Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-09

nine or ten thousand The main objection
to these exceptions has been aimed at these
places IN the departments OF the army, and
rises from a misunderstanding of what has
really been done. While | am not called
upon to represent that department, the
facts are obvious that | refer to them
These three or four thousand places have
not been opened to free appointment by
the appointing officer, but they have been
placed in exactly the condition that similar
places in the Navy Department have been
in for several years with the entire appro-
baton of the civil service commission, and
with the cordial communication of the most
ardent civil service reformers. These
places in the War Department will here
after be filled by ii registration system. sim
liar to the system in the navy, which -
described by Secretary Long as follows:
The applicant, after registering with
the board of labor employment, must await
his. turn with others who are registered I'M
til his services are needed. There have
been no exceptions TO this rule. Applicants
who are permitted to register in the order
of their registration are taken on in the
order Of their registration, preference being
given to those who have served in the war
of the rebellion. or the Spanish-American
war, and to those who have had service in
the navy yard for two years and were dis
charged with their workmanship marked
excellent" and their conduct not less than
good.
Urged by the Com issiOn.
frequently recommended by the civil ser
vice commission. 1t has recently been
adopted at their suggestion for n large class
of places in the mint service. and is at the
present time being urged upon this de-
partment by the commission for application
to the custodian service.
AN these places in the War Department
that are under the new rules to be here
after filed by this system of registration,
a = subject
the classified service. Diminishing the en-
ploye VINO shall violate any of the provis-
ions of the act or rules, who shall use his
official authority or influence for the pur-
pose of interfering with an ell ection, or con-
trolling the result, or who shall contribute
in any way to the dismissal reduction of
person because of his political opinions
or his affiliations.
VIII Strengthen the Merit System.
There has not been an exception made,
in my opinion. that was not demanded by
the conditions of good administration, and
they will in the long run strengthen the
merit system. Every one who has been
familiar with the working of the classified
service, underst God that the inclusive order
of President Cleveland would be found too
sweeping. He found it 50 himself, ard al
most Immediately took out some officers.
THE conditions are much the same with
shipping commissioners There are ten of
these officers, who are quasi judicial in
their character, and 1t is needless to point
to the fact that an examination will not
demonstrate the presence of the judicial
temperament.
The positions OF deputy collectors of in
ternal revenue, the only large class in the
Treasury Department which has been ex-
cepted. was. according to the highest legal
opinion the Treasury Department could
get Illegally classified. The places bear a
peculiar relation to the collector. The
power of appointment lies with him, the
1 it'll O. a,1 h.
| law gies him the liberty of choice. Under
the rule as adopted. the department, has
| made certain that incompetent persons
shall not be appointed by requiring ex-
! by the commission for similar places. and
conducted by the commission In accordance
with It's regulations Thai requirement as
to examination applies not only to the