The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1898-01-13
FROM WASHINGTON CITY.
SECRETARY GAGE ON THE CIVIL
SERVICE REFORMS NOW
BEING DISCUSSED.
THE HiW||AN ANNEXATION BILL.
1t Will re Called Up in Executive
Session Next Mondny-GeOrge Sci
BRIGHT OF In Grange United
States Marshal.

W Jan. O.-boeC.cluIy
and other CABINET officers today replied
to the senate resolution of December Is
calling upon the heads of the several eX
| ecutive departments for information as
to what positions in their respective de
partments should be excepted from the
| civil service law and rules. Secretary
Cages reply, in pat, says:
Il believe that experience has taught
that the order of May u, 1896, was toe
| sweeping and that there should be taken
out of the classified service Il cOnsidera
bic number of places that were ut that
time classified. The most important OF
those places are i'll the internal revenue
service. The difficulties which the treas
ury department has experienced i'll Tic
administration of rules as they now exist
as applied to the internal revenue service
have become intolerable. believe that
all places of deputy internal revenue col
lectOrs should be made excepted places,
subject, however, to non-competitiye en-
aminations. The collectors who appoint
the deputies are personally responsible
for the conduct of their subordinates.
This responsibility covers not only the
integrity of those subordinatcs in their
relation to the government, but extends
to Il personal liability to those who may
he injured in. person or in property by III
ted by such subOrdinateS in the course
of their duties. 1t is obviously wrong
that collector after assuming the
heavy responsibility that he does should
be tied down to an eligible list. ! be-
lieve that it is desirable that the collect
ors be free to select their subordinates
from among men concerning whose per-
sonal characteristics and integrity they
have knowledge.
Al
experience has demonstrated that classi-
fication was ill-advised is the custodian
service in the public buildings through
out the country. There are in the service
a large number of low salaried positions
where no academic test is required or
desirable.
II relieve that it would he of distinct
advantage to take all positions in the
custodian force, including elevator CON
ductOrs, firemcn, dynamo tenders and en-
ployes of similar character out of the
classified service.
"The employees of the lighthouse es-
Establishment have been under civil service
rules since May 6. No Improvement has
resulted. but on the other hand delays
have occurred in filling vacancies which,
fortunately. so far have not resulted in
serious disaster For all employees in
this service. save the clerical force the
best interests VIII be conserved by re-
moving them from the classified service.
would also exempt the positions of ship
ping commissioners at the various ports.
would go further and suggest such Il
modification of the rules as would per-
nit, when no eligible register exists, a
permanent appointment to be made i'll
the discretion of the head of the depart
ment, subjeeE.ara non-competitive eXaI)l-,
ination b. the civ commission
and also Mat the rules ne so modified
as to pe-..llt the head of department
to transfer any person in the classified
service of one branch of his department
to the classified service of another branch
without regard to appOrtiOnment."
Secretary Wilson of the department of
agriculture sent the following letter:
1.-THE chief trouble | find in the de-
partment of agriculture exists in the
bureau of animal industry between in
spectors, assistant inspectors, stock eX-
aminers and the taggcrs. covered into the
service without examination, and the only
marked ineffciency l find in the work
of any class of employees is among the
above mentioned employees of the bureau
of animal industry, and in certain of the
state statistical agents who were also
covered into the service without eXamina-
ton. These matters can be remedied
by excepting certain persons from the
classified service or by the head of de-
partmcntal examinations.