The record-union., 1899-07-12
CIVIL SERVICE.
National Reform Leagues Criti-
cism Of McKinley's Order,


NEW YORK, July 1.-THE National
Civil Service Reform League on June
9th issued criticism of President Nc
kinley's civil service order, declaring
that "a backward step of the most
pl onounced character" had been taken.
and later Lyman ]. Gage, Secretary of
the Treasury, gave an authorized inter-
view in which he declared that some
OF the statements of the league were
malicious representations, absolute
falsehoOds," or ''false interpretations.
having basis only in the wish to find
something in the action Of the Presi-
dent to condemn"
George McAneny, Secretary Of the
league, has sent long open letter to
Secretary Gage, in which the follow
ing appeared:
Since the opening of the war with
Spain the numerous appointments IN
the Washington offices of the Treasury
Department, through competition un-
der the civil service rules. has been
insignificant. The number of ap-
pointments through other means, ch ef1y
under the war Act. has been very
large. When the urgent deficiency
bill was passed by Congress in June,
1913, a clause was inserted permitting
the employment of certain. clerks in the
War and Treasury Departments for a
period of not to exceed one year. with
out compliance with the conditions of
the civil service Act
In response to questions from vari-
Gus members, the Chairman of the Ap-
propriations Committee, Mr.. Cannon,
stated that few only of such clerks
would be needed, and he had been as
sured by officers of the Treasury De-
partment that in the emergency exist
ing it would not be practicable to get
them under the civil service Act"
Mr.. McAneny recalls the pledge made
by Mr.. Gage when he took Office to
uphold the civil service law
you found the internal revenue SER
vice wholly subject to the civil SER
vice" says he, with the exception of
the principal deputyships-one in each
of the sixty-three districts-all of the
subordinate offices in that highly i'm
portant branch were to be filled, when
vacancies occurred only through COM
petitive examinations or by promotion.
Following the incoming of the new ad
ministraNon, however, there were
agents and clerks. known commonly
as Deputy Collectors, in many dis
tricts. The new appointments were
made generally in open disregard of
the civil service law, and in most cases
for political reasons
McAneny adds: "Of the total of TO-
019 positions affected by McKinley's
order, those hitherto subject to COM
petitive examination and now with
drawn are as follows: Treasury De-
partment, 1,644; Interior Department,
1,033; Department of Justice. 31S; Post
office Department, Al; Department of
Agriculture, 81; War Department, 5S;
Navy Department, 80: all other depart
ments, 60. Total $685.
''In the War Department the follow
ing places are placed at the absolute
disposal Of Secretary Alger. Quarter
masters Department at large, 800;
Medical Department at large, %; Ord
nance Department at large, 4,277; En-
gineer Department at large, 1880.
Total 6,416.'
Mr.. McAneny says: ''The failure of
the Administration as yet to redeem it's
pledges to enforce the law thoroughly
and honestly, and to extend it's app'i-
cation wherever practicable is more
than ever grave and manifest, and the
future welfare and integrity of the
merit system, as well as simple good
faith, demand that the recent order, i'll
the main, be revoked"