The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-07-13
CAGES REPLY.
Says That He Believes in the Meri,
system.

system.
New York. July 12.--Secretary OF the
Treasury Gage, replying to letter OF Sec
rotary McAncny OF the civil service reform
league criticising Mr.. Cages defense OF
the presidents recent civil service order
said: There is no more sincere advocate
of the merit system than am. and soon
! after reaching this office I Insisted that
the collectors be urged to comply strict.
ly with the law in making appointments
In most cases they have accepted tina, in
struction, but out of some twenty collect
ors there are perhaps four or five who
have maintained that the law conferred
upon them tho right to appoint their dcpu-
ties, and the courts have upheld them. l
am assured that quite so per cent Of the
collectors have complied with the law.
When the matter brought on litigation
the president withdrew some OF tho Of
fees In dispute from the operation OF the
law. 1t Is not correct nor just to say tina,
the advice of the treasury department
produced no apparent effect.
AS to the limitations that many ap-
pointments have been made in the treas
ury since the opening of the war with
Spain without regard to the civil service
law, Mr.. Gage said that he was informed
by Mr.. Deland, who represents the civil
service commission In the departments,
that perhaps t50 instead OF many hundred
men, had been appointed in the time men
toned and that all were appointed with
the approval of the commission and were
eligible for appointment.
Many of the clerks employed to get out
the honda authnrizel nv cppQrnec wars
taken from the eligible registers. but all
were dispensed with after the work was
closed according to law. None of these
or any others were transferred into the
classified service, and no others had been
transferred without the approval of the
commission.
Mr.. Gage said that it was not fair, In
criticising the action of the department
In making appointments from the competi-
tive list, 10 exclude the bureau of eug=av-
Ing and printing. which employs the.
largest number OF persons in any one
division of the treasury service In Wash
ington
"At the head OF that bureau" said Mr.
Gage, 'is democrat--kept by the strict
regard of the head OF the department for
the civil service law and the merit of the
incumbent.
"Worthington c. Ford was not removed.
that whenever his place was wanted 10
hint to that effect would be all that would
be necessary to get him out He was a
good officer, but there were reasons, not
affecting his integrity, that led me to in
form him after a while that his resignation
would be acceptable. ! think there was
some public benefit from the change made
in that office But If Mr.. Ford had de-
sired to stay, he would never have been
removed"
AS for the complaint by Mr.. McAneny
that the secretary has wrongfully permit
ted the payment of salaries to persons APP
pointed irregularly, Mr. Gage said; THE
Interpreter Of the law for me is the comp
trcller of the treasury. When the vouch-
ers for the pay of an employee have been
approved by the subordinate officers who
know of their employment, and the auditor
has found the account correct, it goes to
The comptroller If there is any further
question. II he says that under the law
they shall be paid I would be impeached II
refused to pay the clerks. If he should
decide that the clerks should not be paid
and should pay them / would also be
Improbable"