The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-12-16
CIVIL SERVICE LEAGUE
Oriticises the Administration Of
President Mckinley.
DECLARES THE RULES IGNORED,
In CritIciHinE Ex-secretary Bliss the
LenEuc Declares Tint "No Branch
of the Government suffered Like
a.. s.as... a...g.. "


Lenguc Declares Thnt "No Branch
of the Government Suffered Like
the Indian Service"
Indianapolis, Ind. Dec. 16.-The res
olutions adopted by the Civil Service
league. IN session here. declare that
the Mckinley administration, upon it's
incoming, showed the same indispos-
tion shown by its predecessors to obey
the law i'm newly classified branches,
such as deputy internal revenue coll
lectors. employees of the United States
marshals, pension examining surgeons,
etc. The practice of appointing per-
sons without examination as laborers
and subsequently assigning them to
clerical or other classified work was
increased. The failure to extend the
system where practicable has been as
patent as the failure to sustain It,
The report charges that The census
bill providing for 1900 appointments
was passed with deliberate rejection
of the copetitive system after de-
bate. II charges that in the treasury
department appointments are made
first and examinations are held after
ward, and that those who fail are kept
in their places
In the postoffice deiartment, ia is
charged clerks are appointed without
examination at small postoffices about
to he brought within the classification
OF the free delivery system and then
are Immediately transferred without
examination to similar appointments in
larger offices and even to other depart
ments.
The report on the scope of Presi-
dent McKinley's order of May 20 last
in part was as follows:
"The present review deals with the
scope of President Mckinley on May
29 as apparent over six months of ac-
tive operation. and its results, as in
dicated by the present condition Of the
| service. In order to appreciate the
| significance of the presidents action,
| Il must be remembered that the RepuD-
| lican party came into power in the fall
of 1897, pledged by its platform to sus-
tain the civil service law and rules, to
enforce them thoroughly and honestly
and to extend their application wher-
| ever practicable, and that Mr.. Nc
! I<inley, in accepting the nomination Of
his party for the presidency, indorsed
and reafIlrmed these pledges, declar-
ing that no backward step would be
taken.
"The principal test of the Mckinley
administration to uphold the civil SER
vice law came naturally in connection
with these branches that had last been
classified. The original classification
of 1888 embraced 1924 places. OF
these Mr. Cleveland, during his first
term. added ,939. During the admin
istraticn of President Harrison the
rules were further applied to 1908 po-
sitions. During the second Cleveland
term there we're added 36705, making
a total to that date of 32,997 to be
credited to Republican administrations
and 1854 to be credited to Democratic
rule"
The report on the Indian service
under President Mckinley" says:
The committee finds itself compell-
ed to report that probably no branch
of the federal service has suffered more
from the ravages of the spoils men
during the present administration than
the Indian service,
That such should have been the fact
is not only a misfortune, but a dlsap-
polntment The choice OF Mr.. Cor
nelius N. Bliss as secretary of the In
| terror was dCCepleu ny many lllShuo
of his government as an assurance that
promises made during the two former
administrations would be continued, or
at least maintained. Such was not the
case; no serious attempt seems to have
been made by the president, of by Sec
retary Bliss to conduct the service on
non-partisan principles. On the con
trary, the secretary was influenced al
most wholly by partisan consideration
in making appointments and removals
Mr.. Bliss total want of sympathy witt
the merit system was sufficiently In
dicated when he remarked in substance
to one who urged the retention of a
very worthy and efficient officer that
hs believed there were plenty of good
republicans" fully as capable as the
official in question"
The committee commends Commits
sioner Jones and continuing it's report
on the action of the department, says:
"The appointments and removals
made purely for political reasons are
so numerous that II was impossible to
review them adequately in the limited
space available"