The Portland daily press., 1898-02-07
THE CAPITAL.
The Investigation of the Civil Service
Law.

Washington, February 5.-The Senate
the testimony of clerks of the civil service
commission, beginning with W. r. Bush
by, chief clerk of the certificate division,
whose testimony related to details Of mis-
division. He was followed by E. ID.
Bailey. Mr.. Bailey said that for the past
two years a number of things in the
bureau had troubled him because ne con-
sidered them detrimental to the service.
He said he had enJrequested not to re.
fer to the records of the office for verlH-
cation of his facts. Commissioner Proctor
himself had told him he bad not to search
the records, saying that he wanted to
break up the holding of interviews with
clerks of the. commission. MIR. Proctor
had also reminded him that subordinates
owed some Difference to their superlors
in the office and said in substance that
his place in the service depended upon his
observance of this fact. Mr.. Bailey In
stanced may cases of what he termed eva
sions of the rules of the.service. He said
that under the present commission prac'
tice had grown up of going down to the
register below the highest three el1g1bies
to secure persons for particular places on
account of special qualifications not
required by the examination. He charged
a growing laxity in the examinations
which he said became especially pro-
nounoed within the past two years. He
mentioned a case in Kansas where one
person was examined one day for posit-
ion as teacher and another person had
been examined the second day on une
same questions, thus possibly allowing
opportunity for collision. The fault was
that of the local board, but few years
ago it would not have been allowed to
stand. He also charged the application
of home rule principle in an Ohio case
at the instance OF United States sena-
tor, which WAS, he said, in violation OF
the commission regulations.
Mr.. Proctor, chairman of the commits
sion, was recalled, and replied to Mr..
Bailey. He said he was gil That all who
had grievances were giTsa an opportu-
nifty to air them. He sad Mr.. Bailey s
access to the files was zsuch as to have
given him the amplsst opportunity to at
tack the work of the commission. He
would, he said, furnish the data in each
particular case. He WAS sure that the
action upon each occasion had been in
compliance with the law and that II IL
had not been the commission was respon-
sible to the President, who could take
such action as he might think proper
He said that the statement that he hao
denied Mr.. Bailey access to the files
was false, but that he told him that he
must not interfere with the other clerks
when at work. He denied that this had
been done for the purpose of inttmidat-
ing Mr.. Bailey.
In the daily consular reports today is a
contri button from United States Consul
| Fowler at Che Foo, devoted to descrip-
ton OF the Chinese territory at Kiao Chou
Bay which has been taken by the Ger
mans. Tho consul says that he does not
credit the Chinese reports to the effect
that Germany contemplates the extension
of her sovereignty over the whole of Shan
tung province but If this were so it would
be disastrous to United States trade. He
saws that the shops are filling up with
American merchandise which is driving
German and English goods out all along
the line.