The times., 1898-01-06
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.

yesterday responded, giving their ideas
as to what should be done with the
civil service reform laws. Other re-
plies from heads of departments will be
along in day or two. Secretary .5her-
man says:
Il found upon entering upon nay du-
ties as Secretary of State that the en-
tire clerical force of the department
including the chief clerk, at $3.50 aud
six chiefs of bureaus at s.. 100 each, was
covered by the civil service law under
Presidential order extending its OPP
erations so as to embrace those officers.
My opinion is that these seven posi-
tions should ''be excepted from the or
erations of the laws governing the civil
service, or the rules established by
the Civil Service Commission and L
so recommend should any changes ar
amendments to the present civil service
law or rules be contemplated. These
officers should be either appeintcs. by
the President, by and with the advice
and consent of the Senate, or the Sec
retary should be, as formerly, acting
for the President, empowered TO ap-
point them.
''All these officers. bear a close per-
sonal relation to the Secretary of
State in the conduct of the depart
nlents official business. 1t is through
them, under the assistant secretaries,
he is enabled to transact his officia: du-
ties. and il would seem to be the part
of prudence and discretion that they
should be in sympathetic touch with
the head of the department to insure
cooperation and harmony of action. 1t
is probable that the Secretary of
State may not wish TO exercise the
power conferred upon him to make re-
movals and appointments in these par
ticuiar positions. but his hands should
not be tied or his authority limited
whenever. in his Judgment, the best in
terests OF the public service demand a
change. This freedom of action on the
part of the Secretary of State, which
should never have been curtaiIed.
would, believe, promote the public
interests. 1t should certainly instil in
these officers desire to render the
pest possible service to the department
and stimulate their highest endeavors
tC discharge their official duties in har-
mony with the wishes of the Secretary
of State.
II may say frankly that my recon-
mendation for a change in this respect
Is not based upon any want of fidelity
on the part of the gentlemen who are
at present occupying the seven posi-
tions named; or because of a desire TO
remove any one of them and appoint
his successor. They have uniformly
shown commendable spirit of energy
and fidelity in carrying forward the
great volume of the departments work
which cannot fail to recognize and ap-
T a Ia he
dation solely because L believe the
persons competent to fill these neces-
sartly quasi confidential and important
positions should be instantly and freely
subject TO change by the President or
the Secretary of State. I think the SER
vice would be benefited by excepting
these seven positions from the opera
tions Of the civil service laws
Secretary Wilson in his reply on the
civil service question tells the Senate
that he finds the chief trouble in the
Bureau of Animal Industry between
the inspectors, stock examiners and
taggers, covered into the classified ser
vice without examination. The only
inefficiency In his department is. the
Secretary says. found here and among
certain statistical agents, who were
also put into the classified service
without examination.
The Secretary of the Treasury says:
4 believe that experience has taught
that the order of May 6. 1896. was too
sweeping and that there should be ta-
ken out OF the classified service con-
siderable number of places that were
at that time classified. The most i'm
portant Of those places are in the In
ternal Revenue Service.
s+The difficulties which the Depart
ment has experienced in the Admins
tration of the rules as they now exist,
is applied TO the Internal Revenue Ser
vice. have become intolerable- l be-
lieve that all positions OF deputy col
lectors of internal revenue should be
made excepted places, subject, how
ever. to non-competitive examinations.
Il is obviously wrong that q collector,
after assuming the heavy responsibility
that he does, should be tied down to
an eligible list tthe names on which he
may know nothing abOut). from which
to select his subordipates, each of
whom is officially his other self.
Another branch of the service where
experience has demonstrated that clas-
sification was ill-advised is the custo-
dian service in the public buildings
throughout the country. There are in
this service a large number of low
salaried positions where no academic
vice covers the entire country.
II believe it would be of advantage to
permit each of thirty-two presidential
appointees in the Treasury Depart
ment to designate one clerical position
in the bureau under his administration,
which might be filled by noH-competi-
tive examination, the person filling such
positions to act as private secretary
and confidential clerk
THE position of the counsel before
the board of general appraisers should.
in my opinion, be exempt from the
civil service rules.
There is also a position in the New
York custom house known as pay
master. and the same reasons which
operate to exempt cashiers and depu-
ties having financial responsibilities
apply to this position.
i would also exempt the positions of
shipping commissioners at the various
ports.
Il would further suggest such a
of the rules as would Der-
nit. when no eligible register exists. a
permanent appointment to be made. in
the discretion of the head of the depart
ment subject to competitive ex-
animation by the Civil Service Com
One of the chief difficulties in
the administration of the law arises in
the yoluninous correspondence neces-
sary when an eligible register does not
exist and temporary appointments are
made pending the creation of an eligi-
BILE list.
Il would also recommend that the
rules be so modified as to permit the
head of a department TO transfer any
person in the classified service of one
branch of his department to the elassi-
fed service of another branch, with
out regard to appointment"