Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-15
Inquiry Into the Workings Of the
Civil Service Law.
CHIEF EXAMINER SERVEN TESqIFlES
State Of the Eligible Register May
g. 1896.
THE COMMISSIONS METHODS


the methods of the civil service. The only
member of the committee present at the
beginning of the, session was Senator
Pritchard the chairman
Amorg these present were Mr.. Proctor
and Mr.. Harlow. civil service commission
els; A. r. Serven. chief examiner; F.. d.
Bailey, assistant examiner, and Geo. r.
Wales, law clerk of the commission; eX-
Representative Henry NJ. Baker of New
Hampshire. president of the Republican
National Anti-Civil Service League, and
E. w. oyster.
Chief Examiner serven resumed the
stand and testified regarding the eligible
registers at the time Mr.. Clevelands order
of May &. 1886 There were, Mr.. Serven
said. on June 30, 3U.Gs2 names on eligible
registers, not counting the registers for
different post offices and custom houses,
these rames being on 100 different regis
ters. On May 6, he said, there were prob
ably 100 additional names on these regis
ters. This information was brought out 1t
the request of Senator Pritchard, it having
been charged that the commission, at the
time of the Presidents order, was not pro-
vided with sufficient names on eligible lists
to supply the demands of the service. Mr..
Seryen testified to the number of names
On eligible lists for various branches of
the service at that time.
Mr.. Prtchard asked whether eligibles for
the Indian service could be certified for
other branches of the service.
Tho witness replied that where such ell
Gibles had been examined for qualifica-
tions lequred in some other branch of the
service they could be so certified.
'If your eligible lists of typewriters and
stenographers were exhausted. and you
were called on for this class of employees.
would you certify names from your lists
of copyists and clerks?"
"In such a case" replied Mr.. Serven, I'VE
would probably notify the department max
ing the call that our lists were exhausted,
and would tell them we could certify copy
lists who claimed a knowledge OF ste
biography and typewriting. They could then
make a temporary appointment until we
could furnish an eligible list, or they could
take some one from our lists Of copyists.'
Power TO Classify.
Mr.. Pritchard asked the witness whether
he thought teamsters and drivers at the
government printing office could properly
be called skilled laborers he understanding
they had been classified as such.
Mr.. Server said some handlers of horses
became very expert. He preferred not Civ
ing his opinion on that point. as the act
classifying teamsters and drivers as skilled
laborers had been taken by a department..
He thought if I driver of a wagon could
do his work with very little experience as
well as one who had long experience he
could not be considered skilled laborer."
Mr.. Pritchord asked if the commission
classified deputy marshals.
Mr. Serven replied that the Attorney Cen
eral had so de cided and they were.
Mr.. PritchaTd-"rhen you must accept
the opinion Of the head of the department.
Suppose such official were to report in
favor Of violation of law. Would you
accept such a report?''
Mr.. Serven-"In such q case the commits
sion would probably confer with the officer
in question and then could inform the Pres
ident tnat his officer was insisting upon a
wrong construction of the law. But if
nothing was done to change the report OF
ha in cir
have to accept his report, unless such re-
port was ovtlruled by the courts"
Mr.. Pritchard-"Then the commission has
no power within itself?"
Mr.. Server-"That seems to be the Gaze
so far as classificatiuns are concerned"
Quite discussion arose over the manner
in which the Post Office Department Sc
lccts letter carriers from the eligible lists.
Mr.. Pritchard asked whether the commits
sion exercised any discretion In certifying
names for such appointments, whether the
first three names on the list were always
certified.
Mr. Server replied that they were, ex-
cept where the department called for
carrier living in certain place. In that
case the wish of the department was COM
piled with. The department. he said wants
men for certain work, whose legal resi-
dence Is in the place in which their work is
to be done, and the examination papers
showing that certiication is made ac
cordirgly.
Are not the same questions asked of all
the applicants for each examination and
all applicants given to understand before
exami- alton that they are to stand on an
equal footng?" asked Senator Pritchard.
Yes sir"
"Then Is not this discrimination q plain
evasion Of the law?''
Mr.. Serven replied that he thought not,
that the matter of residence was a point
of qualification, and that the commission
was justified in following home-rule prin-
ciple.
He thought it was the duty of the ccm-
mission to provide men with qualifications
called for by the department. and when
residerce In a certain place wGS required
that was taken into consideration.
Mr.. Pritchard-"Under such construc-
ton of the law would the commission not
be authorized to ignore the list entirely?'
Mr.. Server said it was not SO at ALL The
commits sion merely sought to supply men
of qualific ations called for by the depart
ment as druggist would fill prescrip-
up eligible lists according to places of
actual residence of the applicants and also
general list AS the case stands the gen.
eral list Is made up from an examination,
and when man is called for from a eer-
tain locality the selection Is made
Referring to clerks detailed from the de-
partments to the civil service commission
Mr.. Server said he had found fifty-one such
clerks were detailed to the commission
since May 6. 1896. OF that number eigh-
teen came into the service through the
commissions examination and thirty-three
came in under extensions of the classified
service Those who had come in through
the commission had been rated as salts
factory clerks, while two-thirds of the
others were found to be of small value; the
other third had good ability, but most of
them had been recalled to the departments
after a short time.
When asked as to the cost Of the COM
mission since its establishment, Mr.. Ser
ven said 1t was $3.50. 600.
He was asked If he would extend the
time OF eligibility of those who pass exam
nations. Mr.. Server replied that in exam
nations for places requiring high scientific
or technical ability he thought 1t
would be wel1 to extend the time
of eligibility to three years or
even longer. In less technical places he
thought the time might be two years. This
exception In the case of technical places he
suggested because of the difficulty and
work in preparing such eligible lists, while
lists for ordinary places as clerk could be
supplied very easily.
Classifying Deputy Collectors.
Mr.. Pritchard-"Do you think deputy col
iectors are properly classiied?"
Mr.. Serven-"Under the law they are."
Mr.. Pritchard-"Should not employees OF
the government included In the classified