Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-04
WANT CIVIL SERVICE
Commissioners Have Asked for an Opinion
as to District Employees.
Letter to the President-An Express
sion Expected From the At
tOrncy General.

An opinion is expected as stated in yes
terdays Star, in a few days from the At
torney General as to whether the employees
of the District government may not be
lawfully included within the terms of the
civil service law. The expected opinion will
be in response to a letter which the Dis
trict Commissioners addressed to the Presi-
dent on the 10Th of last month. That
letter was in it's nature a private commu-
nicatlon, but III view of the fact that ii
has become known that it was sent to the
President, the Commissioners today con-
scented to MAKE it public 1t is as follows:
1.-The President: Since 1899 every Commits
sIoner of the District of Columbia has
favored an extension Of the operations OF
the civil service law to the employees or
the District government In their last an
nual report the present board OF Commas
sioners made the following statement:
at should be the eim and desire OF those
charged with the control of the affairs of
the District Of Columbia to conduct its BUS
iness for the best interests of the United
States and of the taxpayers. Looking TO
that end, all employees of the District gov
eminent should lie selected and retained
wholly upo n basis of merit and efficiency.
Partisan control of the affairs of the Dis
trict has been ignored by every President
of the United States since the establish
ment of the present form of government ~
1878 by the appointment upon the board OF
District Commissioners of a representative
OF each of the greet political parties.
with all of The departments of the gen.
eral government under the protection OF
the civil service law, every change in the
administration of the general government
brings to the officials in charge of the Dis
trct government demands for appoint
n. ents impossible of recognition, but which
are dangerous to the interests of the Dis
rio md
sometimes practically prevent the conduct
o. its rapidly increasing business interests
THE Commissioners strongly recommend
that the District government be included
within the protection of the civil service
law.
I'm view of the present situation. with
which they believe you are familiar, the
Commissioners respectfully suggest to you
the propriety of requesting the Attorney
General to advise whether the District OF
Columbia may not be lawfully included
within the terms of the existing civil serV-
ice law"
Speaking to Star reporter today, Com
missioner Ross, the president Of the board,
stated that he understood that the PIesi-
dent has referred their communication to
the Attorney General. as requested, but
that he is not advised as to when the
opinion may be expected.
Mr. Ross said he and his colleagues earn
estly trust that the decision will be favora-
BILE to the employees Of the District, and
they are heartily in favor Of placing them
under the provisions Of the civil service
law. Mr.. Ross referred to the fact that
during the administration of President
Cleveland the Commissioners made an eff
fort to secure such an order from the Pres
ident and had also endeavored to induce
the House committee on civil service,
after 1T had been found that the President
was without authority in the matter, for
the reason, as then stated. employees of the
District government are not federal eni-
ployes, to secure the enactment of a Law
expressly granting to District employees the
same benefits under the civil service law
as are enjoyed by the employees of the
| different departments of the federal gov
eminent.
| The committee. however. failed to act in
! the matter. since which time the Commits
| sioners, while on all occasions earnestly
| advocating the matter have done nothing
until the writing of the letter above men,
toned to the President last month