New-York tribune., 1899-06-10
THE PRESIDENT DEFENDED
SECRETARY GAGE AGAIN COMMENDS
THE CIVIL SERVICE ORDER.
HE DENIES THAT A BACKWARD STEP HAS
BEEN TAKEN-REPLY TO THE CIVIL
SERVICE REFORM LEAGUES
ADDRESS
tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. J

OF the Civil Service rules:
! have already INDUCED in a brief statement OF
explanation concerning the late amendments to the
Civil Service rules, but the persistent statements
showing shown entire misapprehension OF the truth may
The recent Executive order making changes In
the Civil Service rules is being condemned by two
who msrepresent the changes which have been
made. who make interpretatio tions having basis only
the President to condemn and who berate the Ad-
mlnisration for acts not done and never contem-
who have failed rightly to analyze the changes
made, and who do not clearly comprehend all the
have honestly believed that backward step has
been ,sS taken a;.,T, With With the merit system
address to the public containing indictment Of
FIVE brief counts. In this indictment they say that
OF persons employed without examination for
~h SPAIN Gs she sandnr Gf ne @ %
many many thousands from which positions may be
,This, is a. serious charge to bring against the
President OF the United states, Criticism OF such
that the statement Of the League s absolutely in
correct There Is nothing In the order suggesting
plated making such provision.
The thing which the President has done is to
manent such temporary appointments in the cassi-
ned service heretofore made with the sanction OF
Commission has been unable or has neglected to
furnish an. eligible register from which appoint
make permanent these temporary appointees In
the discretion OF the Department heads originated
with the Treasury Department. and | speak with
absolute knowledge when say that II originate
solely In desire for practical, common-sense ad-
for places. Had the Civil service Commission sup
piled the eligibes there would have been no occa-
sion Tor such rule.
FITNESS CAREFULLY TESTED
~ The. The statement which the Civil Service League
makes, that these temporary appointments have
been made without examination is not correct IL
has as been the rule in the Treasury Department TO
mon nfQ uyfb f,I
test or the flt iess Of the candidate.
ms statement by the Civil Service Reform
league declares that the rules have been altered
so that Iii the future persons appointed with or
without competitive examination or without any
classified position without regard to the character
or similarity OF the employments interchanged."
governing transfers has been the dropping of part
OF W the last sentence OF that rule as il long stood
quired in the judgment Of the Commission the
pratoirmanee OF the same class OF work or the
or practised in the position from which transfer is
proposed With that clause in force the rule Of
pity pity In the service and the development Of en-
PoyeS bey eSeepf along single line Entrance into
ana ana, there could be no change no matter what
neads nel.es the person might evolve, matter what
neeus @ tRe service might develop If I'm the tudg-
ment OF the Commission there was not reoiiIired
re performance Of the same class OF work or the
P,natSIoe ol ,tne same mechanical trade What
business institution would make a rule which said
only fbe na IN n tns service you shall develop along
. There are still all the safeguards ~ exanir.-
not be T made 5e shp Seary says that transfers shall
70 bi bGifissi3n to position for original entrance
Is required by these rules an examination invnv tyo
ing hes essential tests different from or higher than
original entrsbce - ne ne examination required for
fer is proposed" f''" i'o'' winch trans
And yet the critics of the order declare ., tb,s
rule tfat tie politicians have deVissd fo OF thls
mem @ ~ ,dehauch;nE TIE public service 70 q de-
sr@e nd me Ial;s q wn!ch can scarcely be ina sgned"
fb III III u Is "a inidriy carefully covered up by
der AS ths 5 aa dr, net m BY the Pre
Partlent, and was never asked for or suggested bv
bsyeep fHy Il can at least be said OF it that
merited II there IS any safeguard In exarninatons
difficult to see how the Commission vii Under this
rue rue end itself to "debauching the service to de-
Inc statement which the league makes that per-
Sons rred appointed without examination may be trans
places Is mistaken interpretation The intent OF
re tne RUE Is merely TO give mobility within the
to bring into higher places persons whose oualid.
cations nave not been demonstrated by examination
and experience.
AS TO RETNsTATEMENTs.
-, The final count in the Leagues statement is that
cne new rules permit the reinstatement in the dis
cretlon OF the respective department officers Of
n G separated from the service at previous
tiihe I Tor any stated reason. The change in this
RUE permits the reinstatement OF the person dis
y required by law without regard to the
Unit Whlch was formerly in force, and II provides
signature. that on a rehearIng charges OF dein-
quency or misconduct are proven unfounded. the
vded that persons removed FOR deneuency "r or mis-
conduct could never be reinsated the Civil Service
charge could be removed on reinvestigation thew
might m be reinstated There are, indeed, instances
upon the Department persons who had been dis
missed, mis- the Commission believed improperly. who
not not according to the existing rules, eligible. The
through misapprehenson or frankly without the
been possible until President Mckinley MADE evefy
appointing g officer come into the open. state the
tuniy for defence and reply-such persons should
be reinsated without regard TO the one-year limit
critics ha. been that they regard as a backward
step the placing in the excepted list OF large
nine thousand or ten thousand The main objec-
ton to these exceptions has been bee aimed at these
from misunderstanding of what has really been
While am not called upon to represent that De-
partment, the facts are so obvious that refer to
9em 1 three r 70 or Fre -FOUR
by the appointing officer, but they have been
R Ss Navy be a IN
years, with the entire appreciation or the CIVIL
of he aaq Civil
ers. These places In the War Department will
TO the system in the Navy. which is described by
OF Labor Employment. must await his turn with
others who are registered until his services are are
needed There have been no exceptions to this
rule"
This system of registration has been frequently
recommended by the Civil Service Commission. All
these places In the War Department that are under
the new rules to be hereafter Allied by this system
OF registration are expressly made subject TO the
rules OF the classified service. dismissng the en-
ploye who shall violate any of the provisions of the
act or the rules who shall his official author
ty or influence for the purpose OF interfering with
an election or controlling the result. who shall
contribute in any way TO the dismissal or reduction
OF person because OF his political opinions or his
affiliations.
STRENGTHENING THE MERIT SYSTEM
There has been 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 VINO
has been familiar with the workings OF the classi,