Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-09
ON BACKWARD STEP
Continued from First Pase)

this rule that the politicians have devised
1t to assist them in debauching the pubhc
service to a degree the limits of which can
scarcely be imagined. and that 1t Is an
iniquity carefully covered up by the poll
ticians and not appreciated by the Presi-
dent As the rule originated in the Treas
ury Department and was never asked tor
or suggested by any politician, 1t can at
least be said of it that these criticisms
leveled at the politicians are unmerited. II
there is any safeguard in examinations
conducted by the civil service commission,
it is difficult to see how the commission
will under this rule lend itself TO debaueh.
ing the service to a degree the limits OF
which can scarcely be imagined.
THE statement which the league makes,
that persons appointed without examina-
ton may be transferred under this rule to
classified and competitive places, Is an
untrue Interpretation. The Intent OF the
rule Is merely to give mobility within the
CLASSIFIED places, and 1t cannot serve as
channel to bring into higher places persons
whose qualifications have not been demon
strated by examination and experience.
Reimbursement of Employees.
The final count in the leagues tndict-
nent Is that the new rules permit the re-
instatement, In the discretion Of the re-
spective department officers. of persons sep
arated from the service at any previous
| time for any stated reason The change
In this rule permits the reinstatement OF
duction Of force, specifically required by
| law. without regard to the one-year limit,
which was formerly In force: and It pro-
vides that when the appointing officer certl-
hes over his signature. that, on a rehear-
ing, charges Of delinquency OF misconduct
| are proven unfOunded, the person may be
| reinStated. While the old rule provided
| that persons removed for delinquency or
| misconduct could never be reinstated, the
| civil service commission has repeatedly de-
| cided that, where the charge could be re-
| moved reinvestigation. they might be
| reinStated. There are, indeed, instances IN
/ the treasury whore the commission has
| pressed upon the department persons who
| mad been dismissed, the commission be
| Heved improperly, who had been separated
| more than a year. and were not, according
| to the existing rules. eligible. The COM
| mission properly felt. however, that in such
| cases. where the persons had been dis
| charged through misrepresentation, or,
| frankly, without the assigning OF any cause
| "a thing which had always been possible
! until President Mckinley made every APP
| pointing officer come into the open. state
| the reasons for removal reduction and
| give opportunity for defense and reply
| such persons should be reinstated without
| regard to the one-year limit. This rule, as
| 1t Is changed. merely puts into effect what
| the commission has been doing. and has
| been urging upon the departments to CO.
l operate with them in doing. with doubtful
| regard TO the rules as they stood Such Is
the character of this indictment by the
Civil Service Reform League. and the cpl
| thets and demonstrations which they have
| bestowed upon the administration because
| of things charged which have never been
done or contemplated have served as a
cue to many other unfair and unfriendly
| critics.
Army Appointments.
1.-The main objection to the order raised
by the honest critics has been that they
! regard backward step the placing in
the excepted list Of q large number OF
places, estimated by some to be as great as