The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-06-17

Writes William +. Curtis in the Chi
cago Record: Theoretical civil SER
vice reformers who are criticizing the
recent order of the president removing
certain offices from the classified civil
service would be surprised to learn that
1t was prepared by Charles Lyman, who
was a member Of the Civil Service COM
mission, or chief examiner Of that body.
for more than fifteen years. In vari-
Gus capacities he was connected with
the commission almost from the be-
ginning OF its eXistence. and was presi-
dent of the board at the time when
Theodore Roosevelt was member. He
was retained in office 10y President
Cleveland and President Harrison, and
is recognized by civil service reformers
everywhere as the best informed eX-
pert on matters relating to the civil
service. Mr.. Lyman is now appoint
ment clerk of the treasury department,
and when the several members of the
cabinet submitted 10 the president their
recommendation as to notifications Of
the blanket order Of President Cleve-
land, which put $4,000 appointments in
the classified service. they were re-
ferred to Mr.. Lyman, who investigated
them carefully and approved the ex-
emptionS which the president signed
and promulgated a couple Of weeks ago.
Mr.. Lymans views have always been
accepted as sound by civil service asso-
Citations ana for that reason the presi-
dent sought his advice and instrusted
him with the responsibility of correct
ing the mistakes made by President
Cleveland. Mr.. Lyman is also the
author Of the recent explanation fur
nished by Secretary Gage to the news
papers in reply to the criticisms that
the order has called out
This explanation would fill three coll
umns of The Tribune and is therefore
too vouminous to be reproduced in full.
With the knowledge that it was writ
ten by SO eminent a civil service rr-
former as Nj, Lyman we must. how.
ever, quote one portion of 1.-THE part
which answers the indictment Of the
National Civil Service Reform league
that the rules have been altered so
that "in future persons appointed with
or without competitive examination, or
without any examination, may be
placed by transfer in any classified
position, without regard to the char
acter or similarity of the employments
interchanged." Mr.. Lyman in polite
language brands this as a wllful un-
truth. "The one change" says he,
(Which has been made in the rules
governing transfers has been the drop
ping of part Of the last sentence OF
that rule as it long stood-the clause
'or if in said position there is not re-
Quired, in the judgment OF the COM
mission, the performance Of the same
class of work or the practice of the
same mechanical trade performed or
praCticcd in the position from which
transfer is proposed With that clause
| in force, the rule of transfers stood as
| an absolute bar. both to mobility in
| the service and the development of en-
ployes except along a single line. En-
| trance into the classified service was
entrance into a caste, and there could
| be no change, no matter what abilities
| the person might evolve. no matter
| what needs the service might develop
| if, in the judgment OF the commits
! SION there was not required the per-
| Torrance of the same class of work, OF
! he practice of the same mechanical
/ trade. What business institution would
| make a rule which said, Once started
in this service, you shall develop along
| only the one line in which you begin
/ If you start TO work with your hands
you may never hope to work with youl
| head. You have elected to put your,
| self in a caste, and no matter what oui
business may require, or what your de.
! velOpmcnt may demonstrate, neither
| the wishes of empoye nor employer
can change YOU from that caste"
Mr., Lyman goes on to show tha
there are still all the safeguards Of ex
! animation. The rule says he, clear
ly says that transfers shall not be made
without examination provided. by tn,
| commission to a position for origina
entrance to which, in the Judgment o
the commission, there is required b,
these rules an examination invoIvint
essential tests, different from or highe
than those involved in the examina
tion required for original entrance I,
the position from which transfer 1
proposed And yet the critics of tn
order declare Of this rule that 'th
politicians have devised ii to assis
them in debauching the public seryic
to a degree the limits of which cal