The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-16
CIVIL SERVICE FARCE
REFORM LEAGUE VIGOROUSLY At
TACKS METHODS OF REPUB-
LICAN ADMINISTRATION
POLITICAL PULLS TO FRONT

INDIANAPOLIS. Ind, Dec. 1.-THE an
nual convention of the Civil Service
league closed this evening with a ban
quet at the Bates house.
The topic of Hveliest interest was the
report of the special investigating COM
mtttee. Of which Charles J. Bonaparte.
OF Baltimore, is president, appointed some
time ago to report upon the action and
effect Of such action OF the Mckinley adj
ministratlon with reference to civil
service reform.
The executive committee of the league
mad studied this report and the COM
mlttee submitted it III two reports: One
on the scope and effect of the presidents
order of May % last taking 10000 offices
from the civil service list, and the other
on the Indian service.
AT the suggestion OF Mr. Bonaparta the
reports were referred back 10 the COM
lnittee for revision and possible ampu-
hcaton." 1t was this action that gave
rise to the story that the convention had
refused to adopt the report Of It's COM
mittce on resolutions.
The report Oh the Indian service under
President Mckinley, says:
The committee finds itself connelled
to report that probably no branch Of the
federal service has suffered more from
the raVages of the spOilsmen during tha
present administration than the Indian
service That such should have been the
fact IS not only misfortune, but a dis
appointment. The choice Of Cornelius
t. Hiss, as secretary Of the interior, was
accepted by many friends of good gov
efnment as an assurance that the pro-
greSS made during the two former admin
lstrauous would be continued, or at least
maintained. Such was not the case: no
serious attempt seems to have been made
by the president or by Secretary Bliss to
conduct the service on non-partisan prin-
cipleS. On the contrary, the secretary
was influenced almost wholly by partisan
considerations in making appointments
and removals. Mr.. Bliss total want of
sympathy with The merit system was suf-
hciently indicated when he remarked in
substance to one who urged the retention
OF very worthy and efficient officer that
he believed that there We're plenty as
good Republicans fully as capable as the
official In question:
POLITICAL JUGGLING.
The committee commends Commissioner
Jones and, continuing its report on the
action of the department, says:
THE appointments and removals made
purely for political reasons are so numer-
Gus that 1t would be impossible to review
them adequately in the limited space
ayailable.'
The report cites the removal of Dr..
Mailman, F.. F.. l4upp, Captain Stouch,
David Day and others as instances of
good men turned down for political
reasons. In closing the report says:
Secretary Bliss is no longer a mem
Der of the cabinet"
1t then expresses the hope that his
successor will do better, but says:
so far his course is no less encourag-
ing than commendable, but it does not
go far enough
! The report on the scope and effect Of
President McKinley's order of May %
last, in part, was as follows:
1.-THE present review deals with the
scope of President McKinley's order Of
May 20, as apparent after six months Of
active operation, and its results as indi-
Gated by the present condition of the
service. In order to appreciate the sig
nif1cance Of the presidents action it must
be remembered that the Republican party
came into power In the fall of 1897
pledged by its platform to sustain the
civil service law and rules, to enforce
them thoroughly and honestly, and to ex
tend their application wherever prac-
ticable and that Mr.. Mckinley, in &C
the presidency, indorsed and reafirmed
these pledges, declaring that no back
ward step would be taken.
THE principal test Of the Mckinley
administration to uphold the civil service
law came, naturally, in connection with
those branches that had last been CLASH
fed. The original classification of 1888
embraced 1924 places OF these Mr..
Cleveland, during his first term, added
1899 During the administration of Presi-
cent Harrison the rules were further ap-
piled to 1903 positions. During the sec
ond Cleveland term there were added
&c, 705, making a total to that date of
32,997 to be credited to Republican ad
ministration, and IS, GA to be credited to
Democratic rule.
DODGING THE LAW
'"The Mckinley administration, upon
incoming, showed the same indisposition
shown by it's predecessors to obey the
law in newly classified branches, such as
deputy internal revenue collectors, en-
ployes of the United States marshals,
pension examining surgeons, etc. The
practice of appointing persons without
examination as laborers and subsequently
assigning them to clerical or other CLASH
fed work was increased. The failure TO
extend the system where practicable Is
yet as patent as the failure to sustain
It,"
The report charges that the census bill,
providing for 5000 appointments, was
passed with deliberate rejection of the
competitive system after debate Such
were the conditions, says the report, eX-
listing at the time the order of May q,
1899, was issued, which, the report states
removed absolutely from the competitive
class 3,T00 Offices, removed from the clas-
sification and transferred to a system of
registration to be devised by the secre-
tary Of war $500 positions then covered
by a registration system controlled by
the committee, and changed the rule re-
moving the safeguards against evasion.
The report denies that as claimed, the
purpose of the change in the war 0e-
partment was to establish a system of
employment similar to that in the navy
department. 1t charges that in the treas
ury department appointments are made
first and examinations are held after
ward and those who fail are kept in
their places.
"Since May 49," the report says, there
have been 321 transfers In the federal
classified service, of which POI were made
without examination. The transfers, while
supposed to be to positions similar in ma
ture in many cases differed radically, and
were almost invariably to higher posi-
tionS."
POSTOFFICE ABUSES.
In the postof1ce department it is charg-
ed that clerks are appointed without ex-
animation at small postoffices about to
be brought within the classification Of the
free delivery system, an0 then are i'm
mediatcy transferred without examina-
ton to similar appointments in larger Of
fees, and even to other departments. The
rnn0rt then saws.