an
nual report made as to their standing.
All employees who fail to maintain an
average of 20 per cent out OF a possible
100 are either reduced or dismissed.
This system. he said, would rid the ser
vice Of any super&nnuated employees,
and also tend t. lleep the work up To
a high standard.
Mr.. Proctor explained that when a
demand was made on the Commission
for a clerk. the examination papers OF
the three applicants WEo had attained
the highest percentage in the eXaim-
nations were sent to the appointing
officer. who could use his discretion ia
making the appointment. The appii-
cant chosen is then appointed on pro-
baton for six months. According 10
Nj Proctor less than per cent OF
those appointed on probation are dis
missed
As an illustration, 1ge referred to the
case of Albert Baker. Nh. Proctor said
that this case had been misrepresent-
ed that Mr.. Bakers transfer from
the printing office to the Civil Service
Commission was entirely legitimate,
and that Mr. Baker was a most effi
Cient clerk.
Mr.. Lands then questioned Mr.
Proctor as to the advisability of organ
izing an examination board in each de
partment but Mr.. Proctor thought
that the heads Of departments could
not do.this on an entirely nonPartISan
basis Another advantage uf the Com
mission. he said is that its branches
reach all over the country giving u
all persons the same chance for ap-
pointment 10 the public service.
Another point brought out by MI.
Proctor was that under the old sys-
TEN. employees guilty of gross Cffenses
were permitted To resign. and could b.
reinstated afterwaTd. but under the
civil service rules the guilty person
is tried. and if found guilty is dimisS
ed. When So dismissed. an employe
never can be- reinstated. TIE commit
tee adjourned to meet tomorrow morn
ing at 10 O'Clock.